Add TextVariable to TextFrame

Question

How do I add a TextVariable to a TextFrame in InDesign?

I am creating the TextVariable like this.

var textVariable = app.activeDocument.textVariables.add({name: "My Name"});

I'm coming from Illustrator scripting where you have a content variable attached to each text frame object. I'm confused on how to link these text variables to text frames in InDesign.

Jongware · Answer

It is complicated – but that's because InDesign's text model is much more complicated than Illustrator's.

textVarR = app.selection[0].parentStory.textVariableInstances.add(LocationOptions.AFTER, app.selection[0]);
textVarR.associatedTextVariable = app.activeDocument.textVariables.item("My Name");

You insert a ("any", really) text variable code in your text, and then you associate it with the particular one you want.

Other than that, inserting the text variable in the proper place is pretty much the same as inserting text. You must provide a reference parent object – a plain text frame would not work, it needs a "text'-like object such as 'yourTextFrame.parentStory' – and "where" you want it to be inserted inside that parent object ("at the start", "at the end", or "before" or "after" a particular indexed element).

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