Illustrator Client Support
How to make Swarm Apps work in the Illustrator Client
Last updated
How to make Swarm Apps work in the Illustrator Client
Last updated
The Swarm Client for Illustrator allows drawing data to be read from and written into open Illustrator documents. The table below describes which Illustrator element types are supported, which Swarm Input and Output types those elements map to.
All geometry is Illustrator is considered a Path. Swarm does its best guess the type of curve based its properties. For Swarm point inputs, any curve can be selected and its area center will be read as a point or single path points can be selected.
Illustrator Data Type
Swarm IO Type
Read / Write / Update supported?
Path Point
Point
Read, Write
Path
Polyline
Read, Write
Path
Curve
Read, Write
Path
Line
Read, Write
Ellipse Path
Circle
Read, Write
Compound Path
Trimmed Surface
Read, Write
Baking points creates Path Points in Illustrator, which can be selected, but invisible.
The sections below demonstrate how to read Illustrator Attributes from the supported element types, and how to create and update native elements (including setting certain Illustrator element properties).
When geometry referenced as inputs in an App, they bring a number of Illustrator Element Properties along with them in the form of Attributes. The following properties/Attributes are supported for each type.
Default Built In Swarm Attribute
Illustrator Property
Id
Unused
Name
Path Name (coming soon)
Layer
Illustrator Layer (coming soon)
Color
Layer Color (coming soon)
Properties read as Custom Attributes
Stroke Color
Color
Stroke Weight
Number
Stroke Pattern
List of Numbers (Default 0 = solid)
Fill Color
Color
Opacity
Number (0.0-1.0)
Text objects can be created in Swarm from geometric inputs by assigning text attributes to the objects. Depending on the geometry input type, the Illustrator text can be created in one of the 3 following formats.
Swarm Geometry
Illustrator Text Type
Point3d
Text Item
Open Curve (Nurbs, Arc, Polyline)
Area Text
Closed Curve (Nurbs, Circle, Ellipse, Polyline)
Text on Path
Properties read as Custom Attributes
Contents
Text (The text to be displayed)
Family
Text (Not currently Supported)
Size
Number
Color
Color
Swarm for Illustrator primarily operates on curves and points reading and writing Illustrator paths. All illustrator content supported by swarm is 2D, meaning geometry can be in 3D, but Swarm only uses the X and Y coordinates from geometry. All curves in swarm are read as single objects, however compound paths, filled objects with holes, are created from trimmed breps (surfaces) and meshes.
The app below creates all currently supported geometry types:
https://swarm.thorntontomasetti.com/app/5ec4589c2215a20004af8b7c/info
Not supported yet - check back later!
