Book/Tutorial Recommendations for Reference and Learning InDesign ExtendScript (or, UXP)?

[Plane Wryter]

Seeking recommendations for authoritative books and/or tutorials for both reference to InDesign scripting (ExtendScript and/or UXP) as well as for learning InDesign ExtendScripting/UXP coding.

Thank you!

[Erin F. · Accepted solution]

• Definitive reference
• Some popular books
• UXP vides & course (paid course, free videos) - although these focus on Photoshop, UXP scripting is now available in InDesign, with plugins to follow later this year.

[Plane Wryter]

Thank you very much for posting a reply...which (belatedly, my regrets) caused me to realize I should have clarified a point in my original question.

Because I was already aware of [most] of the cited resources, I should have qualified my question by requesting referrals to recent (say, within the preceding ~18 months, or so) resources which provide a more contemporary on-ramp to coding in InDesign.

To reaffirm: Apologies for my oversight, and thank you for taking the time to provide assistance; much appreciated!

[Hauke30377645zwrc]

For me the Photoshop-related UXP docs and courses are more confusing than helpful, because the implementation is so different at the moment.

[Dirk Becker]

Head over to https://developer.adobe.com/console/servicesandapis . Locate InDesign and download the "Scripting SDK" (the section is labeled "Scripting"). This is mostly 10+ years old documentation, and at least parts have been copied to the newer UXP pages at https://developer.adobe.com/indesign/uxp/ .

ExtendScript Toolkit also came with the Javascript Tools Guide, e.g. still available from https://github.com/Adobe-CEP/CEP-Resources/blob/master/ExtendScript-Toolkit/Guides/JavaScript%20Tool... . 

[Plane Wryter]

[As mentioned in the "Reply," above...] Thank you very much for posting a reply...which (belatedly, my regrets) caused me to realize I should have clarified a point in my original question.

Because I was already aware of [most] of the cited resources, I should have qualified my question by requesting referrals to recent (say, within the preceding ~18 months, or so) resources which provide a more contemporary on-ramp to coding in InDesign.

To reaffirm: Apologies for my oversight, and thank you for taking the time to provide assistance; much appreciated!

[Kasyan Servetsky]

Because I was already aware of [most] of the cited resources, I should have qualified my question by requesting referrals to recent (say, within the preceding ~18 months, or so) resources which provide a more contemporary on-ramp to coding in InDesign.

I bought Adobe UXP plugins development with React JS by Davide Barranca. It's about Photoshop, but the same approach would work for InDesign when UXP becomes fully available in the upcoming version. The book (version 1.0.1) was published on Jan 7, 2022. And it was updated (and the demo projects ) a few days ago on May 14, 2023.
So far, that's the best resource I could find on the new technology.

[Erin F.]

Hi there,

So, we only launched UXP scritping in InDesign last October (with UXP plugins coming this summer). It's possible that's not enough time for anyone to write a new book about it, especially since it's still under development.

That said, this author reached out to my team about their book on InDesign, which came out in November 2022:

In English:

https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-658-39375-5

or

https://www.amazon.com/dp/3658393742

The German version is available here:
https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-658-37137-1

or

https://www.amazon.de/dp/3658371366

Note that this is a paid resource.

[Hauke30377645zwrc]

See Erin's links, plus:

ExtendScript (outdated, but still supported):

• Javascript Tools Guide
• Adobe InDesign CS 6 Scripting Guide (pdf), if you can find it anywhere
• Peter Kahrel ScriptUI for Dummies

UXP Kitchen Sink

[Laubender]

@Hauke30377645zwrc said:

"Adobe InDesign CS 6 Scripting Guide (pdf), if you can find it anywhere"

There is a newer PDF:

extendscript-docsforadobe-dev-en-latest.pdf

https://extendscript.docsforadobe.dev/_/downloads/en/latest/pdf/

JavaScript Tools Guide CC
Release 0.0.1
Adobe Systems Incorporated
Jun 05, 2023

Regards,
Uwe Laubender
( Adobe Community Expert )