Edit original

The following code is working as a startup script with the menu command "Edit original" when you selected a graphic frame containing an image or if you selected the image itself on the page. Warning: It will not work with the same menu command you find in the Links panel when you selected a placed image in the panel AND did not select it on the page.

#targetengine EditOriginalImageWithPhotoShop-com-laubender-uwe
	
var menuAction1 = app.menuActions.item("$ID/#LinksUIEditOriginalLinkMenu");
var menuAction2 = app.menuActions.item("$ID/#EditOriginalButtonTip");
	
if(menuAction1.isValid)
{
	menuAction1.eventListeners.add
	(
		"beforeInvoke", 
		editImageFileWithPhotoShop
	);
};

if(menuAction2.isValid)
{
	menuAction1.eventListeners.add
	(
		"beforeInvoke", 
		editImageFileWithPhotoShop
	);
};

function editImageFileWithPhotoShop(event)
{
	/*
		Disable the menu action if the selected item contains a bitmap image.
		Instead start up PhotoShop and open the image with PhotoShop
	*/
	if( app.selection.length != 1 ){ return };
	
	var image = false;
	
	if( app.selection[0].constructor.name == "Image" )
	{
		image = app.selection[0];
	};
	if( app.selection[0].graphics[0].getElements()[0].constructor.name == "Image" )
	{
		image = app.selection[0].graphics[0];
	};

	if( image == false ){ return };
	if( image.itemLink.status == LinkStatus.LINK_INACCESSIBLE ){ return };
	
	/*
		Disable the menu action's original task:
	*/
	event.stopPropagation();
	event.preventDefault();
	
	/*
		Instead open the placed image with PhotoShop:
	*/
	var bt = new BridgeTalk;
	bt.target = "photoshop";

	var myScript = 'app.open(File(\"' + image.itemLink.filePath + '\"));'; 
	bt.body = myScript;
	bt.send( 30 );
};

How you make that work:

[1] Save the code above with the Editor application to a text file with suffix *.jsx

[2] Open the Scripts panel in InDesign. Select the User folder there.

Use the menu command "Show in Explorer". A directory named Scripts should show up in Windows Explorer that contains a folder named Scripts Panel. Do not go to Scripts Panel. Instead add a new folder named startup scripts.

Move the *.jsx file from [1] to the new startup scripts folder.

[3] Restart InDesign.

[4] Start up any version of PhotoShop

Now test menu command "Edit original" again with a placed and selected PhotoShop file.

PhotoShop should open the file. The same with placed and linked JPEG or PNG files.

You have to switch from InDesign to PhotoShop to see the result.

If you want to disable the startup script simply move the *.jsx file out of the startup scripts folder.

And restart InDesign.

Regards,
Uwe Laubender

( ACP )

//EDITED

Hi Simon,

I see a similar issue with "Edit original" on my Windows 10 machine with all my installed InDesign versions.

In my case all images like jpg or png are opened with Windows' Photo application. I do not like that. In the case of a placed and linked PhotoShop file InDesign asks what version of PhotoShop should open the file.

From my German InDesign:

So theoretically I could resolve the issue on my system by answering this dialog. I will not do this for now. I am using a lot of versions of InDesign and PhotoShop on my machine and I do not want to open any placed PSD file or JPEG or PNG file with a specific version of PhotoShop, but with the version of PhotoShop that currently is running.

I am about to solve that with an InDesign startup script that uses an event listening mechanism for the "beforeInvoke" event of two menu actions for the "Edit original" menu commands. Still I have to do some tests, but I will come back with some ExtendScript (JavaScript) code.

Perhaps my script could be a solution to your problem provided PhotoShop is installed on your machine or currently running when you invoke the menu command with InDesign. My script will open any "image" type of placed and linked graphics with PhotoShop using InDesign's own menu commands "Edit original" as a starting point. Other graphic types of placed graphics like PDF or AI will not be affected.

Regards,
Uwe Laubender

( ACP )

Do you have the original Photoshop file? If so, can you open it? Make the change and then go back to InDesign and double click on the photo with the change. If the original photoshop file is not available that would explain the issue.

Please give the specific version number like 28.3.2, not "latest". This is important; many people believe they are up to date, but their real problem is that the updating has failed.

Sounds like a file association problem. Make sure Photoshop is associated in Windows with the format you are trying to edit.