This could be edited to change any spot color to grayscale, currently it is aimed at a color called "spot black". The reason this is better then just using "edit/edit colors/convert to grayscale" is that the tones stay the same value. I'm sure it could be improved, I'm just sharing it so if someone is having the issues I was having they might have an easier time fixing it. The script originated with CarlosCanto on this discussion http://forums.adobe.com/thread/1267562?tstart=0 and was discussed further in this discussion http://forums.adobe.com/message/5610447#5610447. Enjoy.
// script.name = grayscaleFromSpotBlack.jsx; // script.description = changes art color from a Spot swatch named "spot black", to Grayscale tones;// script.requirements = an opened document;// script.parent = CarlosCanto // 08/08/13;// script.elegant = false; // reference http://forums.adobe.com/thread/1267562?tstart=0 && http://forums.adobe.com/message/5610447#5610447 // Note: color values get rounded to the nearest integer, to avoid values like black = 99.99999999999999// Hidden and/or Locked Objects will be ignored, as well as objects in Hidden and/or Locked Layers
#target Illustrator
var idoc = app.activeDocument;
var pi = idoc.pathItems;
var tf = idoc.textFrames;
var fcounter = 0;
var scounter = 0;
var gcounter = 0; //apply grayscale to paths and gradient stopsfor (j=0; j<pi.length; j++) { var ipath = pi[j]; if (ipath.hidden==false&& ipath.locked==false) { if (meetTheParents(ipath) == "isLayerFree"){ if (isLayerFree(ipath.parent)){ changePath(ipath); }else{ if (isGroupFree(ipath)){ changePath(ipath); } } } }}// choose text and changefor (t=0; t<tf.length; t++) { var iTxtFrm = tf[t]; if (iTxtFrm.locked==false&& iTxtFrm.hidden==false) { if (meetTheParents(iTxtFrm) == "isLayerFree"){ if (isLayerFree(iTxtFrm.parent)){ changeText(iTxtFrm); }else{ if (isGroupFree(iTxtFrm)){ changeText(iTxtFrm); } } } }}
alert(fcounter + ' Fill(s), ' + scounter + ' stroke(s) & ' + gcounter + ' Gradient Stop(s) processed.');
function meetTheParents(PageItem){ if (PageItem.parent.typename = "Layer"){ return"isLayerFree"; }elseif (PageItem.parent.typename = "GroupItem"){ return"isGroupFree"; }}
function isGroupFree(groupItem){ if (groupItem.parent.hidden==false&& groupItem.parent.editable==true){ if (groupItem.parent.typename == "Layer"){ var greatgpa = groupItem.parent; isLayerFree(greatgpa); }elseif (groupItem.parent.typename = "GroupItem"){ var gpa = groupItem.parent; if (isGroupFree(gpa)); returntrue }else{ returnfalse } }}
function isLayerFree(layer){ if (layer.locked == false&& layer.visible == true){ var gpa = layer.parent; isLayerFree(gpa); returntrue }else{ returnfalse }}// actually changes text
function changeText(textFrame){ var chars = textFrame.characters; for (c=0; c<chars.length; c++) { var ltr = chars[c]; if (ltr.characterAttributes.fillColor.typename == "SpotColor"){ if (ltr.characterAttributes.fillColor.spot.name == "spot black"){ var fillk = Math.round(ltr.characterAttributes.fillColor.tint); SpotToGrey (ltr, true, false, fillk); fcounter++; } } if (ltr.characterAttributes.strokeColor.typename == "SpotColor"){ if (ltr.characterAttributes.strokeColor.spot.name == "spot black") { var strokek = Math.round(ltr.characterAttributes.strokeColor.tint); SpotToGrey (ltr, false, true, strokek); scounter++; } } }};//actually changes paths
function changePath(PathItem){ var fillColor = PathItem.fillColor; if (fillColor.typename == "SpotColor") { if (fillColor.spot.name == "spot black") { var fillk = Math.round(fillColor.tint); SpotToGrey (PathItem, true, false, fillk); fcounter++; } } elseif (fillColor.typename == "GradientColor") { var stops = PathItem.fillColor.gradient.gradientStops; for (s=0; s<stops.length; s++) { var iStop = stops[s]; var stopColor = iStop.color; if (stopColor.typename == "SpotColor") { if (stopColor.spot.name == "spot black") { var stopk = Math.round(stopColor.tint); iStop.color = GrayColor; iStop.color.gray = stopk; gcounter++; } } } } var strokeColor = PathItem.strokeColor; if (strokeColor.typename == "SpotColor") { if (strokeColor.spot.name == "spot black") { var strokek = Math.round(strokeColor.tint); SpotToGrey (PathItem, false, true, strokek); scounter++; } } elseif (strokeColor.typename == "GradientColor") { var stops = PathItem.strokeColor.gradient.gradientStops; for (s=0; s<stops.length; s++) { var iStop = stops[s]; var stopColor = iStop.color; if (stopColor.typename == "SpotColor") { if (stopColor.spot.name == "spot black") { var stopk = Math.round(stopColor.tint); iStop.color = GrayColor; iStop.color.gray = stopk; gcounter++; } } } }}
function SpotToGrey (path, fill, stroke, k) { if (fill) { path.fillColor = GrayColor; path.fillColor.gray = k; } if (stroke) { path.strokeColor = GrayColor; path.strokeColor.gray = k; }}A file that shows what this script does will be hosted here https://docs.google.com/file/d/0BzEoJSYDhH_WekNoYTFzVHVaOXM/edit?usp=s haring until I forget why it's saved there and delete it.