Trying to understand element selection limitations

Question

I have created an ExtendScript which is used to install structured application definitions the first time that a script is run. Here's what it does:

Opens a copy of a structapps.fm file that contains the required XML application definitions.
Creates a backup of the local structapps file.
Opens the local structapps file.
Delete any XML applications with names that match the new XML apps.
Copies the new XML apps into the local structapps file.
Reads the structapps file using fmDispatcher, saves and closes the files.

This all works very well up to a point. Where I have a problem is with the insertion point for the copied XML applications. I want to insert them directly after the <Version> element.

I can do that when there are other following <XMLApplication> elements. However if there are no following elements it inserts the copied elements before the <Version> element which is invalid. Here's the code:

function copyXApps(localStrappDoc, sourceStrappDoc)
{
    var copyApps, ser = new ElementRange(), ter = new ElementRange(), copyApps, target,
    sourceElem = sourceStrappDoc.MainFlowInDoc.HighestLevelElement.FirstChildElement.NextSiblingElement;
    target = localStrappDoc.MainFlowInDoc.HighestLevelElement.FirstChildElement.NextSiblingElement;
    
    if(sourceElem === null || sourceElem.ObjectValid() === false) return;
    
        ser.beg.parent = ser.end.parent = sourceElem.ParentElement; 
        ser.beg.child = sourceElem;
        ser.end.child = sourceElem.ParentElement.LastChildElement;
        
        ser.end.parent = sourceElem.ParentElement;
        ser.beg.offset = 0;
        ser.end.offset = 0;
        
    //Set the document element selection.
    sourceStrappDoc.ElementSelection = ser;
    copyApps = sourceStrappDoc.Copy (0);
    
    if (copyApps === Constants.FE_Success){
        ter.beg.parent = ter.end.parent = target.ParentElement;
        ter.beg.child = ter.end.child = target;
        ter.beg.offset = ter.end.offset = 0;
        
        //Set insertion point for copied Xapps, then paste:
        localStrappDoc.ElementSelection = ter;
        pasteApps = localStrappDoc.Paste (0);
        return pasteApps;
       }
    }

There's also a problem with the selection code which selects all apps except the last one despite using LastChildElement. I seem to be misunderstanding something here.

Thanks for any help.

Ian

frameexpert · Accepted Answer

Hi Ian,I adapted the functions below from FDK functions that I got from Russ Ward years ago. You call the getElementRangeConstants function to set up some constants for the getElementRange function to use. You pass it an element (in your case, the Version element) and the desired location (in your case, AFTER_ELEMENT) and it rerturns an ElementRange. I have used this function and a FrameScript variation for years without any problems. Please let me know if you have any questions or comments. Thanks.-Rickfunction getElementRange (element, location) {  var elementRange = new ElementRange;  switch (location) {  case BEFORE_ELEMENT : elementRange.beg.parent = element.ParentElement; elementRange.beg.offset = 0; elementRange.beg.child = element; elementRange.end.parent = element.ParentElement; elementRange.end.child = element; elementRange.end.offset = 0; break;  case AFTER_ELEMENT : elementRange.beg.parent = element.ParentElement; elementRange.beg.offset = 0; elementRange.beg.child = element.NextSiblingElement; elementRange.end.parent = element.ParentElement; elementRange.end.child = element.NextSiblingElement; elementRange.end.offset = 0; break;  case BEGINNING_OF_BRANCH : elementRange.beg.parent = element; elementRange.beg.offset = 0; elementRange.beg.child = element.FirstChildElement; elementRange.end.parent = element; elementRange.end.child = element.FirstChildElement; elementRange.end.offset = 0; break;  case END_OF_BRANCH : elementRange.beg.parent = element; elementRange.beg.offset = 0; elementRange.end.parent = element; elementRange.end.offset = 0; break;  case SELECT_ELEMENT : if (element.NextSiblingElement.ObjectValid()) { elementRange.beg.parent = element.ParentElement; elementRange.beg.child = element; elementRange.end.parent = element.ParentElement; elementRange.end.child = element.NextSiblingElement; } else { elementRange.beg.parent = element.ParentElement; elementRange.beg.child = element; elementRange.beg.offset = 0; elementRange.end.parent = element.ParentElement; elementRange.end.offset = 0; } break;  case SELECT_CONTENTS : if (element.FirstChildElement.ObjectValid()) { elementRange.beg.parent = element; elementRange.beg.child = element.FirstChildElement; elementRange.beg.offset = 0; elementRange.end.parent = element; elementRange.end.offset = 0; } else { elementRange.beg.parent = element; elementRange.beg.offset = 0; elementRange.end.parent = element; elementRange.end.offset = Constants.FV_OBJ_END_OFFSET; } break; } return elementRange;}function getElementRangeConstants () {  BEFORE_ELEMENT = 1; AFTER_ELEMENT = 2; BEGINNING_OF_BRANCH = 3; END_OF_BRANCH = 4; SELECT_ELEMENT = 5; SELECT_CONTENTS = 6;}

4everJang · Answer

Ian,There is also another method to get the copy into the right location, using text locations:oPgf = oDoc.MainFlowInDoc.FirstTextFrameInFlow.FirstPgf;if( oPgf.NextPgfInFlow.ObjectValid( )  oTLoc = new TextLoc( oPgf.NextPgfInFlow, 0 );else oTLoc = new TextLoc( oPgf, Constants.FV_OBJ_END_OFFSET);oTRange = new TextRange( oTLoc, oTLoc );oDoc.TextSelection = oTRange;oDoc.Paste( true );This may not work in generic cases where you want to get the element location just right, but in this particular case it is all the code you need.

Sign up

To post, reply, or follow discussions, please sign in with your Adobe ID.

Sign in to Adobe Community

To post, reply, or follow discussions, please sign in with your Adobe ID.

Scanning file for viruses.

This file cannot be downloaded