Skip to main content
S
spaciousmind
Inspiring
May 11, 2020
Answered

I can't get bridgetalk to pass result back

  • May 11, 2020
  • 2 replies
  • 1090 views

Hi, I'm trying to make a script to take the currently selected link in indesign, open it up in photoshop, scale it up & save it out in two different formats in the parent folder, then relink the file back in indesign. 

my script can do all that except for relinking the file, because I can't figure out how to pass a result back to indesign (to use for the filename). I read the relevant bridgetalk documentation but must not be understanding it fully.
here is my script so far: 

#target indesign

var doc = app.activeDocument;
var myImage = app.selection[0].images[0];
var myLink = app.selection[0].graphics[0].itemLink;
var myLinkfp = myLink.filePath;



docName = app.selection[0].graphics[0].itemLink.name.match(/(.*)(\.[^\.]+)/)[1];
$.writeln(docName.toSource());


var effectivePPI = String(myImage.effectivePpi)
effectivePPI.match(/(\d+),(\d+)/);
var ppiH = effectivePPI.replace(/(\d+),(\d+)/, '$1');
var ppiV = effectivePPI.replace(/(\d+),(\d+)/, '$2');

if (ppiH == ppiV) {
//	alert("effective ppi " + effectivePPI + "\n" + "ppiH" + ppiH + "\n" + "ppiV" + ppiV)
	if (ppiH < 300) {
	var scalePercentage = ((300 - ppiH) / ppiH) * 100 + 100;
	$.writeln(scalePercentage.toSource());
	CreateBridgeTalkMessage(myLinkfp, docName, scalePercentage);
	}
} else {
	alert("Horizontal and vertical resolutions are not the same.");
}





$.writeln(effectivePPI.toSource());

//---------------------FUNCTIONS-----------------
function CreateBridgeTalkMessage(imagePath, docName, scalePct) {
	var bt = new BridgeTalk();
	bt.target = "photoshop";
	bt.body = ResaveInPS.toSource()+"("+imagePath.toSource()+ "," + docName.toSource()+ "," + scalePct.toSource()+");";
	bt.onError = function(errObj) {
		$.writeln("Error: " + errObj.body);
		}
	bt.onResult = function(resObj) {
		$.writeln("Result: " + resObj.body);
		}
	bt.send(30);



}

//-----------------------------------------------
function ResaveInPS(imagePath, docName, scalePct) {
	var psDoc;
	app.displayDialogs = DialogModes.NO;
	var startRulerUnits = app.preferences.rulerUnits;
	app.preferences.rulerUnits = Units.PERCENT;
	psDoc = app.open(new File(imagePath));
	var currentPath = psDoc.path;
	psdSaveOptions = new PhotoshopSaveOptions();
		psdSaveOptions.layers = true;
	jpgSaveOptions = new JPEGSaveOptions();
		jpgSaveOptions.embedColorProfile = true;
		jpgSaveOptions.formatOptions = FormatOptions.STANDARDBASELINE;
		jpgSaveOptions.matte = MatteType.NONE;
		jpgSaveOptions.quality = 12;
	var outputFolder = decodeURI(currentPath.parent);
	var saveFilePSD = File( outputFolder + "/" + docName + "_upscaled.psd");
	var saveFileJPG = File( outputFolder + "/" + docName + "_upscaled.jpg");
	psDoc.resizeImage(Number(scalePct), null, 300, ResampleMethod.BICUBICAUTOMATIC);
	psDoc.saveAs(saveFileJPG, jpgSaveOptions, true, Extension.LOWERCASE);
	psDoc.saveAs(saveFilePSD, psdSaveOptions, true, Extension.LOWERCASE);
	psDoc.close(SaveOptions.DONOTSAVECHANGES);
	saveFileJPG.toSource();
	app.open(saveFilePSD);
	app.preferences.rulerUnits = startRulerUnits;
	app.displayDialogs = DialogModes.ALL;
}

 sorry it's the full thing and probably messy but the relevant bits here are line 75 where I'm trying to pass the new file link back to source with  saveFileJPG.toSource(); and line 45 where I'm trying to receive the result and write it in the console. it just comes back as undefined, no matter what I try.
not sure if I need to use eval or what but I couldn't get that to work either.

if I can get that working then all I need to do in indesign is this 
myLink.relink(saveFileJPG);
myLink.update();
to link my selection up to the new file.

thanks for your help!


This topic has been closed for replies.
Correct answer spaciousmind

Many Thanks Laubender, good suggestion... after much mucking around I finally got it to work as follows: 

#target indesign

var doc = app.activeDocument;
var myImage = app.selection[0].images[0];
var myLink = app.selection[0].graphics[0].itemLink;
var myLinkfp = myLink.filePath;
var myLinkparentFolder = myLink.filePath.match(/(.*\\[^\\]*)(\\[^\\]*\\)/)[1];
var myLinkName = myLink.name.match(/(.*)(\.[^\.]+)/)[1];

var effectivePPI = String(myImage.effectivePpi);
effectivePPI.match(/(\d+),(\d+)/);
var ppiH = effectivePPI.replace(/(\d+),(\d+)/, '$1');
var ppiV = effectivePPI.replace(/(\d+),(\d+)/, '$2');



if (ppiH == ppiV) {
	if (ppiH < 300) {
		var scalePercentage = ((300 - ppiH) / ppiH) * 100 + 100;
		var scalePercentageRounded = Math.round(scalePercentage);
		$.writeln("scalePercentage = " + scalePercentage)
		$.writeln("scalePercentageRounded = " + scalePercentageRounded)
				var theFile = File(myLinkparentFolder + "\\" + myLinkName + '_upscaled_' + Math.round(scalePercentage) + '-pct.jpg');
		CreateBridgeTalkMessage(myLinkfp, myLinkName, scalePercentage);
	} else {
		alert("PPI higher than 300 already")
	}
} else {
	alert("Horizontal and vertical resolutions are not the same.");
}

//---------------------FUNCTIONS-----------------
function CreateBridgeTalkMessage(imagePath, myLinkName, scalePct) {
	var bt = new BridgeTalk();
	bt.target = "photoshop";
	bt.body = ResaveInPS.toSource()+"("+imagePath.toSource()+ "," + myLinkName.toSource()+ "," + scalePct.toSource()+");";
	bt.onError = function(errObj) {
		}
	bt.onResult = function(resObj) {
        		}
	bt.send(30);
		myLink.relink(theFile);
    myLink.update();
}

//-----------------------------------------------
function ResaveInPS(imagePath, myLinkName, scalePct) {
	var psDoc;
	app.displayDialogs = DialogModes.NO;
	var startRulerUnits = app.preferences.rulerUnits;
	app.preferences.rulerUnits = Units.PERCENT;
	psDoc = app.open(new File(imagePath));
	var currentPath = psDoc.path;
	psdSaveOptions = new PhotoshopSaveOptions();
		psdSaveOptions.layers = true;
	jpgSaveOptions = new JPEGSaveOptions();
		jpgSaveOptions.embedColorProfile = true;
		jpgSaveOptions.formatOptions = FormatOptions.STANDARDBASELINE;
		jpgSaveOptions.matte = MatteType.NONE;
		jpgSaveOptions.quality = 12;
	var outputFolder = decodeURI(currentPath.parent);
	var saveFilePSD = File( outputFolder + "/" + myLinkName + '_upscaled_' + Math.round(scalePct) + '-pct.psd');
	var saveFileJPG = File( outputFolder + "/" + myLinkName + '_upscaled_' + Math.round(scalePct) + '-pct.jpg');
	psDoc.resizeImage(Number(scalePct), null, 300, ResampleMethod.BICUBICAUTOMATIC);
	psDoc.saveAs(saveFileJPG, jpgSaveOptions, true, Extension.LOWERCASE);
	psDoc.saveAs(saveFilePSD, psdSaveOptions, true, Extension.LOWERCASE);
	psDoc.close(SaveOptions.DONOTSAVECHANGES);
	app.open(saveFilePSD);
	app.preferences.rulerUnits = startRulerUnits;
	app.displayDialogs = DialogModes.ALL;
}

 which works fine for this purpose.....
For future reference I would still like to know how to or why I couldn't get any variables back from photoshop if anyone can explain where I went wrong in my first example that'd be really helpful 🙂

2 replies

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxyyyy
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxyyyy
Participating Frequently
May 22, 2020

Hi,

I haven't tested it with your script but it should be rather simple:

At the end of the photoshop script part below the line

app.displayDialogs = DialogModes.ALL;

add the command

return saveFileJPG

 

resObj.body should then contain the desired information.

 

    L
    Community Expert
    LaubenderCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    May 12, 2020

    Hi spaciousmind,

    without testing anything of your code:

    You could cheat a bit.

     

    No need to pass the file back to InDesign because you are doing the new file with a predictable recipe. Simply use the same procedure and place the file to InDesign. Of course first check if the file exists.

     

    Regards,
    Uwe Laubender

    ( ACP )

      S
      spaciousmindAuthorCorrect answer
      Inspiring
      May 16, 2020

      Many Thanks Laubender, good suggestion... after much mucking around I finally got it to work as follows: 

      #target indesign

var doc = app.activeDocument;
var myImage = app.selection[0].images[0];
var myLink = app.selection[0].graphics[0].itemLink;
var myLinkfp = myLink.filePath;
var myLinkparentFolder = myLink.filePath.match(/(.*\\[^\\]*)(\\[^\\]*\\)/)[1];
var myLinkName = myLink.name.match(/(.*)(\.[^\.]+)/)[1];

var effectivePPI = String(myImage.effectivePpi);
effectivePPI.match(/(\d+),(\d+)/);
var ppiH = effectivePPI.replace(/(\d+),(\d+)/, '$1');
var ppiV = effectivePPI.replace(/(\d+),(\d+)/, '$2');



if (ppiH == ppiV) {
	if (ppiH < 300) {
		var scalePercentage = ((300 - ppiH) / ppiH) * 100 + 100;
		var scalePercentageRounded = Math.round(scalePercentage);
		$.writeln("scalePercentage = " + scalePercentage)
		$.writeln("scalePercentageRounded = " + scalePercentageRounded)
				var theFile = File(myLinkparentFolder + "\\" + myLinkName + '_upscaled_' + Math.round(scalePercentage) + '-pct.jpg');
		CreateBridgeTalkMessage(myLinkfp, myLinkName, scalePercentage);
	} else {
		alert("PPI higher than 300 already")
	}
} else {
	alert("Horizontal and vertical resolutions are not the same.");
}

//---------------------FUNCTIONS-----------------
function CreateBridgeTalkMessage(imagePath, myLinkName, scalePct) {
	var bt = new BridgeTalk();
	bt.target = "photoshop";
	bt.body = ResaveInPS.toSource()+"("+imagePath.toSource()+ "," + myLinkName.toSource()+ "," + scalePct.toSource()+");";
	bt.onError = function(errObj) {
		}
	bt.onResult = function(resObj) {
        		}
	bt.send(30);
		myLink.relink(theFile);
    myLink.update();
}

//-----------------------------------------------
function ResaveInPS(imagePath, myLinkName, scalePct) {
	var psDoc;
	app.displayDialogs = DialogModes.NO;
	var startRulerUnits = app.preferences.rulerUnits;
	app.preferences.rulerUnits = Units.PERCENT;
	psDoc = app.open(new File(imagePath));
	var currentPath = psDoc.path;
	psdSaveOptions = new PhotoshopSaveOptions();
		psdSaveOptions.layers = true;
	jpgSaveOptions = new JPEGSaveOptions();
		jpgSaveOptions.embedColorProfile = true;
		jpgSaveOptions.formatOptions = FormatOptions.STANDARDBASELINE;
		jpgSaveOptions.matte = MatteType.NONE;
		jpgSaveOptions.quality = 12;
	var outputFolder = decodeURI(currentPath.parent);
	var saveFilePSD = File( outputFolder + "/" + myLinkName + '_upscaled_' + Math.round(scalePct) + '-pct.psd');
	var saveFileJPG = File( outputFolder + "/" + myLinkName + '_upscaled_' + Math.round(scalePct) + '-pct.jpg');
	psDoc.resizeImage(Number(scalePct), null, 300, ResampleMethod.BICUBICAUTOMATIC);
	psDoc.saveAs(saveFileJPG, jpgSaveOptions, true, Extension.LOWERCASE);
	psDoc.saveAs(saveFilePSD, psdSaveOptions, true, Extension.LOWERCASE);
	psDoc.close(SaveOptions.DONOTSAVECHANGES);
	app.open(saveFilePSD);
	app.preferences.rulerUnits = startRulerUnits;
	app.displayDialogs = DialogModes.ALL;
}

       which works fine for this purpose.....
      For future reference I would still like to know how to or why I couldn't get any variables back from photoshop if anyone can explain where I went wrong in my first example that'd be really helpful 🙂

        Terms & ConditionsAccessibility statement
        Using the community Terms of use Privacy Cookie preferences Do not sell or share my personal information ad choicesAdChoices