Script for Adobe Illustrator

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Description

Proportional Spacing Adjuster expands or contracts the spacing between multiple selected objects in Adobe Illustrator. It moves each object proportionally from a chosen reference point while preserving every object's size.

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Features

The script combines precise controls with direct visual feedback, making proportional spacing adjustments easy to set up and review.

• Proportional spacing: Expand with positive percentages, contract with negative percentages, or enter 0 to keep the original spacing.
• Flexible values: Drag the Spacing % scrollbar from -200% to 200%, or type any value, including one outside that range, in the numeric input.
• Numeric inputs with steppers: Click, drag, or scroll the stepper on each input to nudge the value, and right-click it to reset.
• Calculations: Enter calculations such as 100/2 or (10-3)*4 in the Spacing % input and 2+1 or 10/2 in the Count input, using +, -, *, /, and parentheses.
• Three move directions: Adjust horizontal spacing, vertical spacing, or both at once.
• Nine reference points: Anchor movement to a corner, edge midpoint, or the center of the selection.
• Interactive preview: Inspect original and calculated positions, movement lines, the reference point, and adjusted bounds at the top of the dialog.
• Direct handle control: Drag direction-aware bounding-box handles to change the percentage visually.
• Live artwork preview: See the current result in Illustrator before applying it.
• Duplicate creation: Add evenly spaced copies between each original and calculated target position.
• Flexible copy counts: Use the 2-10 Count scrollbar or type a value from 2 through 100.
• View controls: Hide selection edges, fit the original selection in the active view, and restore the opening view.

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Installation

1. Download the Proportional Spacing Adjuster.jsx script file.

2. Place the script in your Adobe Illustrator Scripts folder:

⮑ Mac: /Applications/Adobe Illustrator (Version)/Presets/(Language)/Scripts

⮑ Windows: C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Illustrator (Version)\Presets(Language)\Scripts

3. Restart Adobe Illustrator if it's already running

4. Access the script via File > Scripts > Proportional Spacing Adjuster

5. Alternatively, run it directly via File > Scripts > Other Script... and browse to the file location

Tip: You can also drag and drop the .jsx file directly onto the Illustrator workspace to run the script instantly – no installation needed.

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Using the Script

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Launch the Script

Open an Illustrator document containing the artwork you want to adjust, then launch Proportional Spacing Adjuster.

1. Select at least two individual objects.
2. Choose File > Scripts > Proportional Spacing Adjuster.
3. Confirm that the selected objects appear in the Spacing Map at the top of the dialog.
4. If the script reports that one group is selected, select at least two individual objects and launch it again.

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➊ Set the Spacing %

Spacing % controls how far each object moves relative to its original distance from the selected reference point.

• Enter 0 to keep the original spacing.
• Enter a positive value to move objects farther from the reference point.
• Enter a negative value to move objects closer to the reference point.
• Drag the ticked scrollbar, which spans the panel, to choose a value from -200% to 200%.
• Click a scrollbar arrow for a one-unit step or click the track for a larger step.
• Type any value in the numeric input at the right end of the row, after the reset indicator. The input shows a % suffix; type the number only. Values below -200 or above 200 are kept, and the scrollbar rests at its end.
• Click the upper or lower half of the input's stepper to change the value by 1, or by 10 with Shift. Drag the stepper up or down, or scroll over it, to keep stepping.
• Enter calculations using +, -, , /, and parentheses, such as 100/2, 2+34, or (2+3)*4. Decimal points, decimal commas, negative values, and scientific notation are accepted.
• Press Enter, leave the input, or click OK to replace a calculation with its result. An incomplete or invalid entry, including division by zero, quietly restores the previous value and outlines the input in red until you edit it again; no alert interrupts you.
• Click the reset indicator, right-click the scrollbar, or right-click the stepper to return Spacing % to 0.

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➋ Choose a Direction

Direction determines which coordinates the proportional calculation can change.

• Both: Change horizontal and vertical spacing together.
• Horizontal: Change horizontal spacing while preserving vertical positions.
• Vertical: Change vertical spacing while preserving horizontal positions.
• You can also click the direction word in the Spacing Map header to cycle through the three directions.
• Changing the direction immediately refreshes the dialog preview and, when Preview is on, the Illustrator artwork.

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➌ Choose a Reference Point

Ref. Point provides a 3 x 3 selector that represents the bounds of the original selection.

• Choose a corner to expand or contract from that side diagonally.
• Choose an edge midpoint for a one-sided horizontal or vertical relationship.
• Choose the center for balanced movement around the selection center.
• Option/Alt-click the selector to return to the center point.
• When an object occupies the chosen outer reference position, that anchor object stays still while the other objects move proportionally.

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➍ Use the Interactive Preview

Spacing Map is the first panel in the dialog. It shows how the selected objects will move and provides handles for direct adjustment.

• Outlined markers show original positions.
• Accent markers show calculated positions.
• Connecting lines show movement direction and distance.
• The crosshair marks the selected reference point.
• The header shows the current value and direction. Click the direction word to cycle through Both, Horizontal, and Vertical; Shift-click goes back.
• The bounding box shows the adjusted selection extent.
• Horizontal mode shows left and right handles.
• Vertical mode shows top and bottom handles.
• Both mode shows handles at the midpoint of all four edges.
• Drag a visible handle to change Spacing %.
• Hold Shift while dragging for finer control.
• Option/Alt-click or right-click the viewport to reset Spacing % to 0.
• The preview follows the Spacing % input as you type and keeps the last valid value while a calculation is incomplete.

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➎ Copies

Copies adds intermediate copies along each object's proportional movement path.

• Click Add Copies to enable duplicate creation.
• Set the count with the numeric input beside the button or the ticked Count scrollbar.
• Use the scrollbar for values from 2 through 10.
• Type a whole number or a calculation for a result from 2 through 100.
• A count below 2 or an invalid entry restores the previous count, and a count above 100 is corrected to 100; the input shows a red outline in both cases.
• A typed count above 10 stays active while the scrollbar rests at its maximum position.
• Use the input's stepper to change the count by 1, or by 10 with Shift.
• The count includes the original object.
• Changing Spacing %, Direction, or Ref. Point rebuilds the duplicate arrangement.
• Turning Add Copies off removes the generated preview copies.
• Right-click the Count scrollbar, or right-click the stepper, to reset the count to 3.

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➏ Control Preview, Hide Edges, and Fit Selection

The action bar controls how the result is displayed in the Illustrator document.

• Preview ON/OFF: Apply or suspend live artwork updates.
• Hide Edges: Hide selection edges for a clear view, then click again to restore them.
• Fit Selection: Fit the original selection in the active view, then click again to restore the view from when the script opened.
• Turning Preview off restores the objects to their original positions.
• Turn Preview on again to inspect the current settings on the artwork before confirming. OK applies them either way.

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➐ Apply, Cancel, or Reset

Use the action buttons after reviewing the result.

• OK or Enter: Commit any value still being typed, apply the current settings to the artwork, and close the dialog. This works whether Preview is on or off. The settings are remembered for the next run.
• Cancel or Esc: Remove generated duplicates, restore the original positions, and close the dialog. Settings saved by an earlier OK stay unchanged.
• Spacing % reset indicator or stepper right-click: Reset only Spacing % to 0.

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☻ Summary

Proportional Spacing Adjuster makes it easy to expand, contract, and duplicate arrangements with precise proportional control. Select your objects, choose a direction and reference point, then refine the result with the numeric inputs, scrollbars, or interactive handles before applying it.

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