Javascript: How to loop through files

Question

I am making an Illustrator CS6 Javascript that does the following:

1. Open a folder of Illustrator files
2. Open each file in the folder (these files are called the source files)
3. Select all the contents of the source file
4. Copy the contents of the source file
5. Create a new target file Paste these contents into the target file as a new layer
6. Ensure the new layer has the same name as the old source file

My script works except, it doesn't loop through the files in the source folder correctly. Instead, it runs fine on the first source file. But then it endlessly just pastes the second source file in the destination document (I.e. it doesn't move onto any of the other source file). It just endlessly pastes and so I have to force quit!

How can I get it to loop through the folders properly and then move onto the next file.

Here is my code:

// JavaScript Document
//Set up vairaibles
var destDoc, sourceDoc, sourceFolder, newLayer;

// Select the source folder.
sourceFolder = Folder.selectDialog('Select the folder with Illustrator files that you want to mere into one', '~');
destDoc = app.documents.add();

// If a valid folder is selected
if (sourceFolder != null) {
    files = new Array();

    // Get all files matching the pattern
    files = sourceFolder.getFiles();

    if (files.length > 0) {
        // Get the destination to save the files
        for (i = 0; i < files.length; i++) {
            sourceDoc = app.open(files[i]); // returns the document object
            var myLayers = sourceDoc.layers; // Select All layers in Active Document
            //Go through all layers of source document and copy artwork
            for (i = 0; i < myLayers.length; i++) {
                myLayers[i].hasSelectedArtwork = true;
            };

            with(sourceDoc) {
                var count = pageItems.length;
                for (var i = 0; i < count; i++) {
                    pageItems[i].selected = true;
                }
                redraw();
                copy();
                for (var i = 0; i < count; i++) {
                    pageItems[i].selected = false;
                }


            }

            //Create a new title variable that has the title of the source document
            var title = sourceDoc.name;
            var title = title.substring(0, title.length - 4); //(remove extension from name)
            //Close the Source Document
            sourceDoc.close(SaveOptions.DONOTSAVECHANGES);

            //Open the Destination Document and create a new layer in it that is named after the title variation
            newLayer = destDoc.layers.add();
            newLayer.name = title;

            //Paste into this new layer
            newLayer = app.paste();

        }
    }
    else {
        alert('No matching files found');
    }
}

Ps. I wasn't sure if I should post this in Code Review or Graphic Design, but I think Stack overflow is the best place to post this as it is a general question about javascript looping, so I hope this is the right place.

Answer 1

It appears that you are using "i" for the variable in each of your loops, giving it a range of unexpected values in other loops that also use that same variable. I would try using a separate variable for each loop. E.g. for j=0, for k=0, for l=0, etc.