Automating Tasks in Illustrator

If you find yourself performing the same task repeatedly in Illustrator, consider automating it to save time and work more efficiently . Illustrator offers several features for automating tasks:

Actions Actions are roughly equivalent to macros in many other applications and provide a quick way for you to show Illustrator which operations you want it to perform. You create an action from the Actions palette by creating a new set, starting the recorder, and recording the sequence of operations needed, usually working on a sample illustration rather than a valuable project. You can then play back the action when necessary. You can also edit an action to change what it doesfor example, by adding or removing commands, or by changing the order in which the action executes the commands.
Scripts Scripts are like actions on steroids, as they can involve not only Illustrator itself but also other applications. Illustrator supports scripts written in Microsoft Visual Basic, AppleScript, and JavaScript, giving plenty of flexibility in both Windows and Mac OS X. You use the File Scripts submenu to work with scripts.
Data-driven graphics A data-driven graphic is a means of creating multiple versions of artwork based on the same template. You work in the Variables palette to define those parts of the template that are changeable. For example, you might create a template that included several changeable text strings and linked images. By supplying the data on which text strings and which images to use in different versions of the file, you could then create multiple graphics automatically from the template.