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So I have a large number of *.ai files with assets at 3 unique sizes.

I want to export the right most one to file (the largest one).

My current process for doing this manually is:

  1. Open File
  2. Delete paths in left two artboards with V (Selection Tool) + (manually select paths) + Del.
  3. Enter artboard editor mode: Document Setup > Edit Artboards.
  4. Click 'X' icon in top right of each of the leftmost artboards to delete them.
  5. File > Export
  6. Click Use Artboards checkbox
  7. Click save (default name based upon *.ai file name is appropriate in my case).

enter image description here

Obviously if I had some way to batch or script this manual process, it would be much quicker.

A brief search in local questions yielded an answer on creating artboards via script, but nothing on going in the opposite direction -- deleting them via script.

Also: I should add that the leftmost two artboards (which I'm deleting) are always the same size and position relative the largest artboard. I imagine that would help on any automated solution, albeit I'm anticipating it'd be complex given the lack of pertinent material I found when poking around.

2 Answers 2

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I guess you are doing steps you don't need to do.

  • Make an action saving a PDF copy and selecting just the art board 3

artboard3

Action

  • At the PDF options window, select Illustrator default

Illustrator Default

  • Uncheck Preserve Illustrator Editing Capabilities

Preserve Illustrator Editing Capabilities

  • Opening this PDF in Illustrator will only have the art board 3

Art board 3

After having all the PDFs it will be easier to make an action to save them as PNG from Illustrator or better a Photoshop batch.

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    I think the other answer may save me a bit more time, but I also appreciate your contribution as it gives me more options to skin the cat... err no pun intended. Jun 13, 2018 at 12:46
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You can make use of Illustrator Actions, but a little script inserted into your actions via menu item would help make the artboards part work.

#target illustrator
 function test(){
   var doc = app.activeDocument;
   doc.artboards[2].remove();
   doc.artboards[1].remove();
};
test();

Try this script to see if it removes the right artboards. If they are in a specific order, it will work. Otherwise put numbers 0 & 1 into the square brackets and see if that works!

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  • I edited it to a proper code block, if that wasn't what you wanted, please feel free to roll it back.
    – Welz
    Jun 13, 2018 at 2:21
  • After testing it, I see that removes the art boards but not its content, the second point in the question.
    – user120647
    Jun 13, 2018 at 6:18
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    For removing the other contents you can try to start with your main item selected, then use "select inverse" and "delete" inside of your action.
    – Silly-V
    Jun 13, 2018 at 6:24
  • 1
    Right, one upside to this approach is that you could potentially with a single selection do: - Art board remove (using script in answer) - Path delete (using Silly-V) - Export w/ artboard considered to PNG ...all in a single composited action. Compared to the PDF route, seems that would be a quicker route to getting the select artboard contents exported to the form I want (PNG). Jun 13, 2018 at 12:45

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