Can I batch create symbols from layers?

Question

I have Illustrator files of some fairly complicated schematics that I will be bringing in to Flash. The layers are already well organized and named so I would like to select particular layers, hit a "create symbols" button and have all of the selected layers turned into separate symbols that have the same name as their layer name. I would even be willing to code something to do this but I can't find any information about how it can be done.
I know that I can import an Illustrator file into Flash and select layers that I can then make into movie clips but again, I have to manually select the layer, tell it to be a movie clip and then give it an instance name. I would be happy to try to automate that process as well but haven't found any info on how it can be done either.
Does anyone have any ideas on how I can batch create symbols from my existing layers?

Answer 1

I figured this out using recursion. Pasted here in case it helps someone else:
#target Illustrator
var docRef = app.activeDocument;
var layersRef = app.activeDocument.layers;
var layersCount = layersRef.length;
var mySymbolInstance = null;
if ( app.documents.length > 0 ) {
    // if the file is not empty, loop through all levels
    recurseLayers(docRef.layers);
    clearEmptyLayers();
    alert("I'm done");
function recurseLayers(objArray) {
    // loop through main layers
    for (var l = 0; l < objArray.length; l++) {
        // loop through secondary layers
        if (objArray[l].layers.length > 0) {
            recurseLayers(objArray[l].layers);
        // loop through first level groups
        if (objArray[l].groupItems.length > 0) {
            recurseGroups(objArray[l].groupItems);
            // create a group
            var layerGrp = objArray[l].groupItems.add();
            //give new group the same name as the old group
            var layerName = objArray[l].name;
            layerGrp.name = layerName;
            // get all page items from group
            var layerGrpPageItems =  objArray[l].pageItems;
            //alert("how many group page items: " + layerGrpPageItems.length);
            for (var li= layerGrpPageItems.length-1; li >0; li--) {
                // will become the symbol name
                var layerPageItemName = layerGrpPageItems[li].name;
                // if it's not already a symbol, make it into one
                if (layerGrpPageItems[li].typename == "SymbolItem") {
                    layerGrpPageItems[li].moveToBeginning(layerGrp);
                } else {
                    // create symbols
                    createSymbol(layerGrpPageItems[li], layerGrpPageItems[li].name);
                    // add symbols to group
                    mySymbolInstance.moveToBeginning(layerGrp);
                    // remove original content
                    layerGrpPageItems[li].remove();
            // create symbols from layer
            createSymbol(layerGrp, layerName);
            // remove original layer content
            layerGrp.remove();
function recurseGroups(objArray) {
    for (var g = 0; g < objArray.length; g++) {
        // loop through second level groups
        if (objArray[g].groupItems.length > 0) {
            recurseGroups(objArray[g].groupItems);
            // create a group
            var grp = objArray[g].groupItems.add();
           //give new group the same name as the old group
            var groupName = objArray[g].name;
            grp.name = groupName;
            //alert("which group is this? " + groupName);
            // get all page items from group
            var grpPageItems =  objArray[g].pageItems;
            //alert("how many group page items: " + grpPageItems.length);
            for (var gi= grpPageItems.length-1; gi >0; gi--) {
                // will become the symbol name
                var pageItemName = groupName + "_" + grpPageItems[gi].name;
                createSymbol(grpPageItems[gi], pageItemName);
                // add symbols to group
                mySymbolInstance.moveToBeginning(grp);
                // remove original content
                grpPageItems[gi].remove();
function createSymbol(element, elementName) {
    //alert("elementName" + elementName);
    // create symbols from all items in the group
    var symbolRef = docRef.symbols.add(element);
    //alert("element unnamed before: " + elementName);
    // if the element name is empty, give it a name
    var addElementIndex = 0;
    if(elementName == "") {
        elementName = "unnamed" + addElementIndex;
        addElementIndex++;
    // loop through all the symbols in the document
    var symbolCount = docRef.symbols.length;
        for(var s=0; s<symbolCount; s++)  {
            // existing symbols
            var symbolCheck = docRef.symbols[s];
            //alert(symbolCheck.name);
            var addIndex = 0;
            // if the name already exists, add the index number to it and increment
            if(elementName == symbolCheck.name) {
                elementName = elementName + addIndex;
                addIndex++;
    symbolRef.name = elementName;
    //alert("symbol name: " + symbolRef.name);
    mySymbolInstance = docRef.symbolItems.add(symbolRef);
    mySymbolInstance.left = element.left;
    mySymbolInstance.top = element.top;
function clearEmptyLayers() {
    if (documents.length > 0 && activeDocument.pathItems.length >= 0){
        for (var ni = layersCount - 1; ni >= 0; ni-- ) {
            // get sub layers
            var topLayer = docRef.layers[ni];
            for(var ii = topLayer.layers.length - 1; ii >=0; ii--) {
                // delete empty sub layers
                if ( topLayer.layers[ni].pageItems.length == 0 ) {
                    topLayer.layers[ni].remove();