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I would like Adobe ExtendScript back, who's with me?

Forum|Forum|4 years ago
August 19, 2021
3 replies
5073 views

Hope you agree.

This topic has been closed for replies.

Correct answer Bruce Bullis

Your concerns are valid. I loved ESTK too.

It's dead, and is not coming back.

I'm sure you're aware that all Adobe applications are moving from extensibility based on ExtendScript + CEP, to extensibility based on JavaScript + UXP; some have already moved. This makes additional investment in ESTK even less likely.

Ugly? Perhaps. It's also very customizable. You can make comments appear in Comic Sans, just like ESTK did, if you like.

Not native? Okay, but literally hundreds of PPro partners use VSCode + ExtendScript Debugger on Windows and Mac ARM systems, every day, without issue.

PITA to use? Perhaps; your mileage may vary. I prefer the debug configuration options the ExtendScript Debugger provides, over ESTK's old target selection pop-up.

XCode on Mac? Adobe partners require a cross-platform solution.

The VSCode ExtendScript Debugger running in VSCode is, admittedly, an imperfect solution; it is also the path forward.

L

Lumigraphics

Legend

Year and a half later, still desperately need an omv file parser and Apple Silicon-native extensions.

VSCode is ugly, not a native Mac app, a PITA to use (had to turn off pretty much everything "helpful" in the Text Editor) and my preference would be to use XCode on the Mac. :sigh: ESTK had a lot of problems too but what we have now isn't much better.

Bruce Bullis

Correct answer

Community Manager

Your concerns are valid. I loved ESTK too.

It's dead, and is not coming back.

I'm sure you're aware that all Adobe applications are moving from extensibility based on ExtendScript + CEP, to extensibility based on JavaScript + UXP; some have already moved. This makes additional investment in ESTK even less likely.

Ugly? Perhaps. It's also very customizable. You can make comments appear in Comic Sans, just like ESTK did, if you like.

Not native? Okay, but literally hundreds of PPro partners use VSCode + ExtendScript Debugger on Windows and Mac ARM systems, every day, without issue.

PITA to use? Perhaps; your mileage may vary. I prefer the debug configuration options the ExtendScript Debugger provides, over ESTK's old target selection pop-up.

XCode on Mac? Adobe partners require a cross-platform solution.

The VSCode ExtendScript Debugger running in VSCode is, admittedly, an imperfect solution; it is also the path forward.

Bruce Bullis

Community Manager

How about giving us good documentation and up-to-date tools for all Adobe apps? We STILL don't have a replacement for the Object Model Viewer which is probably the best part of ESK. Documentation still ranges from spotty to opaque to just incorrect. VSC isn't much of a Mac app. Adobe hasn't been clear on a roadmap for where scripting is headed, either.

> Adobe hasn't been clear on a roadmap for where scripting is headed, either.

Scripting is heading to UXP.

Nancy OShea

Community Expert

ExtendScript is obsolete and unsupported. And the Toolkit won't work on modern Macs because it's so old. But you don't need permission to keep using ExtendScript. There's an extension for it for Visual Studio Code.

https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=Adobe.extendscript-debug

[Moderator moved from The Lounge to Coding Corner.]

Nancy O'Shea— Product User & Community Expert

studiovanzwetAuthor

Participating Frequently

I know and I have it installed, but I like ExtendScript Toolkit beter, aspecialy the Object Model Viewer. Why not make a new version that runs on newer Macs? Is there a solution not to type te name of your script every time you run debug in VS Code extension?

Nancy OShea

Community Expert

I don't work for Adobe. No one here does. But I suppose it's because ES Toolkit is ancient. And Apple has ended support for 32-bit apps. It's hardly worth throwing time & money at an old FREE app that few people use anymore.

When you need to keep using old apps, you should keep an old computer or virtual machine on hand that can support them. Also never upgrade that machine's OS.

Nancy O'Shea— Product User & Community Expert

Peru Bob

Community Expert

I've moved this from the Using the Community forum (which is the forum for issues using the forums) to the Lounge forum.

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