Artboard Batch Renamer

Script for Adobe Illustrator

Functionality

The Artboard Batch Renamer is a powerful script for Adobe Illustrator that simplifies the process of renaming multiple artboards. It allows you to rename all or selected artboards with options to add prefixes, suffixes, numbering, and dynamic data like artboard dimensions or the current date.

With its intuitive interface and features like find-and-replace, the script helps streamline your workflow and keep your artboard names organized. Perfect for projects of any size, it saves time and ensures consistency.

Key Features:

  • Batch Rename Artboards:
    Rename all artboards at once or limit the operation to selected artboards only.
  • Customizable Naming: 
    Create customized names by adding prefixes or suffixes to artboard names.
  • Number Sequences: 
    Automatically append sequential numbers to artboard names, with options to customize the starting number, divider, and sequence order (normal or reverse).
  • Dynamic Date: 
    Incorporate dynamic information directly into artboard names, such as artboard dimensions (width and height), the current date and time, document color mode, and more.
  • Find and Replace: 
    Easily search for and replace specified text in existing artboard names, making bulk text edits a breeze.
  • Live Preview:
    See a real-time preview of the new artboard names directly in the interface before applying any changes.

Install and Run the Script

  • Place the script file in your Adobe Illustrator scripts folder:

    MacOS: /Applications/Adobe Illustrator <Version>/Presets/<Language>/Scripts
    Windows: C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Illustrator <Version>\Presets\<Language>\Scripts
  • Restart Adobe Illustrator to load the script into the File > Scripts menu.
  • Open your document and go to File > Scripts > Artboard Batch Renamer to launch the script.

Explore the Script Interface

When the script runs, a dialog box appears with the following sections and options:

 

➊ Artboard List

The main list displays all the artboards in the document, with three columns.

  • 1.1 Artboard Index: The sequential number of each artboard.
  • 1.2 Current Name: The current name of the artboard.
  • 1.3 New Name: The preview of the new name based on your input and settings.

The “New Name” column dynamically updates as you modify the renaming options in the dialog (e.g., entering a prefix, adding a number sequence, or using placeholders).

Tip: Double-click an artboard in the listbox to fit it into the Illustrator window, making it easier to identify and work with specific artboards.


The following fields and options allow you to configure the new names for the artboards:

➋ Enter New Name

The Artboard Batch Renamer allows you to use dynamic placeholders to generate unique and descriptive artboard names based on artboard properties and document metadata.

  • Enter Name: Specify the new base name for your artboards.

You can use the following placeholders for dynamic values:

  • {w} - Width of the artboard.
  • {h} - Height of the artboard.
  • {n} - Current artboard name.
  • {d} - Current date (YYYY-MM-DD).
  • {t} -  Current time (HH-MM).
  • {c} - Color mode of the document (CMYK or RGB).
  • {u} - Ruler units of the document (px, pt, mm, in, etc.).
  • {fn} - File name of the document.
  • {pn} - Page number (artboard index).

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Using Dynamic Placeholders:

Imagine you are designing a series of posters, and you want to include the artboard size, page number, and color mode in each artboard name. Here’s how you can configure the renaming:

  • Enter Name: Logo {pn} ({w} × {h} {u} - {c})
  • Prefix: New
  • Suffix: - Final

These placeholders will be dynamically replaced with the corresponding values for each artboard:

  • {pn}: The page number
  • {w} and {h}: The width and height of the artboard.
  • {u}: The ruler units
  • {c}: The color mode

Based on the above configuration, here’s how the renamed artboards might look:

  • New Logo 1 (1920 × 1080 px - RGB) - Final
  • New Logo 2 (1080 × 1350 px - RGB) - Final
  • New Logo 3 (1280 × 1280 px - RGB) - Final


➌ Number Sequence

The Number Sequence feature in the Artboard Batch Renamer allows you to automatically append sequential numbers to the names of your artboards. This is particularly useful for projects where artboards need to follow a logical order or where numbering is required for better organization.

Enable Numbering:

  • Check the “Add Number Sequence” checkbox to activate sequential numbering.

Customize the Sequence:

  • 3.1 Reverse Order: Enable this option to reverse the sequence order, numbering from the last artboard to the first.
  • 3.2 Divider: Specify a character to separate the name and the number (default is '-')'.
  • 3.3 Base Index: Choose the starting number for the sequence (default is 1).

The number sequence is applied to all artboards, or only the selected ones if the “Rename Only Selected Artboards” checkbox is enabled. The numbers update dynamically in the “New Name” column of the listbox as you modify settings.


➍ Prefix and Suffix

The Prefix and Suffix fields in the Artboard Batch Renamer allow you to add text before or after the base name of your artboards. This is a simple yet powerful feature for customizing artboard names, providing additional context, or grouping artboards by category or type.

4.1 Prefix:

  • The Prefix field lets you add text at the beginning of the artboard name.
  • This is useful for grouping or labeling artboards with consistent identifiers.

4.2 Suffix:

  • The Suffix field lets you add text at the end of the artboard name.
  • This is ideal for appending details, such as version numbers, file types, or additional descriptors.

The prefix and suffix are applied to all artboard names, or only the selected ones if the “Rename Only Selected Artboards” checkbox is enabled. Changes are shown in real-time in the “New Name” column of the listbox.


➎ Find and Replace

The Find and Replace feature in the Artboard Batch Renamer allows you to search for specific text within the existing artboard names and replace it with new text. This functionality is particularly useful for making quick, consistent updates to artboard names without having to rename each one manually.

5.1 Find Text:

  • Enter the text you want to search for in the Find field.
  • The script looks for this text in the current artboard names.

5.2 Replace Text:

  • Enter the text you want to replace the found text with in the Replace field.
  • The script substitutes all occurrences of the “Find” text with the “Replace” text in the selected or all artboards.

As you type in the Find and Replace fields, the “New Name” column in the listbox updates dynamically, showing the renamed artboards in real-time.

Tip: If the “Rename Only Selected Artboards” checkbox is enabled, the Find and Replace operation will only apply to the selected artboards in the listbox.


➏ Rename Only Selected Artboards

The “Rename Only Selected Artboards” checkbox allows you to rename only the artboards you specifically select in the Artboards list. This feature provides precise control over the renaming process, ensuring that only the artboards you choose are affected.

You can select multiple artboards from the list using standard selection techniques:

  1. Ctrl/Command + Click: Select multiple non-contiguous artboards.
  2. Shift + Click: Select a range of artboards.

This checkbox is especially helpful if you only want to rename specific artboards in a document, leaving others unchanged.


➐ Execute the Renaming

Once you’ve configured the renaming options:

  • Click the Rename button to apply the changes.
  • The script will rename the artboards in the Illustrator file based on your configuration.
  • Click the Close button to exit the dialog window.

 

⚠︎ It is highly recommended to save your document, especially complex or large files, before running the script. This ensures that all changes are securely backed up and minimizes the risk of data loss in case of unexpected issues. 


☻ Additional Features

🅰 Resizable Script Window

The Artboard Batch Renamer script window is fully resizable, allowing you to adjust its size to better fit your workspace and workflow needs. This is especially helpful when working with documents that have many artboards or long artboard names, as it ensures you can view more information without scrolling excessively.

Resize the Window:

  • Move your cursor to the edge or corner of the script window.
  • Click and drag to resize the window to your preferred dimensions.

Expand the window vertically to display a greater number of artboards in the listbox at once.

The Search Bar in the Artboard Batch Renamer is a text input field that allows you to filter the list of artboards displayed in the listbox. It helps you quickly locate specific artboards by their names, making it easier to manage and rename artboards in documents with a large number of artboards.

  • As you type into the search bar, the script dynamically filters the listbox to show only the artboards whose names match the entered text.
  • The search function is not case-sensitive, meaning 'logo' and 'Logo' are treated as the same.
  • The search bar matches partial strings, so you don’t need to type the full name of an artboard to find it.
  • Deleting the text in the search bar restores the full list of artboards in the listbox.

🅲 Placeholders Guide

Clicking the 'T' icon launches a dialog that displays a detailed help guide about dynamic placeholders.

This guide explains:

  • What placeholders are.
  • How to use them in renaming artboards.
  • Examples of placeholder usage.

The placeholders guide includes descriptions of each placeholder and its corresponding value.


Overall, this script is ideal for professionals working on complex projects such as brand guidelines, web design mockups, multi-page documents, or print layouts, where consistent and descriptive artboard naming is essential.

The Artboard Batch Renamer takes the hassle out of renaming, allowing you to focus on design while maintaining a clean and organized workspace.


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