Extend script not auto refreshing the missing link.

[davidn5918184]

I made a script that takes the selected image in indesign, sends it to photoshop, uses the select subject command, masks it and saves it as a tiff with transparancy. This is just for rough cut outs and it speed up my workflow quite a bit but I'm running into one snag. Indesign isn't updating the link. I tried onResult with a delay but thats not working. I end up having to refresh the link manually which isn't the end of the world but it would be nice to not have to do that. Any one know how to get that working?

if (app.documents.length > 0 && app.selection.length > 0 && app.selection[0].constructor.name == "Rectangle") {
    var selectedFrame = app.selection[0];

    if (selectedFrame.images.length > 0) {
        var imageFile = new File(selectedFrame.images[0].itemLink.filePath);

        if (imageFile.exists) {
            app.scriptPreferences.userInteractionLevel = UserInteractionLevels.INTERACT_WITH_ALL;

            var photoshop = BridgeTalk.getSpecifier("photoshop");
            if (photoshop) {

                var openScript = "var openFile = new File(\"" + imageFile.fsName + "\");\r";
                openScript += "app.open(openFile);\r";

                var photoshopScript = "if (app.documents.length > 0) {\r";
                photoshopScript += "    var docRef = app.activeDocument;\r";

                // Select Subject
                photoshopScript += "    try {\r";
                photoshopScript += "        var desc = new ActionDescriptor();\r";
                photoshopScript += "        executeAction(stringIDToTypeID('autoCutout'), desc, DialogModes.NO);\r";
                photoshopScript += "    } catch (e) {\r";
                photoshopScript += "        alert(\"Error during autoCutout: \" + e.message);\r";
                photoshopScript += "    }\r";

                // Mask
                photoshopScript += "maskSelection(\"revealSelection\");\r\n";
                photoshopScript += "function maskSelection(maskParameter) {\r";
                photoshopScript += "    var s2t = function (s) { return app.stringIDToTypeID(s); };\r";
                photoshopScript += "    var descriptor = new ActionDescriptor();\r";
                photoshopScript += "    var reference = new ActionReference();\r";
                photoshopScript += "    descriptor.putClass( s2t( \"new\" ), s2t( \"channel\" ));\r";
                photoshopScript += "    reference.putEnumerated( s2t( \"channel\" ), s2t( \"channel\" ), s2t( \"mask\" ));\r";
                photoshopScript += "    descriptor.putReference( s2t( \"at\" ), reference );\r";
                photoshopScript += "    descriptor.putEnumerated( s2t( \"using\" ), s2t( \"userMaskEnabled\" ), s2t( maskParameter ));\r";
                photoshopScript += "    executeAction( s2t( \"make\" ), descriptor, DialogModes.NO );\r";
                photoshopScript += "}\r\n";

                // Save
                photoshopScript += "    var saveOptions = new TiffSaveOptions();\r";
                photoshopScript += "    saveOptions.transparency = true;\r";
                photoshopScript += "    saveOptions.layers = true;\r";
                photoshopScript += "    saveOptions.alphaChannels = true;\r";
                photoshopScript += "    saveOptions.embedColorProfile = true;\r";
                photoshopScript += "    saveOptions.imageCompression = TIFFEncoding.NONE;\r";
                photoshopScript += "    try {\r";
                photoshopScript += "        docRef.saveAs(docRef.fullName, saveOptions, true, Extension.LOWERCASE);\r";
                photoshopScript += "    } catch (e) {\r";
                photoshopScript += "        alert(\"Failed to save the file. Error: \" + e.message);\r";
                photoshopScript += "    }\r";
                photoshopScript += "}\r";

                photoshopScript += "app.activeDocument.close(SaveOptions.DONOTSAVECHANGES);\r";

                // Bridgetalk
                var bt = new BridgeTalk();
                bt.target = photoshop;
                bt.body = openScript + photoshopScript;

                // Refresh selection
                bt.onResult = function(res) {
                    setTimeout(function() {
                        var link = selectedFrame.images[0].itemLink;
                        link.relink(new File(imageFile.fsName));
                        link.update();
                    }, 2000); // Delay of 2 seconds
                };

                bt.send();

            } else {
                alert("Photoshop is not available.");
            }

        } else {
            alert("The image file associated with the selected frame does not exist.");
        }

    } else {
        alert("The selected frame does not contain an image.");
    }

} else {
    alert("Please select a frame that contains an image in an InDesign document.");
}

[davidn5918184]

I was thinking of adding a loop to handle multiple images at once, so thanks for the suggestion. This might use more resources, but it shouldn't be a problem for just a few images. To overwrite the original file, I changed the line to: var cutoutFilePath = docRef.fullName.fsName; This achieves what I want, but now when the image updates in InDesign, it shows transparency so it is reloading correctly and then indicates the link was modified, needing a refresh. It's interesting that this issue only occurs when overwriting the file, not with the original code you wrote. Any idea why this is?

[davidn5918184]

I just force it by adding link.update(); to the bt.onResult function. Thanks again for all the help! 

    bt.onResult = function (obj) {

        var f = File(obj.body);

        if (!f.exists)
            return;

        var link = item.images[0].itemLink;

        try {

            link.relink(f);

            if (LinkStatus.NORMAL === link.status)
                success.value = true;

                link.update();

        } catch (error) { }

    };

    bt.send(timer);

[m1b]

Good solution! So the relink method doesn't actually update the graphic if it is the same filename? A tiny bug I guess.

I would suggest changing the order like this:

try {

    link.relink(f);

    if (LinkStatus.LINK_OUT_OF_DATE === links[i].status)
        link.update();

    if (LinkStatus.NORMAL === link.status)
        success.value = true;

} catch (error) { }

so that the update happens before the script marks the success flag (otherwise I don't think it will be counted).

- Mark

[Robert at ID-Tasker]

Just as a general comment - not to any particular reply of anybody - and I don't know if JS is the same or not ...

... but in VBA - when you update link - it "ceases to exists" - so you need to do relink via a reference to parent...

Call myImgContainer.AllGraphics.Item(1).ItemLink.Relink(myPath & myNewFileName)

[Laubender]

@Robert at ID-Tasker said: "… .. but in VBA - when you update link - it "ceases to exists" - so you need to do relink via a reference to parent..."

Hi @Robert at ID-Tasker ,

do you see that with all kinds of placed file types or perhaps only with placed Illustrator files and PDF files where layers' visibility of the placed objects have been changed?

Regards,
Uwe Laubender
( Adobe Community Expert )

[dublove]

@davidn5918184 

I'm guessing that InDesign is conditioning the judgment update on triggering the ID window as the current window again.
You could try using the traditional way of double-clicking on the image by pressing Alt in ID, then modifying it in PS and saving it.
When you return to ID within a certain amount of time, the moment the ID window opens, the image is updated.