Dataviews scripting error

[Bill3862]

Hello,

I am taking my first steps in scripting in InDesign and I am faced with a simple issue. I am trying to execute this script from the Scripts Panel in InDesign CC 2021:

var easyCatalogFilePath = "testFile.txt"

var myEasyCatalog = app.easycatalogObject;

var myDS = app.easycatalogObject.datasources.item(easyCatalogFilePath );

var myDV = myDS.dataviews.add();

However, when I run this I get an error on line myDS.dataviews.add() that Object is Invalid. This should be a simple EasyCatalog script to open a data source. Has anyone faced a similar issue?

[rob day]

Hi @Bill3862 var myEasyCatalog = app.easycatalogObject; would also throw an error because there‘s no easycatalogObject Application object.

Here’s the InDesign ExtendScript API:

https://www.indesignjs.de/extendscriptAPI/indesign-latest/#Application.html

[brianp311]

Rob, I believe Easy Catalog can be scripted: https://www.65bit.com/software/easycatalog/modules/scripting-module/

[brianp311]

Don't know much about Easy Catalog scripting but I would start by ensuring you have the full path to your txt file. Ie, "~/Desktop/testFile.txt" would point to your desktop, whereas app.activeScript.fsName + "/testFile.txt" would point to the same directory as wherever you are executing the script from. 

[Kasyan Servetsky · Accepted solution]

Very interesting! I didn't know that EasyCatalog is scriptable. Do they have some sample scripts? Found them here. I don't have it installed but your very first line makes me embarrassed. From the variable name, I assume, it should be a full path to the file, not the file name. Something like this:

var easyCatalogFilePath = "/C/folder/subFolder/subSubFolder/testFile.txt";

Make sure to check if the file exists and if so go on with your code.

if (File(easyCatalogFilePath).exists) {
   // do something
}

[Bill3862]

I think it's time to call it a day when you forget to paste the whole path and pay no mind to it! Thank you for pointing that out Kasyan.