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sergio-cz
sergio-cz
Participating Frequently
March 11, 2022
Question

Script: Create the new RGB swatch from HEX value

  • March 11, 2022
  • 3 replies
  • 1055 views

Hello,

I'm looking for InDesign script, which creates a new RGB swatch with HEX value from clipboard. So lets say I copy to clipboard the value ff0000, then run the script and it will create the new RGB swatch with values 255/0/0. Is it possible?

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3 replies

rob day
Community Expert
rob dayCommunity Expert
Community Expert
March 11, 2022

Here‘s a version that creates and names the swatch with the clipboard hex value:

 

 

var d = app.activeDocument
var ns = makeSwatch(getClipboard())
ns.properties = {model:ColorModel.PROCESS, space:ColorSpace.RGB, colorValue:hexToRgb(getClipboard())}


/**
* Gets the RGB values as an array from the provided hex value 
* @ param the hex value 
* @ return array of RGB values 
*/
function hexToRgb(hx) {
    var r = /^#?([a-f\d]{2})([a-f\d]{2})([a-f\d]{2})$/i.exec(hx);
    var a = [];
    var i = 3;
//EDIT
    while (i--) a.unshift(parseInt(r[i+1], 16));
    return a
}
  
/**
* Makes a new swatch
* @ param swatch name 
* @ return the new swatch 
* 
*/
function makeSwatch(n){
    var s;
    try {
        d.colors.add({name:n});
    }catch(e) {
        s = d.colors.itemByName(n);
    } 
    return d.colors.itemByName(n);
}


/**
* Gets the clipboard text contents
* @ return the clipboard‘s text as a string 
* 
*/
function getClipboard(){
    var tf = app.activeDocument.pages[0].textFrames.add()
	tf.parentStory.texts[0].select()
	app.paste()
	var cb = tf.parentStory.contents.toString();
    tf.remove()
    return cb
}

 

    sergio-cz
    sergio-czAuthor
    Participating Frequently
    March 13, 2022

    Hello @rob day , thank you, thats a good idea. 

    I tried to test it, but it seems like there is a little mistake: it translates swatch RGB values in the opposite way. So if input is ff0000, it creates color 0/0/255 instead of 255/0/0.

    M
    Community Expert
    Manan JoshiCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    March 11, 2022

    Try the following. No elaborate error handling is done. Make sure you have document open and the clipboard has a text selected which is a valid hex number with 6 digits.

    app.paste()
var cVal = app.selection[0].contents
app.selection[0].remove()
if(!parseInt(cVal, 16))
	exit()

var c = [parseInt(cVal.substring(0,2), 16), parseInt(cVal.substring(2,4), 16), parseInt(cVal.substring(4,6), 16)]
app.documents[0].colors.add({space:ColorSpace.RGB, colorValue:c})

     -Manan

    -Manan
      rob day
      Community Expert
      rob dayCommunity Expert
      Community Expert
      March 11, 2022

      Hi @Manan Joshi , I’m getting an error with your script, I think because app.paste() doesn’t result in a selection.

       

      This seems to work:

       

       

      
var cVal = getClipboard()
if(!parseInt(cVal, 16))
	exit()

var c = [parseInt(cVal.substring(0,2), 16), parseInt(cVal.substring(2,4), 16), parseInt(cVal.substring(4,6), 16)]
app.documents[0].colors.add({space:ColorSpace.RGB, colorValue:c})

function getClipboard(){
    var tf = app.activeDocument.pages[0].textFrames.add()
	tf.parentStory.texts[0].select()
	app.paste()
	var cb = tf.parentStory.contents.toString();
    tf.remove()
    return cb
}

       

       

        M
        Community Expert
        Manan JoshiCommunity Expert
        Community Expert
        March 11, 2022

        Thanks for testing it @rob day. That's interesting, for me app.paste was creating a textframe with the clipboard text and also selecting it so I preferred it due to its conciseness over creating a frame and then pasting into it. Don't know why it behaves differently on your end. Anyhow, we have both the approaches posted now in addition to the Harb's version posted by Uwe. So the OP has lots of choices to pick and choose from 🙂

        -Manan

        -Manan
        L
        Community Expert
        LaubenderCommunity Expert
        Community Expert
        March 11, 2022

        Hi Sergio,

        see into this script by Harbs from in-tools:

        http://in-tools.com/article/scripts-blog/hexadecimal-swatches-in-indesign/

         

        Regards,
        Uwe Laubender

        ( ACP )

          L
          Community Expert
          LaubenderCommunity Expert
          Community Expert
          March 15, 2022

          In case someone wonders how to install Harbs' script with InDesign 2022 on Windows 10:

          Do the "manual" installation by moving the Create Hex Swatch folder that comes with the downloaded zip file to:

          Adobe InDesign 2022 > Scripts

           

          The needed folder structure now is:

          Adobe InDesign 2022 > Scripts > Create Hex Swatch > startup scripts > CreateHexSwatch.jsx

           

          Restart InDesign and you will notice that there is a new menu entry at your Swatches panel "New Hex Swatch…".

          Here a screenshot from my German InDesign 2022 on Windows 10:

           

          If you activate the menu command you see this script interface:

          Step 1: Enter the Hex Value.

          Step 2: Use the tab key to go forward.

          The interface will show you the suggested RGB values and a suggested name for the swatch:

           

          Step 3: Press the "Add" button ("Hinzufügen" in my German GUI) to add the RGB values to a new swatch.

           

          Note: If you have no Admin rights you should not be able to move the Create Hex Swatch folder to the Scripts folder of your InDesign application folder. In this case try to move it to the Scripts folder in your InDesign's preferences folder. In my German Windows 10 I can find this one here:

          Users > Username > AppData > Roaming > Adobe > InDesign > Version 17.0 > de_DE > Scripts

           

          The needed folder structure now is:

          Users > Username > AppData > Roaming > Adobe > InDesign > Version 17.0 > de_DE > Scripts > Create Hex Swatch > startup scripts > CreateHexSwatch.jsx

           

          Restart InDesign and the menu command "New Hex Swatch…" is available with your Swatches panel.

           

          Regards,
          Uwe Laubender

          ( ACP )

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