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I would like Adobe ExtendScript back, who's with me?

Forum|Forum|4 years ago
August 19, 2021
3 replies
5040 views

Hope you agree.

This topic has been closed for replies.

Correct answer Bruce Bullis

Your concerns are valid. I loved ESTK too.

It's dead, and is not coming back.

I'm sure you're aware that all Adobe applications are moving from extensibility based on ExtendScript + CEP, to extensibility based on JavaScript + UXP; some have already moved. This makes additional investment in ESTK even less likely.

Ugly? Perhaps. It's also very customizable. You can make comments appear in Comic Sans, just like ESTK did, if you like.

Not native? Okay, but literally hundreds of PPro partners use VSCode + ExtendScript Debugger on Windows and Mac ARM systems, every day, without issue.

PITA to use? Perhaps; your mileage may vary. I prefer the debug configuration options the ExtendScript Debugger provides, over ESTK's old target selection pop-up.

XCode on Mac? Adobe partners require a cross-platform solution.

The VSCode ExtendScript Debugger running in VSCode is, admittedly, an imperfect solution; it is also the path forward.

L

Lumigraphics

Legend

Year and a half later, still desperately need an omv file parser and Apple Silicon-native extensions.

VSCode is ugly, not a native Mac app, a PITA to use (had to turn off pretty much everything "helpful" in the Text Editor) and my preference would be to use XCode on the Mac. :sigh: ESTK had a lot of problems too but what we have now isn't much better.

Bruce Bullis

Correct answer

Community Manager

Your concerns are valid. I loved ESTK too.

It's dead, and is not coming back.

I'm sure you're aware that all Adobe applications are moving from extensibility based on ExtendScript + CEP, to extensibility based on JavaScript + UXP; some have already moved. This makes additional investment in ESTK even less likely.

Ugly? Perhaps. It's also very customizable. You can make comments appear in Comic Sans, just like ESTK did, if you like.

Not native? Okay, but literally hundreds of PPro partners use VSCode + ExtendScript Debugger on Windows and Mac ARM systems, every day, without issue.

PITA to use? Perhaps; your mileage may vary. I prefer the debug configuration options the ExtendScript Debugger provides, over ESTK's old target selection pop-up.

XCode on Mac? Adobe partners require a cross-platform solution.

The VSCode ExtendScript Debugger running in VSCode is, admittedly, an imperfect solution; it is also the path forward.

L

Lumigraphics

Legend

LOL I didn't love ESTK, it was a non-standard mess too.

There is a very poor custom by some developers to write an app with a "cross-platform" toolkit and call it good enough. On Windows, that's usually fine but on the Mac, we want a better effort. Look at Apple's yearly design awards and see if you can spot non-native custom controls, cross-platform UI frameworks, Windows conventions, etc. I'm sure you know the answer.

Having said THAT, what I'm most concerned with is functionality. My workstation at home has a nice M1 processor but I have to use my 2015 MacBook Pro with VSCode because the debugger isn't Apple Silicon-native yet. Three years after the M1 came out. So, no, not ok.

And instead of dismissing XCode, how about supporting multiple environments? VSCode, XCode, let me use Notepad++ or BBEdit if I prefer.

And what about OMV files? That was the most useful part of ESTK, considering that Extendscript documentation ranges from missing to barely usable to incorrect to gawdawful.

I'm not trying to be negative here, I've put hundreds of hours into developing Apache-licensed scripts that I use in my day job as a product photographer. I want all of this to improve and be more workable.

So: M1 native debugger, OMV parser (and up-to-date OMV files), COMPLETE AND CORRECT documentation (how about a big fat pdf for Action Manager code?), better sample code and examples, scripting bugs fixed and functionality added... that would be a good start and help all of us who are, bottom line, helping you write your software.

Nancy OShea

Community Expert

ExtendScript is obsolete and unsupported. And the Toolkit won't work on modern Macs because it's so old. But you don't need permission to keep using ExtendScript. There's an extension for it for Visual Studio Code.

https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=Adobe.extendscript-debug

[Moderator moved from The Lounge to Coding Corner.]

Nancy O'Shea— Product User & Community Expert

studiovanzwetAuthor

Participating Frequently

I know and I have it installed, but I like ExtendScript Toolkit beter, aspecialy the Object Model Viewer. Why not make a new version that runs on newer Macs? Is there a solution not to type te name of your script every time you run debug in VS Code extension?

Nancy OShea

Community Expert

I don't work for Adobe. No one here does. But I suppose it's because ES Toolkit is ancient. And Apple has ended support for 32-bit apps. It's hardly worth throwing time & money at an old FREE app that few people use anymore.

When you need to keep using old apps, you should keep an old computer or virtual machine on hand that can support them. Also never upgrade that machine's OS.

Nancy O'Shea— Product User & Community Expert

Peru Bob

Community Expert

I've moved this from the Using the Community forum (which is the forum for issues using the forums) to the Lounge forum.

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