Tools Method Actions and Apply Modes

The action bar at the bottom of a Tools Method separates two decisions: whether to save the current configuration in the method's Table preview, and whether to run it against Illustrator.

Use Add Row when you are authoring a reusable Darty row without changing the document. Use Apply when you want to capture that row and run it. Selection and document apply modes are direct, one-time actions that do not change the Table preview.

See Tools Methods for the shared workflow. Each individual editor guide documents its own targets, values, Skip behavior, and validation.

Choose the Right Action

Not every action appears for every method. Reset, Add Row, and Apply form the standard action set. A method adds a selection, document, or generation action only when that behavior is supported.

Reset

Reset restores the selected method to its starting configuration and clears its current working preview.

Reset normally:

• Restores the method's default control values.
• Returns to the starting method tab.
• Restores the normal append-row setting.
• Ends any active row-editing state.
• Clears the in-memory Table rows and dispatch details for that method.

Reset does not undo artwork already changed by an Apply action. Use Illustrator's undo history when you need to reverse a completed document operation.

The Reset button is disabled while the method is busy.

Add Row

Add Row validates and serializes the current configuration into the method's Table preview without dispatching it to Illustrator.

Use Add Row to:

• Build a reusable method sheet without modifying live artwork.
• Compare several configurations in the Table preview.
• Prepare rows for copying or downloading as CSV or Excel.
• Inspect the exact property names and serialized values produced by the controls.

The Table setting determines what happens to the existing rows:

When Focus on the Table tab after applying or adding a method is enabled, Add Row also opens the Table tab. This setting is shared across Tools Methods during the current extension session.

Add Row does not create a row in Builder or Data. The preview remains local to the selected Tools Method until you copy or download it.

See Tools Method Table Preview for append and replace behavior, row editing, reordering, individual row dispatch, copying, and downloads.

Apply

Apply uses the current interface values to update the method Table and dispatch the resulting row through Darty to Illustrator.

For a new configuration, Apply:

1. Validates and serializes the current values.
2. Appends or replaces the Table preview according to its current setting.
3. Dispatches the newly captured row.
4. Reports completion, a warning, or an error near the method header.

When the Table focus setting is enabled, Apply opens the Table tab as the operation begins.

Apply While Editing a Row

If you selected Edit for an existing Table row, Apply behaves differently from Add Row:

• It updates that existing row in its current Table position.
• It exits row-editing mode.
• It dispatches the updated row by itself.

Use Apply when the edited row should replace its prior configuration and be tested immediately. Use Add Row when the edited values should become a separate new row instead.

Targeting with Apply

Apply uses the target, source, and reference fields currently configured in the method. A stored tag search therefore becomes part of the captured row and is used for the dispatch.

If the configuration is intended for selected artwork regardless of its tags, use Apply to Selection instead.

Apply to Selection

Apply to Selection runs the current method configuration against the artwork selected in Illustrator without adding, replacing, or editing a Table row.

This mode:

• Requires at least one selected Illustrator object.
• Temporarily substitutes the selection for the method's primary target tag search.
• Leaves the target value shown in the interface unchanged.
• Preserves other configured source, key-art, reference, and option fields.
• Does not switch to the Table tab.

For most tag-targeted methods, Darty internally marks the selected artwork with a temporary target and removes that temporary marker after the dispatch. Selection-aware methods can use their own direct selection mode instead. The artwork's existing permanent Darty tags are not intentionally replaced. If temporary-target cleanup cannot complete, the extension displays a warning.

If nothing is selected, the method is not dispatched and the extension asks you to select artwork first.

Apply to Selection is useful for quickly testing values, but it does not produce a reusable record. Use Add Row or Apply separately if the same configuration must remain in the method Table.

Apply to Document

Methods that operate at document scope can show Apply to Document instead of Apply to Selection.

Apply to Document:

• Uses the current method options.
• Dispatches against the active Illustrator document.
• Does not add, replace, or edit a Table row.
• Does not focus the Table tab.

Document-scoped operations can affect more artwork than selection-scoped operations. Review the method description and current options before applying them to a production document.

The secondary action label is chosen by the method. Do not assume that every method supports both Selection and Document modes.

Generate

Some specialized tools can add an action before the standard Add Row and Apply controls. Barcode currently provides Generate.

Barcode Generate validates the current barcode configuration, sends a direct generation request, and adds or replaces its preview row. It then opens the Table tab. Barcode Apply instead captures the row and runs it through the normal Darty table-dispatch path.

See Barcode Tool for format validation, direct generation, placement, and the differences among its actions.

Continue While Illustrator Is Processing

While a method is waiting for Illustrator to return a dispatch response, its normal action buttons are disabled. If that response remains pending, a Continue button appears.

Continue stops the extension from waiting for that response so you can regain control of the Tools interface. It does not cancel the Illustrator operation. The operation may still finish after you continue.

After using Continue:

• Check the Illustrator document before dispatching the same operation again.
• Review the method status for the stopped-waiting warning.
• Use Illustrator's undo history if the delayed operation finishes and its result is unwanted.
• Do not treat the appearance of Continue as proof that Illustrator has failed.

Continue changes only the extension's waiting state. It does not remove a Table row or roll back any partial document work.

Validation, Warnings, and Errors

An action can stop before dispatch when the configuration is incomplete or invalid. Examples include a missing Place source, a method with no meaningful operation selected, or invalid Barcode data.

The status area can report:

If Apply has already recorded a Table row before Illustrator reports a later dispatch problem, review the Table rather than assuming the row was removed. Correct the configuration by editing that row or Reset the method when you want to discard the entire working preview.

Common Workflows

Author Without Changing Illustrator

1. Configure the method.
2. Select Add Row.
3. Repeat for additional configurations.
4. Review, copy, or download the Table preview.

Test on Selected Artwork

1. Select artwork in Illustrator.
2. Configure the method values.
3. Select Apply to Selection.
4. Inspect the result in Illustrator.
5. Use Add Row separately if the tested values should be retained.

Build and Test a Reusable Row

1. Enter the stored tag target and method values.
2. Select Apply.
3. Inspect both the Illustrator result and the captured Table row.
4. Edit the row and Apply again if it needs refinement.

Next Steps

• Tools Method Table Preview
• Appearance Tool
• Graphic Style Tool
• Barcode Tool
• Darty Tags