Duplicate and increment text

Question

Hi
Never used Illustrator scripting bebore.
Could soeone please write me a script that takes as arguments.
text : a text element on the artwork (not sure if this is possible)
inX, incY : Incremental y co ordinate (x less impotant)
numOfSteps : Number of duplcates made
This script should then make duplicats of the text element and increment the number
So if I have a text box with the text '01'
And I enter <numOfSteps> 4, <inX> 0, <incY> 30. I would like 4 duplicates to be made spaced 30 pixels apart.
For example,
01       }
           } 30 pixels
02
03
04
05
It is imprtant the numbers are written in 2 digits 01 instead of just 1
An additional startNum variable would be very useful to state the number inside the first text field which the steps will be started from.
Hope this is even possible would save me a lot of time.
I'm good at actionscript so if it's written in that I could edit it, not that important though.
Thanks in advance,
Simon

Answer 1

Hello!
I'm new to scripting but i'm in a urgent need.
Ichanged this code obove to this below, but i have one problem that Ican't resolve.
Everything is good - the text is coppied and moved, but i need that the text is not moved to 0,0 ,but to stay where it was at the beggining - it is the most important.
Itried with it a coup;e of hours, so now i need help, please.
Below is the code i'm using:
#target illustrator
var selectedItems;
// if a document is open
if(documents.length >0)
    var idoc = app.activeDocument;  
   // if textframes exist in the document
   if(activeDocument.textFrames.length > 0)
      // check to make sure something is selected.
      selectedItems = selection
      if (selectedItems.length > 0)
            var itemFound = false;
            for(var i=0; i<selectedItems.length; i++)
               if(selectedItems[i].typename == "TextFrame")
                  itemFound = true;
                  var startNum = selectedItems[i].contents;
                  var incX = 300;
                  var steps = 6;
                  selectedItems[i].contents = startNum;
                  var myGroup = app.activeDocument.groupItems.add();
                  selectedItems[i].move( myGroup , ElementPlacement.PLACEAFTER);
                  selectedItems[i].position = [0,0];
                  for(var a=0; a<steps; a++)
                      selectedItems[i].duplicate ();
                      selectedItems[i].move( myGroup , ElementPlacement.PLACEAFTER);
                      var newNumber = parseFloat(startNum) + (a+1);
                      selectedItems[i].contents = newNumber;
                      var newX = incX / 72;
                      selectedItems[i].position = [((a+1)*incX),0];
            if(itemFound == false) alert("No text items are selected.");
      else
         alert("Nothing is selected, select a text item(s) or a text range.");
   else
      alert("Open a document and select 1 or more text items or a text range.");
else
   alert("Open a document and select 1 or more text items or a text range.");