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TᴀW
TᴀW
Brainiac
September 28, 2014
Answered

How to keep track of all the classes/methods/properties created in a long script

  • September 28, 2014
  • 2 replies
  • 3522 views


Hi,

I'm curious to know what method people use to keep track of all the classes, methods, and properties you've created when writing a longer script.

For quick scripts, this isn't a problem. But for long scripts it can get quite difficult to keep track of all the objects one has created, and all their methods and properties, and overloaded constructors, etc.

ESTK is great, and it's the IDE I use for InDesign scripting, if only because of it's powerful debugging options.

But it doesn't provide any way of keeping track of this stuff. No proper Intellisense as in Visual Studio.

I'd be interested to hear how people solve this issue.

This topic has been closed for replies.
Correct answer antosuv

JsDoc can generate the API documentation for the commented JavaScript and can be used for ExtendScript.

2 replies

Marc Autret
Marc Autret
Brainiac
September 28, 2014

Hi Ariel,

Not sure it is relevant to your question but I have an old snippet that collects and displays ExtendScript references using $.list(). This may help to track some object relationships.

// WARNING: this is just a WIP -- Not tested in all platforms and versions




$.scanRefs = function scanRefs(/*0|1*/showAll)


{


    var s = $.list(),


        p = (!showAll) && s.indexOf('[toplevel]'),


        a = ((!showAll) ? s.substr(0,10+p) : s).split(/[\r\n]+/),


        n = a.length,


        // --- Address:1     L:2  Rf:3   Pp:4  Type:5  Name:6


        re = /^([0-9a-z]{8}) (.) +(\d+) +(\d+) (.{10}) (.{1,17})/,


        reTrim = / +$/,


        i, t, k, m,


        refBy, type, name, tag, rest, rfCount, props, j,


        o = {},


        // ---


        TYPES = {'Function':"FCT", 'Object':"OBJ", 'Array':"ARR", 'RegExp':"REG"};




    for( i=2, refBy=0 ; i < n ; ++i )


        {


        s=a;




        while( s && m=s.match(re) )


            {


            k = '&'+m[1].toUpperCase();


            rfCount = parseInt(m[4],10);


            rest = s.substr(m[0].length);


            type = m[5].replace(reTrim,'');


            name = m[6].replace(reTrim,'');


            


            if( 0x5B==rest.charCodeAt(0) )


                {


                p = rest.indexOf(']');


                tag = rest.substr(0,1+p);


                rest = rest.substr(1+p);


                }


            else


                {


                tag = '';


                }


            


            if( 0x20==rest.charCodeAt(0) )


                {


                rest=rest.substr(1);


                }




            if( p=!(rest.indexOf("referenced by:")) )


                {


                rest = rest.substr(14);


                }




            o || (o = {


                locked:        +('L'==m[2]),


                rfCount:    parseInt(m[3],10),


                ppCount:    rfCount,


                type:        TYPES[type]||type,


                name:        name,


                tag:        tag,


                from:        [],


                order:        -1,


                });




            if( 0 < refBy )


                {


                if( p || !rest ){ throw "Unable to parse references." }


                props = rest.split(' ');


                refBy -= (j=props.length);


                while( j-- ) t.from.push([k,props]);


                (props.length=0)||(props=null);


                rest = '';


                }


            else


                {


                refBy = rfCount;


                if( p != !!refBy )


                    {


                    if( p ){ throw "Unable to parse references."; }


                    refBy = 0;


                    }


                (t = o).order = n - i;


                }




            (m.length=0)||(m=null);


            s = rest;


            }


        }




    a.length=i=0;


    for( k in o )


        {


        if( !o.hasOwnProperty(k) ) continue;


        a[i++] = k;


        }


    a.sort( function(x,y){return o.order-o.order;} );


    //a.sort( function(x,y){return parseInt(x.substr(1),16)-parseInt(y.substr(1),16);} );




    var u,


        pngLock = "\x89PNG\r\n\x1A\n\x00\x00\x00\rIHDR\x00\x00\x00\x0E\x00\x00\x00\x0E\b\x06\x00\x00\x00\x1FH-\xD1\x00\x00\x00\tpHYs\x00\x00\x0B\x13\x00\x00\x0B\x13\x01\x00\x9A\x9C\x18\x00\x00\x01VIDAT(\xCF\xA5\x91\xB1j\xC2P\x14\x86\x93\xD6\x94\x98\xA4\xB5\xA5\x85\x0E-R\xAF\xA5\xB8\xF4\x1D\xAA\xEF\x10_B\x9C\xDD\x0B]\xA4o`C\xE9$B\x1C\xCD\x10\x10C6\x05q\td\xA9%\x83d2\x83O\xF0\xF7\xDCp#i\xB5\x1D\xDA\xC0\xC7\xB97\xE7|\xF7\xDC\xCB\x91\x00H\x7FA\xFA\xB7\x98\xFF\xAA\xD5\xEA\x0B\x855\xC1\x13k\xDA\xBF\xEA\x9A\xA6\x9C\x18\xC6\xC1\xB6\xE8\xBBHE\x16\x85w\xC6\xD8\xE3\x91\xA2\xDCQ|\xA2\xFD\x07\xC57\xADXT\x8B\xAAz\xB8#\x8A\x13\xD7\xBC\xD8\xD0\xB4kC\xD7\x19q\xCB*\x95g\xFA\x9FP\xD7\x0B\x8A\n!oE.\xB5Z-\xEC\xA3\xD9l\xA2\xFEP\x07\x1D\xC8;\x18D!/\x16x\x91\xEF\xFBX.\x97\xD8l6H\x92$]O\xA7S\x8CF#\x887\x9F\x13j^T\xB9\xD8\xE9t0\x99L\x10\xC71V\xAB\x15\x82 \xC0\xD0\x1E\xA2\xDDng\xE2\x15q\x9C\x175.:\x8E\x83\xC5b\x81(\x8A \xCB2\xE6\xF39\\\u00D7E\xBF\xDF\xCF\xC4\x1B\xE24/\x1A\\\u00ECv\xBB\xF0<\x0Fa\x18\xA2\xD1h`<\x1E\xC3\xB2,\x98\xA6\x99\x89\x8C8\xDB\x11\x07\x83AzU\xDEu6\x9B\xA5\xA2m\xDB\xE8\xF5z?\x8B4\xC3,\xF9\x1B_E1\x9F\x12Q&j\xC4\xFD\x1Ej\"_\xCA\x8B\x051\xA3K\x91d{(\x8B\xBC\xFE\t\xC1TI!\xE3L\x03\x7F\x00\x00\x00\x00IEND\xAEB`\x82",


        pngNop = "\x89PNG\r\n\x1A\n\x00\x00\x00\rIHDR\x00\x00\x00\x0E\x00\x00\x00\x0E\b\x03\x00\x00\x00(\x96\xDD\xE3\x00\x00\x00\x03PLTE\x00\x00\x00\xA7z=\xDA\x00\x00\x00\x01tRNS\x00@\xE6\xD8f\x00\x00\x00\x15IDATx\xDA\xDD\xC1\x01\x01\x00\x00\x00\x80\x90\xFE\xAF\xF6#\xDA\x01\x00\xD2\x00\x01\xCC \x10\x14\x00\x00\x00\x00IEND\xAEB`\x82",


        w = new Window('dialog', " ExtendScript Memory"),


        p1 = w.add('panel', u, "References"),


        lRefs = p1.add('listbox', u, "",


            {


            numberOfColumns: 4,


            showHeaders: true,


            columnTitles: ["Address", "Type", "Name", "Refs"],


            columnWidths: [90,60,120,36],


            }),


        g = w.add('group'),


        pFrom = g.add('panel', u, "From"),


        lFrom = pFrom.add('listbox', u, "",


            {


            numberOfColumns: 4,


            showHeaders: true,


            columnTitles: ["Address", "Type", "Name", "Property"],


            columnWidths: [90,60,120, 120],


            }),


        pTo = g.add('panel', u, "To"),


        lTo = pTo.add('listbox', u, "",


            {


            numberOfColumns: 4,


            showHeaders: true,


            columnTitles: ["Property", "Address", "Type", "Name"],


            columnWidths: [120,90,60, 120],


            });


    


    g.orientation = 'column';


    w.orientation = 'row';


    w.alignChildren = ['left','top'];




    lRefs.maximumSize = lRefs.minimumSize = [330,450];


    lFrom.maximumSize = lFrom.minimumSize = [420,120];


    lTo.maximumSize = lTo.minimumSize = [420,220];


    


    lRefs.onChange = function()


    {


        lFrom.removeAll();


        lTo.removeAll();


        lFrom.parent.text = "From";


        lTo.parent.text = "To";


        if( !this.selection ) return;




        var key = '&'+this.selection.text,


            t = o[key],


            from = t.from,


            i = from.length,


            k;




        lFrom.parent.text = "["+key.substr(1)+"] is reachable from " + t.ppCount + (1<t.ppCount ? " properties" : " property");


        


        if( t.ppCount && !i )


            {


            with( lFrom.add('item', '--------') )


                {


                image = pngNop;


                subItems[0].text = '';


                subItems[1].text = '<UNKNOWN REFERRER>';


                subItems[2].text = '';


                }


            }




        while( i-- )


            {


            k = from[0];


            t = o;


            with( lFrom.add('item', k.substr(1)) )


                {


                image = t.locked ? pngLock : pngNop;


                subItems[0].text = t.type;


                subItems[1].text = t.name + ' ' + t.tag;


                subItems[2].text = from[1];


                }


            }




        for( k in o )


            {


            if( !o.hasOwnProperty(k) ) continue;


            t = o;


            from = o.from;


            i = from.length;


            while( i-- )


                {


                if( from[0]!=key ) continue;




                with( lTo.add('item', from[1]) )


                    {


                    image = pngNop;


                    subItems[0].text = k.substr(1);


                    subItems[1].text = t.type;


                    subItems[2].text = t.name + ' ' + t.tag;


                    }


                }


            }




        lTo.parent.text = "["+key.substr(1)+"]'s properties had access to " + lTo.items.length + " addr.";




        from = t = null;


    };




    for( i=0, n=a.length ; i < n ; ++i )


        {


        t = o[k=a];


        with( lRefs.add('item', k.substr(1)) )


            {


            image = t.locked ? pngLock : pngNop;


            subItems[0].text = t.type;


            subItems[1].text = t.name + ' ' + t.tag;


            subItems[2].text = t.ppCount + '/' + t.rfCount;


            }


        }




    w.show ();


};






// -------------------


// TEST


// -------------------




var t;


var f = function MyFunc()


{


    (function MyInnerFunc(){})();


};






$.scanRefs(1);

@+

Marc

Trevor:
Trevor:
Brainiac
September 29, 2014

Hi All,

I also use Sublime Text which has many advantages over the ESTK.  It takes a little learning to get the relevant plug-ins but I find that scripting goes much quicker with it.

I have builds for Mac (by Basil) and for Windows (by me) that allow one to execute the scripts for Sublime Text, although significantly one can't use $.writeln when using the builds but there are workarounds for that.

I made a script that retrieves the entire Indesign methods and properties collection including the enumerations so one doesn't have to remember all the thousands of spellings and enums and puts it into an auto-complete file.  The auto-complete uses fuzzy logic and is a huge time saver.

The auto-complete even uses logic for the ordering and auto selection of the suggestion base one previous usage.

Send me a mail if you want a copy of the auto-complete file.

The much clearer presentation which is very significant, you can pick from umpteen themes (You need to do a little customization for jsx files to format) which are either specific to particular languages or not.

You can safely close the program without being asked to save all the unsaved files (they will open up next time you open the program) if the system crashes when you reopen ST the same windows and tabs will reopen without having to go to recent files and restoring all the #BK34634645745467# files.

The file cloning and window arrangement is much more effective than on the ESTK especially with the excellent origami plugin.

Often I edit the scripts in ST and have the same script open in the ESTK in a way that they bidirectionally sync in real time and then run the script from the ESTK so I get the best of both worlds.  In fact I ofter do this on a Sugar Sync backed up file and have the script open both on Mac and Windows which will all sync together.

Back to your original question, if you need to maybe you could have the files open on visual-studio synced with sublime text or the ESTK and then maybe you could use the Intellisense feature in VS. I'm not too sure about that but you can give it a go.

Gmar Hasima Tova

Trevor

P.s. Marc any idea what this is or how to investigate it's properties?!

Also where did you see about $.list I didn't see that documented anywhere? Are the any other undocumented $ functions?

Marc Autret
Marc Autret
Brainiac
September 29, 2014

@ Trevor

P.s. Marc any idea what this is or how to investigate it's properties?!

Also where did you see about $.list I didn't see that documented anywhere? Are the any other undocumented $ functions?

According to your own screenshot, mySecretTest is a property that refers to an anonymous function which you can access from an object located at [27C7A558] in your ExtendScript memory. I guess that this object is $.global.indesign. It contains a lot of preloaded properties and methods. $.global.indesign.mySecretTest.toSource() reveals that this is an empty function (no effect).

Tip: use $.scanRefs(0) to ignore this huge set of preloaded objects that mainly come from ESTK's workspace.

> Also where did you see about $.list?

My own investigations on hidden stuff ;-)

Nice ones in that scope are $.list(), $.listLO(), and $.summary().

Il also noticed that $.objects (hidden numeric property) returns the count of created objects.

@+

Marc

Harbs.
Harbs.
Brainiac
September 28, 2014

I tend to use very little OOP in ExtendScript for this reason.

For the most part I stick to functional programming where each function is very specific and takes pretty much everything as variables. Sometimes I cut corners and use global variables or global objects with properties. But I do this sparingly. My function names are very specific about what they do, so just by reading the name, things are pretty obvious.

I almost never write code in ESTK. My current app of choice is Sublime Text. It has decent code complete for existing variables and functions. It can be customized as well (if you have the patience to do so...) I do use ESTK to debug when necessary, but depending on the situation I sometimes skip that and just use alerts to track down issues.

HTH,

Harbs

TᴀW
TᴀWAuthor
Brainiac
September 28, 2014

Hi Harbs,

Long time no see!

Until now I've also stuck to functional programming. But for a large,

complex script I'm working on at the moment, I found that it was getting

too messy. So I started creating separate "classes" (inasmuch as

Javascript has such a concept), and saving each one as a separate file,

and #including them. It's much, much easier to deal with this way. Also,

everything is encapsulated within a single ScriptApp class, so the

global namespace is staying very clean.

However, now the challenge is to keep track of all these classes, and

have some sort of system for efficient, consistent documentation. Hence

I was wondering how people cope with this particular challenge.

Wishing you a good concluding signature

Ariel

A
antosuvCorrect answer
New Participant
September 30, 2014

JsDoc can generate the API documentation for the commented JavaScript and can be used for ExtendScript.

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