Is there really still no published answer for this? I have been out of the loop with ESTK/InDesign scripting for nearly a year, and remember this was a big headache.  Started writing some now, initially all was OK, but suddenly I got the dreaded "(#15)Can't initialize target" I don't Have ExtendScript Toolkit running on this mac. and this is my launch.json file: { "version": "0.2.0", "configurations": [   { "type": "extendscript-debug", "request": "launch", "name": "myCompanyName", "program": "${workspaceFolder}/addPageLines.jsx", "stopOnEntry": false } ] }   Any help gratefully received! Roy ... View more

I downloaded the DMX zone app, but it wouldnt launch saying there were no supported apps installed. I really dont want to have to install dreamweaver to use this!   Cheers   Royston ... View more

I also have a team mate with this happening. He is on Catalina and I am on Mojave. If you have the zxp files, you can try the manual install method. I personally have had mixed outcome, but worth a try. 1) Rename .zxp to .zip 2) Unzip the .zip file. This should expand to a folder, contating ither files and folders. 3) move this folder, WITHOUT MAKING ANY CHANGES TO THE CONTENTS to /Library/Application Support/Adobe/CEP/extensions/ 4) Relaunch the CC application, and see if it where it should be. Good luck. Royston ... View more

Thanks for the earlier help, but this has come up again. Not sure if something has changed since the last time I asked, but my config is: {   // Use IntelliSense to learn about possible attributes.   // Hover to view descriptions of existing attributes.   // For more information, visit: https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=830387   "version": "0.2.0",   "configurations": [     {       "type": "extendscript-debug",       "request": "launch",       "name": "PCM",       "program": "${workspaceFolder}/hostscript_1.4.0.jsx",       "stopOnEntry": false,       "targetSpecifier": "indesign-14.064",       "engineName": "session"     }   ] } I am getting the same issues, where if I change to a dialog, my window shows, but not as a palette. ... View more

var outputs = "1080x1080_DE\ 1080x1920_FR\ 1080x1080_BE\ 1080x1920_UK\ 1080x1080_NZ\ 1080x1920_AUS"; var doc = app.activeDocument; for(var i = 0; i<=doc.pages.length-1;i++){         var output_filename = outputs.split("\n") + ".jpg";         var pageName = doc.pages.name;         app.jpegExportPreferences.jpegExportRange=ExportRangeOrAllPages.EXPORT_RANGE;         app.jpegExportPreferences.pageString = pageName;         doc.exportFile(ExportFormat.JPG,File("~/Desktop/" + output_filename)); } Using the Mac Platform, saving to the Desktop. Just change the outputs variable, and as long as you have the same amount of pages in your document that the outputs variable is looking for then you're sweet! There is no error handling in this.. ... View more

If this is still an issue, can I suggest an alternative? How about using a master Text frame? This way, just place the text in page 1, and the text will organically flow from page to page. Just make sure you apply something to control the sentence splitting between each frame. Maybe a HUGE paragraph space after value. I've done something similar in the past quite successfully. No need for Data Merge. Roy ... View more

Please overlook my spelling mistakes and autocorrect mistakes. I am replying on my phone at the moment! thanks again Uwe ... View more

Hey. Thanks Uwe i was not expecting such a detailed response. My use case is this.. I have created an automated workflow that ends up with grouped items on the page. I already label the group For my own tracking in the workflow. I want to let a user ungroup, edit, and then provide a way to regroup while reapplying the script label. Regrouping with tscript label I have covered, but I need to cover the actions of a user using the built in ungrounded option. I have already given the user my own ungroup option that tracks the group items, and label, and puts it all back together, but that's using my own scriptui interface using the onIdle I believe will be too late to capture the lost group label... Unless I read all the group labels on file open and store in the app.insertLabel......then compare on idle... Hmmm Is using onIdle an efficient way to capture things like this? keen to know your thoughts! ... View more

Sounds like text overflow to me. Drag out the cells to make them larger and see if the text comes back. ... View more

Hey Lloyd As Manan said, this is easily in the realms of scripting with InDesign, but if I'm honest, it is a bit more complex for someone new to scripting to start with! There are plenty of people in this forum more than capable to create this as a complete script, so maybe worth seeing if anyone here would be willing to be contacted to create this for you. It is something I would be capable to do, but there are others here far more experienced than I am! Cheers Roy ... View more

Personally I would rather have a bit more error checking and feedback as there are many things that can cause a fail. var myDoc = app.activeDocument; for(var i= 0; i<=myDoc.textFrames.length-1; i++){         var myTextFrame = myDoc.textFrames;         try{                 alert("Swatch Color name is: PANTONE " + myTextFrame.paragraphs[0].parentStory.contents + " C" );                 myTextFrame.fillColor = myDoc.swatches.itemByName("PANTONE " +myTextFrame.paragraphs[0].parentStory.contents + " C" );         }         catch(e){                 if(myTextFrame.paragraphs[0].isValid == false){                         alert("ERROR\n" + e + "\nCannot find any text in the Text Box");                 }else{                         alert("ERROR\n" + e + "\nCannot find colour called PANTONE "+myTextFrame.paragraphs[0].parentStory.contents + " C");                 }         } } This will look for the Pantone Number in the Text Frame, and try to colour it using the text in the text frame. If if cant, it will tell you the swatch that it is looking for, and continue to the next. If the Text frame is empty it will tell you that too. ... View more

My apologies. Switch the order of the lines 3 and 4. var myDoc = app.activeDocument; for(var i= 0; i<=myDoc.textFrames.length-1; i++){         var myTextFrame = myDoc.textFrames;         alert("Swatch Color name is: PANTONE " + myTextFrame.paragraphs[0].parentStory.contents + " C" );         myTextFrame.fillColor = myDoc.swatches.itemByName("PANTONE " +myTextFrame.paragraphs[0].parentStory.contents + " C" ); } Sorry. Should have ran a quick check, but I was not at my computer! Cheers ... View more

Hey. That error implies that the swatch the script is looking for doesn't exist. Add this line between line 2 and 3: alert("Swatch Color name is: PANTONE " + myTextFrame.paragraphs[0].parentStory.contents + " C" ); This put an alert on your screen letting you know what swatch it is trying to use, and you can confirm then that your swatch palette contains this swatch. Cheers Roy ... View more

or as you mentioned, so see if the contents "contains" the text, grep it... var myText = myTextFrame.paragraphs[0].parentStory.contents.match(/\d{3,4}/); myTextFrame.fillColor = myDoc.swatches.itemByName("PANTONE " +myText + " C" ); ... View more

If you are not restricting yourselves to the above colours, then this will colour each box with the number contained in the text frame: var myDoc = app.activeDocument; for(var i= 0; i<=myDoc.textFrames.length-1; i++){         var myTextFrame = myDoc.textFrames;         myTextFrame.fillColor = myDoc.swatches.itemByName("PANTONE " +myTextFrame.paragraphs[0].parentStory.contents + " C" ); } ... View more

Personally I would tackle this with a Javascript. I am not too familiar with the Data Merge tool in InDesign as i have always built a script for my own requirements for anything like this. It should be a fairly straight forward script. Do you have scripting knowledge? If this is possible with Data Merge, then hopefully someone can help you. If not, if you send me the InDesign File I can see if I can assist with a script. Cheers Roy ... View more

If you post this in the Scripting forum, you should get some help. Post some screenshots if you can too. ... View more

Hey Uwe. I was just going to say "Where is the edit option" for the Layer item name, when I discovered it. Click, and hover for a second and it becomes editable! Strange there is no menu for this. And I was not aware of the second way to add a label. I use the insertLabel and extractLabel option all the time with pages, and the app itself, but didnt know page items also have this additional layer of labels. I never get bored learning new things! Cheers Roy ... View more

There are definitely pros and cons either way. For me, needing this for the sort of work I am doing, I control the name/label allocating, and ensure they are unique, so only selecting the first item works well for me. It appears that the user isn't able to re-name the item in the UI which is another plus point for me. There have been times when I want to collect all items with the same label so I'll be using labels for that purpose. It's good for me to learn different ways, I feel I am not wasting my time so much when I learn a new (to me anyway) technique. Thanks again Roy ... View more

I think that's why most online printers using automated systems still request or require CMYK—it forces their clients to see the affect of the conversion. I see what you mean, but isn't that why we have the "Proof Colors" option in InDesign? to show exactly this issue? ... View more

Hey Peter. That sounds like a fundamental practice I should have been using all along! I did not know that the Name property was available in this way. Seems obvious now though. The Layers panel showing this is pretty useful too. Thanks again Roy ... View more

I dont know if its happening again, but a few years ago the LastPass Chrome extension was conflicting with InDesign. If you are using LastPass, or other browser extensions, I would try to de-activate them one by one. Here is the previous post, and a video I made back then. Re: InDesign CC 2014 Keyboard Shortcuts Not Working InDesign CC Shortcuts - Chrome - LastPass - YouTube Sorry if this is no help for you. ... View more

I spent many years (about 10 years ago) trying to get to grips with this. I ended up getting a consultant in to explain it all to me and my team. Basically RGB works with light (subtracting light makes a darker image), and CMYK with ink (adding ink makes a darker image). The more light you fire at a computer screen the whiter it gets, and the more ink placed on a page, the darker it gets. Adding CMYK ink will never get the vibrance you can get by mixing light rays. Thats why your computer screen will always be able to show more vivid colours, as well as muting the colours to simulate CMYK ink but still using RGB light. One of your questions was as your Printer is professional, you are looking to supply CMYK files. Where as this would have been a safe bet, and needed 15 years ago, modern RIPs (the processing engines attached to Digital Presses, and plate making machines) can accept RGB files. Actually, its better to use RGB as this lets the Printers decide how best to convert to CMYK for their particular press/conditions. If you are interested, this web site is by the consultant I hired to train my Pre Press department over 10 years ago! http://www.missinghorsecons.co.uk/ It really is an interesting subject for those wanting to go deeper! Have fun Royston ... View more

Hey Uwe Yep, that old trick (That I think Dave Saunders demonstrated) is still working for me in my case. so maybe Id better start using more 'proper native' way from now. Such a shame I cannot directly call an item by script label just in case. Oh well, onwards and upwards. Royston ... View more