Crop Marks

Crop marks that fit the job: standard corner marks, centre and fold marks, eight styles, and marks for odd shapes like triangles and hexagons, placed from the straight edges of the shape.

See it in the shop · Version 1.11.0 · Needs PowerScripts 3.8.32 or later

Open the PowerScripts panel (Window > Extensions > PowerScripts) and choose Crop Marks from the Tools scripts. The script has two tabs: Options and Settings.

1. Select the artwork (or the shape that is its finished size).
2. Set the Length, Offset and Bleed, for example 3 mm each.
3. Press Add Cropmarks.

• Length: how long each mark is.
• Offset: the gap between the edge of the artwork and the start of the mark. A minus number makes marks inside the shape.
• Bleed: how much bleed the selected artwork includes. The marks line up with the trim (that far in from the edge of the selection). Use 0 if the selection is already the finished size.
• Style: eight styles of mark: Standard, Standard+Corner, Corner, Cross, Jap, Center, Center-Vert and Center-Horz.
• Positions (the square of tick boxes): choose which marks to make: each corner, and the middle of each side.
• Apply to multiple shapes individually: select several shapes and each gets its own crop marks.
• Create Layer: put the marks on their own layer (named on the Settings tab).
• Add Outline: a white outline round each mark, so it shows on dark backgrounds.
• Dashed Lines: dashed marks, for fold lines.
• Create corner crop marks: marks at the corners of the artwork.
  • Add corner crop marks to grouped and complex shapes: treat the whole selection as the finished artwork. Untick to use one single shape as the size.
• Detect and add crop marks to straight lines in single shape: select one shape (such as a triangle) and get a mark at each end of every straight edge, so odd shapes can be cut accurately.
  • Assume all lines are straight: mark every edge, curves included.
• Frame: draw a rectangle at the Trim, the Bleed, the Inner Crop (where the marks start) or the Outer Crop (where they end), or None.
• Resize artboard to crop marks: fit the artboard your artwork is on to the outer edges of the marks.
• Add Cropmarks: does it.

• Line width and Line Color: the marks' stroke. The colour is made as a spot colour with the Spot Colour Name you give (Crop Mark by default), so all marks are easy to select or change later.
• Outline Color and its Spot Colour Name: the colour of the outline round each mark.
• Layer Name: the layer for the marks, when Create Layer is ticked.
• Frame stroke and Frame Color: the frame's width and colour.
• Show construction marks: shows the lines used to work out marks on odd shapes (for checking).
• Beep when done.

1. Choose the Center-Vert or Center-Horz style and tick Dashed Lines.
2. Add the marks, then move them to the fold.

1. Select the triangle (one shape, not a group).
2. Tick Detect and add crop marks to straight lines in single shape.
3. Press Add Cropmarks: each corner of the triangle gets marks along its edges.

1. Select all the cards.
2. Tick Apply to multiple shapes individually.
3. Press Add Cropmarks: each card gets its own marks.

• Save your house style as a preset (see Using Presets).
• Run it from a key with Hotkeys and Quick Keys: the Add Cropmarks action works on the selection.
• For sheets of repeats with marks and cut lines, see Step and Repeat.

• Marks go on the active layer unless Create Layer is ticked.

• 1.11.0
  • New: Resize artboard to crop marks: the artboard your artwork is on fits the outer edges of the marks.
  • Fixed: the Corner, Cross and Jap styles leave out a corner when you untick it.
  • Improved: general bug fixes, reliability and speed.
• 1.10.3: Updated for PowerScripts 3.8.32.
• 1.10.2: Updated for the new version of PowerScripts.
• Older changes: PowerScripts Release Notes