Scriptographer.org - Grid Generator

This is a very straight forward tool that generates four kinds of grid. You type in the number of rows and columns, and the size of the unit, then click a button.

While those grids might seem basic to mathematicians, I thought it'd be handy to have something like this in AI for graphic artists. Something looking basic at first can be creatively altered and became something interesting. I attached two quick-dirty mockups just to demonstrate some possibilities.

My favorite trick is to use the raster.getAverageColor() function to layout a rich and abstract color combination. If you feel like to try, copy the code below to the end of my scripts:

-----------------------------------

// Pickup colors from a raster//
//NOTE: An image must be placed within the artboard and rasterized//

var rasters = document.getItems({
type: Raster,
selected: true
});

var paths = document.getItems({
type: Path,
selected: true
});

if(rasters.length >0 && paths.length >0){
var raster = rasters[0];
for(var i=0; i<paths.length; i++) {
var path = paths[i];
var color = raster.getAverageColor(path);
path.fillColor = color;
}
}else{
Dialog.alert('Please select at least one rasterized image and one path overlapping on top.');
}

-------------------------------------------

UPDATE: 01/10/2012
I uploaded the above lines as a separate script.

grid_generator.js

rasterColor.js

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Have you tried rasterizing the image in illustrator?

Object > Rasterize

That works for me...and just make sure your raster image is below your path in the layer stack. Hope that helps.

Nothing happen when I click on the several button? do I have to use the pentool or to make a shape at the beginning?

Thanks for your help,
Delfe

It's ok!! Thanks

I thought this was very useful and I have amended it to make it easier to add new patterns -- and I have added some new ones.
... and a few options such as inverting alternate rows.
Maybe more later :-)
As well as the raster function, it goes well with Variator and ThemeColours scripts

grid_generator.zip

I dont know how to fill color to this work, plz show me how ... thank so much !!

Treat it like any other set of shapes - to get random colours, use the ThemeColours, or the Variator script
OR, with this script,
create a raster from an image, align with the generated patter, select the raster and the generated shape - then click the Raster button.

I did not want to write code to describe a jigsaw puzzle in the pattern generator, so I drew one normally then captured the code using getPathScript.
( I also modifed the Scriptographer module console.js to increase the size of the log available to write the result **while (consoleText.length() >= bignumber** )

I edited that into the pattern generator script as a pattern called Capture1.
I also added a 'draw alternate shapes' function - for some shapes this draws only half the shapes, leaving 'holes' - useful when there is an attractive background.

Example jigsaw ( using a raster of yellow flowers ) and an alternating pattern over a radial background.