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Tom Tomasko
Known Participant
January 17, 2012
Answered

Looking for an invisible script

  • January 17, 2012
  • 5 replies
  • 1948 views

Hello,

In Bridge, under Tools>InDesign> there is a script called Create InDesign Contact Sheet. This script does not do exactly what I would wish so I would like to  duplicate it and then modify it. But I cannot figure out where it is stored. Any ideas?

Thanks,

Tom

This topic has been closed for replies.
Correct answer Bob Stucky

Tom,

I have to tell you that those changes are non-trivial. I've wanted to add the dimension feature myself, and haven't because of the amount of work involved. But then I'd have to do something generic (inches, mm, cm...), and come up with a way to do it in the existing UI with minor changes. It certainly can be done, but it won't be easy.

I've got the CS2 and CS4 versions here. Not the CS3...

I think the CS3 version included the metadata options in the ContactSheet script itself (if so, it would be around line 2900 (I don't have the exact line number).

If it's not there, it's in WasScriptLibrary3.jsx

The captions are compiled in Bridge, and then sent to ID via BridgeTalk. You'll probably want to do your magic where the captions are put together. See ContactSheet.parseCaption(). That's the function I call up at the top around line 95 (give or take) that generates the caption for the individual image based on the caption template the user creates in the UI.

Hope that helps.

Bob

5 replies

Bob Stucky
Adobe Employee
Bob Stucky
Adobe Employee
January 18, 2012

Tom,

Use BridgeTalk. Open the image in Ps, get the layer count (and anything else you might find interesting), and return it to ID.

Regards

T
Tom TomaskoAuthor
Known Participant
January 17, 2012

Sorry, I should have said more. I am using CS3 on a Mac

I would like to extract the metadata for a photo that tells me the dimensions in inches (script only has it in pixels), the dpi (script sometimes has many following zeros) and the color mode (can't find this in the script). Otherwise the script is very cool.

I do not know the Bridge object model but I am familiar with ID.So if I cannot modify the script in Bridge I could use parts of it in ID.

Thanks,

Tom

Bob Stucky
Adobe Employee
Bob StuckyCorrect answer
Adobe Employee
January 17, 2012

Tom,

I have to tell you that those changes are non-trivial. I've wanted to add the dimension feature myself, and haven't because of the amount of work involved. But then I'd have to do something generic (inches, mm, cm...), and come up with a way to do it in the existing UI with minor changes. It certainly can be done, but it won't be easy.

I've got the CS2 and CS4 versions here. Not the CS3...

I think the CS3 version included the metadata options in the ContactSheet script itself (if so, it would be around line 2900 (I don't have the exact line number).

If it's not there, it's in WasScriptLibrary3.jsx

The captions are compiled in Bridge, and then sent to ID via BridgeTalk. You'll probably want to do your magic where the captions are put together. See ContactSheet.parseCaption(). That's the function I call up at the top around line 95 (give or take) that generates the caption for the individual image based on the caption template the user creates in the UI.

Hope that helps.

Bob

T
Tom TomaskoAuthor
Known Participant
January 18, 2012

Bob,

Yes, I can see that it is complex. I think I will just try to develop a dumbed-down version in ID that imports the link in a thumbnail and creates a caption that gives me the name of the link, its dimension in inches, its ppi, color mode and what would be nice though I have no idea how to ge it, how many layers (in Photoshop) the link has.

Thanks for your help.

Tom

Bob Stucky
Adobe Employee
Bob Stucky
Adobe Employee
January 17, 2012

The Contact Sheet script was included in the Suite for CS2 and CS3. After CS3, Adobe decided not to include it going forward. I have maintained and upgraded the script for the newer suite versions.

You can find CS4 and 5 versions at www.creativescripting.net

I do have a CS5.5 version (same price as the CS5 version), but it's not posted to the site yet. Ask me for it via email if you need 5.5

Regards

M
Muppet Mark
Inspiring
January 17, 2012

Bob, I have on several occasions pointed forum users to your updated versions… When people ask about making edits… I can only respond with 'sooner you than me'… and is it worth the time involved over buying the update… I know what I would do…

Bob Stucky
Adobe Employee
Bob Stucky
Adobe Employee
January 17, 2012

That's the way I feel about it. The code for that beast is complex to say the least. I haven't updated the UI much because of the effect it would have on some of the most complex parts of the code (especially the validation).

I did change the way rectangles were drawn in the CS5 version. It used to be "draw all rects and then place images", now it's "draw, place, repeat until done. That was done to help make the template feature more powerful. Regardless, the rectangle drawing part is now a bit easier to follow.

Thanks!

Bob

M
Muppet Mark
Inspiring
January 17, 2012

What version are you using I had this script in CS2 but it no longer exists CS5 there is the output module instead… It's a fair old piece of code thou… and not for the faint hearted…

Bob Stucky
Adobe Employee
Bob Stucky
Adobe Employee
January 17, 2012

PC: c:\program files\common files\adobe\Bridge CS4 Extensions

Mac: /Library/Application Support/Adobe/Bridge CS4 Extensions

Note - if you're using CS2,3,4,or 5, it will be:

.../Bridge CS[your version here] Extensions

warning - it's a pretty complex script (I wrote it). You are welcome to try to modify it.

A question - what do you want it to do that it doesn't??

Regards

Bob

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