ExtendScript - Waiting Message?

Report · Jan 28, 2014

I'm having a bit of an issue when trying to select my target in the ExtendScript ToolKit. When I select InDesign as the target, it launches the application but ESTK sits there with a message box saying "Waiting; press ESC to abort..." It appears that it's not able to communicate with the process at all, and I'd love a little help debugging this. Anyone have any ideas?

Thanks!

Report · Jan 28, 2014

Hi,

Share some more info:

your ESTK version?
your ID version?
any other ID/ESTK versions installed on your PC?
did you install ID and ESTK at the same time?
if ID is launched first - does ESTK work properly?

Jarek

Report · Jan 28, 2014

OK - I've got some info for you. I should clarify, the problem is with InDesign server but the functionality problem is likely the same as regular InDesign. I'm probably wrong though...

ESTK 4.0.0.1 (CC)

I've got InDesign CC Desktop and InDesign CC Server installed on the same machine. Server is on a trial, enabled with adobe_prtk.exe as instructed.

Fresh operating system, no other versions installed.

InDesign Desktop and ESTK were installed at the same time, yes, but the server version which is experiencing problems was installed prior to InDesign desktop and ESTK.

InDesign server does not work (exhibits the problem in this post) but InDesign desktop does not.

Thanks for your help!

Report · Jan 28, 2014

Hi,

Can you be sure that this trial ID CC Server is able to run on your PC (MAC?).

I mean if have you run it regardless on ESTK with success?

I.e. using this .bat:

cd "C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe InDesign CC Server"

InDesignServer -port 12345

and to run a sample.jsx (any 1-liner you can create) using this .bat

cd "C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe InDesign CC Server"

sampleclient -host localhost:12345 C:\sample.jsx

you should edit above paths of course...

Jarek

Report · Jan 28, 2014

Thanks. A small update before I continue with answering your questions above. I installed Windows Server 2008R2 fresh from the installation media, applied all updates, and then installed (in this order) only InDesign CC Server and the ExtendScript Toolkit.

When I run InDesignServer -port 12345, I get the following repsonse (expected):

INFO [server] Initializing

INFO [server] Loading the application

INFO [server] Scanning for plug-ins

INFO [server] Registering 113 plug-ins

INFO [server] Completing Object Model

INFO [server] Saving Object Model

INFO [server] Initializing plug-ins

INFO [server] Calling Early Initializers

INFO [server] Starting up Service Registry

INFO [server] Executing startup services

INFO [server] Using configuration configuration_12345

INFO [server] Initializing Application

INFO [server] Completing Initialization

INFO [server] Calling Late Initializers

INFO [server] Image previews are off

INFO [server] Server Running

INFO [javascript] Executing File: c:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe InDesign CC Server x64\Scripts\startup scripts\ConnectInstancesToESTK.js

INFO [javascript] Executing File: c:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe InDesign CC Server x64\Scripts\converturltohyperlink\startup scripts\ConvertURLToHyperlinkMenuItemLoader.jsx

INFO [javascript] Executing File: c:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe InDesign CC Server x64\Scripts\converturltohyperlink\ConvertURLToHyperlinkMenuItem.jsxbin

INFO [soap] Servicing SOAP requests on port 12345

At this point, I leave the command window open because closing it will terminate the process I just started. When I navigate back to the ExtendScript Toolkit, two additional options show up in the target selector combo box: "Indesignserver 9.064" and "Indesignserver 9.064 (configuration_12345)" Attempting to reconnect to the item "Adobe InDesign CC Server" is still unsuccessful - it simply sits at the same waiting prompt. It will link up to the two items that it just added, but with one caveat - I cannot view the object model in the object model viewer because it does not have either of those two additional items that seem to work in ESTK. When I try to load the only available object model for InDesign Server, it sits at the waiting message again. This is what I really want before I start scripting. Unfortunately, I need that working (and the desktop version won't suffice, sorry). Restarting ESTK has no effect on my ability to load the object model either; in fact, it's not aware of the other two entries that, by my logic, should be populated in there if they were before I restarted ESTK. To get those items back, I have to kill the program I ran before and re-run it.

Now, finally, I'm getting to the last 1 liner question - can I run a script? I ran the hello world script from page 9 of the scripting tutorial (https://www.adobe.com/content/dam/Adobe/en/devnet/indesign/sdk/cs6/scripting/InDesign_ScriptingTutor...) from another command prompt using the command you wrote above. The sample client gave the following output:

Script result (std__string): Hello World!

I believe that everything seems in order here except for the ESTK.

Thanks for your help - I look forward to hearing back from you.

Report · Jan 28, 2014

One more update, which is something I can do in my spare time while waiting for help. This did not help the situation but just so we're all on the same page, I did another fresh install on another machine. I updated it completely and instead of installing InDesign CC Server first, I installed the ExtendScript Toolkit prior to installing InDesign CC Server. This was the only thing ticking at me - that maybe I had installed in an incorrect order and InDesign Server was not able to register with ESTK and this was causing problems. However, straight out of the box, these two will not talk to each other.

I am in need of help. I'm not sure if everyone's aware of this, but Adobe flat out refuses to help with problems related to the ExtendScript Toolkit. They have no technical support for calling nor do they have any email support. Furthermore, InDesign Server support is only for paid users. When I called in, they refused to forward me on to the InDesign Server team for help. I'd be happy to shell out the $7,500 they want to charge me per license (my employer, that is), but I can't get vital pieces working. I can't tell my employer to pay it and see if it works. Yet they still won't help me debug this even though I will become a fully paid user. So they told me to head to the forums. Despite how useful everyone is being here, I think you will agree this is an asinine system of support Adobe's got going on. If anyone can help, I'd really appreciate it. I'm running out of time on this trial and I've got some deadlines to meet

Report · Jan 28, 2014

Hi,

It looks really serious from my side. If we apply Adobe "suqport" - it looks even more serious. To tell the true, I don't have any idea how to debug this with the lack of Adobe assistance - I have noticed that as well.

If your goal is to script, I mean, to automate some workflow - I would not recommend CC versions neither Desktop or Server. They have plenty of bugs and it doesn't look like a step forward, from my (scripters?) point of view.

If we talk about trial mode of Server - that's an undiscovered area for me. It looks like Adobe doesn't want to discover it at all. It wouldn't be a surprise for me if ESTK was not able to launch trial versions anyway...

Wish you luck, hope someone will join the subject with some solution...

Jarek

Report · Jan 28, 2014

From a scripting point of view it's a bit like replaces Windows 7 or 8 with Windows 2000.

The number increases but a lot goes.

Regarding the server problem, I was going to suggest http://forums.adobe.com/community/indesign/indesign_server_developers but I see you made it there.

Report · Jan 30, 2014

Well, thank you both for your help. I officially hate Adobe and cannot express how much I will tell people not to buy their software based on this support experience. This goes unresolved; the gentleman that told me on the phone that I would be receiving a callback about my issue from a more senior tech was apparently lying, as I have waited three days and have not gotten a call.

Report · Jan 30, 2014

"Why pay for support personnel to walk paying customers through this when we can have shmucks on the internet do it for free?"

Report · Oct 19, 2014

Hi from Germany,

i Habe bit of the Same Isle her.

Mac 10.9 and CC 2014

I would like to adress ID with ETSC. But the script always tries to adress an old version of ID, which was previously installed but removed with the cleaner tool

any ideas?