Hi @rob day @m1b
With a slight change, I am stuck again.
How can I modify it so that I can open the image pasted inside the frame?
Whether using the selection tool or the direct selection tool.
Thank you very much.
/**
* author m1b
* 2025-06-16
* discussion：
Current address:
https://community.adobe.com/t5/indesign-discussions/how-to-get-the-image-path-without-switching-the-selection-tool/m-p/15385688#M629189
**/
(function () {
if (0 === app.documents.length)
return alert('Please open a document and try again');
var doc = app.activeDocument,
items = doc.selection;
if (0 === items.length)
return alert('Please select a picture frame');
var selectedFrame = app.selection[0];
var imageFile = new File(selectedFrame.images[0].itemLink.filePath);
if (!imageFile.exists)
alert("Current file does not exist", 600);
//update
var selectedFrame = app.selection[0];
var link = selectedFrame.images[0].itemLink;
if (LinkStatus.LINK_OUT_OF_DATE === link.status)
link.update();
// collect paths for each selected item
var paths = [],
links = [];
for (var i = 0; i < items.length; i++) {
var item = items[i];
// maybe user selected the image, not the frame
if ('Image' === item.constructor.name)
item = item.parent;
if (
!item.hasOwnProperty('graphics')
|| 0 === item.graphics.length
|| !item.graphics[0].itemLink
|| LinkStatus.NORMAL !== item.graphics[0].itemLink.status
)
// ignore anything we can't use
continue;
// first linked image is all we need right now
paths.push(item.graphics[0].itemLink.filePath);
links.push(item.graphics[0].itemLink);
}
if (0 === paths.length)
return alert('Please select a linked graphic frame and try again.');
// open the paths in photoshop
openPathsInPhotoshop(paths);
if (!confirm('Are you ready to update the selected graphics?'))
return;
var counter = 0;
for (var i = links.length - 1; i >= 0; i--) {
if (LinkStatus.LINK_OUT_OF_DATE !== links[i].status)
continue;
links[i].update();
counter++;
}
alert('Updated ' + counter + ' graphics.');
})();
/**
* Opens the given `paths` in Photoshop.
* m1b
* 2025-03-08
* {Array<String>} paths - the paths to open.
*/
function openPathsInPhotoshop(paths) {
const DELIMITER = '###';
var photoshop = BridgeTalk.getSpecifier("photoshop");
if (!photoshop)
return alert("BridgeTalk couldn\'t find Photoshop.");
// send script via BridgeTalk
var bt = new BridgeTalk();
bt.target = photoshop;
// arrange the function inside an IIFE string,
// and perform string replacements to insert
// our variables
bt.body = '(#FN#)("#P#","#D#");'
.replace('#D#', DELIMITER)
.replace('#P#', paths.join(DELIMITER))
.replace('#FN#', openPaths);
bt.onResult = undefined;
bt.send(1000);
};
/**
* Photoshop function to open the given `paths`.
* Note: cannot use // style comments here because
* of the way I stringify it.
* {String} paths - the paths, delimited.
* {String} delimiter - the string used to delimit `paths`.
*/
function openPaths(paths, delimiter) {
app.bringToFront();
/* make aray by splitting paths */
paths = paths.split(delimiter);
for (var i = 0; i < paths.length; i++)
if (File(paths[i]).exists)
app.open(File(paths[i]));
};
Hi @dublove you seem to be struggling with this idea of "select tool" vs "direct selection tool". This is a false idea because with the selection tool we can select the frame OR the graphic (by clicking on the circle widget in the frame center). Instead, try to have a better understanding of what you have selected.
For scripting, this is my approach: I make a function that does all the heavy lifting. I use it and never have to think twice about it (until I find a bug!).
Here is an example, the `getGraphics` function:
/**
* @file Get Graphics.js
*
* @author m1b
* @version 2025-08-20
* @discussion https://community.adobe.com/t5/indesign-discussions/how-to-obtain-the-path-of-an-image-inserted-into-a-frame-i-hope-both-selection-tools-work/m-p/15465583#M633874
*/
function main() {
var doc = app.activeDocument;
// collect the graphics from the selection
var graphics = getGraphics(doc.selection);
// get the paths of each graphic
var paths = [];
for (var i = 0; i < graphics.length; i++) {
if (graphics[i].hasOwnProperty('itemLink'))
paths.push(graphics[i].itemLink.filePath);
}
alert(
'Selected graphics paths:\n'
+ paths.join('\n')
);
};
app.doScript(main, ScriptLanguage.JAVASCRIPT, undefined, UndoModes.ENTIRE_SCRIPT, 'Get Graphics Demo');
/**
* Returns graphics derived from `items`.
* @author m1b
* @version 2025-08-20
* @param {Array|PageItem} items - array or collection or page item.
*/
function getGraphics(items) {
var graphics = [];
if ('Array' === items.constructor.name) {
for (var i = 0; i < items.length; i++)
graphics = graphics.concat(getGraphics(items[i]));
}
else if (
items.hasOwnProperty('allGraphics')
&& items.allGraphics.length > 0
)
graphics = graphics.concat(items.allGraphics);
else if (
items.hasOwnProperty('allPageItems')
&& items.allPageItems.length > 0
)
graphics = graphics.concat(getGraphics(items.allPageItems));
else if ('Image' === items.constructor.name) {
graphics.push(items);
}
return graphics;
};
You should be able to feed those paths to my previous example function like this:
openPathsInPhotoshop(paths);
and it should open them all.
- Mark
Edit 2025-08-20: fixed typo in code.
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