Script for Adobe Illustrator

✦ Available exclusively on Patreon for Pro supporters.

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Description

Swatch Transfer is an Adobe Illustrator script that provides an intuitive interface for copying color swatches from one document to multiple target documents simultaneously. Whether you're working with spot colors, process colors, or organized swatch groups, this script streamlines your workflow by eliminating the need for manual swatch copying.

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Key Features

• Multi-Document Support: Transfer swatches to multiple target documents at once
• Selective Transfer: Choose specific swatches or select all with powerful selection tools
• Search & Filter: Quickly find swatches by name with real-time search
• Group Preservation: Maintain swatch group organization during transfer
• Duplicate Detection: Automatically skip swatches that already exist in target documents
• Color Type Filtering: Include or exclude spot colors and process colors (CMYK, RGB, Grayscale)
• Batch Selection Tools: Select all, deselect all, invert selection, or select by group
• User-Friendly Interface: Clean, organized dialog with helpful tooltips

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Installation

1. Download the Swatch Transfer.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. Alternatively, you can run the script directly using File > Scripts > Other Script... and browse to the file location.

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Using the Script

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Prepare Your Documents

1. Open Adobe Illustrator
2. Open at least 2 documents:
   • One document containing the swatches you want to copy (source)
   • One or more documents where you want to paste the swatches (target)

Launch the Script

1. Go to File > Scripts > Swatch Transfer (or run via Other Script...)
2. The Swatch Transfer dialog will appear:

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➊ Select Source Document

1. In the "Copy Swatches FROM" panel (left side), select the document containing the swatches you want to copy
2. The swatch list will automatically update to show available swatches from the selected document

➋ Select Target Document(s)

1. In the "Copy Swatches TO" panel (right side), select one or more target documents
2. Hold Ctrl (Windows) or Cmd (Mac) to select multiple documents
3. Note: You cannot select the same document as both source and target

➌ Choose Swatches to Transfer

3.1 Using Search:

• Type in the search box to filter swatches by name
• The list updates in real-time as you type
• Click the ✖ button to clear the search and show all swatches

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3.2 Using the Swatch List:

• The swatch list displays all available swatches in two columns:
  • Column 1: Group name (if the swatch belongs to a group)
  • Column 2: Swatch name
• Click to select individual swatches
• Hold Ctrl/Cmd to select multiple swatches
• Hold Shift to select a range of swatches

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3.3 Using Selection Buttons:

• Select All: Selects all visible swatches in the list
• Deselect All: Clears all selections
• Invert Selection: Swaps selected and unselected swatches
• Select Group: Selects all swatches from the same group as the currently selected swatch

➍ Configure Options

In the "Options" panel, customize the transfer behavior:

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🅰 Skip duplicate swatches (check by name):

• Prevents overwriting swatches that already exist in target documents
• Duplicates are identified by matching swatch names

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🅱 Preserve folder structure (swatch groups):

• Maintains swatch group organization when transferring
• Creates new groups in target documents if they don't exist

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🅲 Include spot colors: 

• Includes spot color swatches in the transfer
• Uncheck to exclude spot colors

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🅳 Include process colors: 

• Includes CMYK, RGB, and Grayscale swatches in the transfer
• Uncheck to exclude process colors

➎ Execute the Transfer

1. Review your selections:
   • Source documentTarget document(s)
   • Selected swatchesOptions settings
2. Click OK to start the transfer
3. A confirmation dialog will appear showing:
   • Number of swatches transferred
   • Number of swatch groups created (if applicable)
   • Number of duplicates skipped (if applicable)Number of errors (if any)
   • Source and target document names
4. Click Cancel to close the dialog without transferring

Workflow Tips:

• Organize Before Transfer: Organize swatches into groups in the source document for easier management
• Use Search: When working with large swatch libraries, use the search function to quickly find specific colors
• Test First: Try transferring to one document first to verify results before selecting multiple targets
• Backup: Save your documents before running the script, especially when working with important files

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Common Use Cases:

• Brand Consistency: Transfer brand color palettes to new project documents
• Template Creation: Build master swatch libraries and distribute to multiple templates
• Project Consolidation: Combine swatches from multiple documents into one master document
• Client Handoffs: Ensure all project files have the complete approved color palette

☻ Wrap Up

With Swatch Transfer, managing color palettes across multiple Illustrator documents becomes effortless. Whether you're maintaining brand consistency, building templates, or consolidating project files, this script saves time and ensures accuracy with its intuitive interface and powerful selection tools.

Start streamlining your color workflow today and spend less time on manual swatch management.

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