Help with extending script capability

[larryp22136904]

I could use some help with extending the capability of the script below.

I would like to have the script run automatically when I flow in a story containing photo(s) from AP, Associated Press.

The script does everything I need it to do, except run automatically when a story is flowed onto the page.

Maybe an event handler could do this, but I'm unfamiliar with writing an event handler.

Thanks for any help/advice you can offer.

Larry

var allPgs = app.activeDocument.pages;

    for(var pCnt = 0; pCnt < allPgs.length; pCnt++)

       var pg = allPgs[pCnt];

       var masItms = pg.masterPageItems;

1. app.menuActions.itemByName('Generate Static Caption').invoke();

   var masItms = pg.masterPageItems;

1. app.menuActions.itemByName('First Object Above').invoke();

var frame = app.selection[0];

1. frame.textWrapPreferences.textWrapMode = TextWrapModes.BOUNDING_BOX_TEXT_WRAP
2. frame.textWrapPreferences.textWrapOffset = [0, "0.0139 in", "0.125 in", "0.0139 in"]; 

1. app.findGrepPreferences = app.changeGrepPreferences = null; 
2. app.findGrepPreferences.findWhat = "\\(AP Photo\\/"; 
3. app.changeGrepPreferences.changeTo = "/ AP-"
4. app.activeDocument.changeGrep();

1. app.findTextPreferences = app.changeTextPreferences = NothingEnum.nothing;

app.findTextPreferences.findWhat = ", File";

app.findTextPreferences.appliedFont = app.fonts.item("News Gothic T");

app.findTextPreferences.fontStyle = "Medium";

app.changeTextPreferences.appliedFont = app.fonts.item("News Gothic T");

app.changeTextPreferences.fontStyle = "Medium";

app.changeTextPreferences.changeTo = " ";

app.activeDocument.changeText();

app.findTextPreferences = app.changeTextPreferences = NothingEnum.nothing;    

app.findTextPreferences = app.changeTextPreferences = NothingEnum.nothing;

    app.findTextPreferences.findWhat = ")";

app.findTextPreferences.appliedFont = app.fonts.item("News Gothic T");

app.findTextPreferences.fontStyle = "Medium";

app.findTextPreferences.pointSize = 8;

1. app.changeTextPreferences.pointSize = 8;

    app.changeTextPreferences.appliedFont = app.fonts.item("News Gothic T");

app.changeTextPreferences.fontStyle = "Medium";

app.changeTextPreferences.changeTo = " ";

app.activeDocument.changeText();

app.findTextPreferences = app.changeTextPreferences = NothingEnum.nothing;

[crazyPanda]

I am not too familar with event listeners/handlers but here is a simple example: Every time a new document is created Indesign will prompt an alert "Hello World"

#targetengine "test"
if (!app.eventListeners.item("afterNew").isValid)
    {
        app.eventListeners.add("afterNew", myHandler);
    }
function myHandler ()
    {
        alert("Hello World");
    }

When using event listeners a targetengine needs to be defined like in the first line. The name of the engine is arbitrary.

The actions that the handler is supposed to perform when the event is triggered should be written as a function.

What I don't know is if there is an event listener that fits your need.

[larryp22136904]

Thanks, Panda:

I think you're right...I should be able to work with this....maybe alter it a little.

But it gives me a good starting point.

Thanks so much for helping me out.

Larry

[Robert Kyle]

Not sure what you mean by "flowed" but if you're using the InDesign File menu to Place a story, try crazyPand's snippet but use "beforeImport" or "afterImport" in place of "afterNew."

if you see the  Hello World alert when you flow the story, then the question becomes: How do you tell if the story contains photos from the AP? You're already searching for the AP credit, so maybe that's all you need. The event-listener will fire every time you place any kind of story, so maybe you just restructure the text formatting so it is invoked only when the AP credit is found.

If you need info about the source file, try something like this:

function myHandler(evt) {

     alert("You Placed " + evt.fullName);

}

evt.fullName will be the path to the imported file.

Bob

[larryp22136904]

Thanks, Bob....it helps...and yes, I meant import the text onto the page.

We use TownNews.com with their Total Content Management System, TCMS, and it has the stories loaded in the system online and we pull the stories from there.

Trying to figure a way to have an event handler run my script for captions once it sees the story (1) has a picture, and (2) is from the Associated Press....

Thanks so much for taking the time to help me out.

Great information.

Larry

[Robert Kyle]

instead of this:

app.activeDocument.changeGrep();

try this:

var creditsFound = app.activeDocument.changeGrep();

creditsFound will be an array. if there are zero items it, you're done. Otherwise, continue with your existing script.

Not familiar with TownNews (saw a demo once), but what happens when you place a story with a photo? Is there a new text frame inserted for a caption? If so, I'd look for some identifying characteristics.

In the publishing systems I work with, we always use paragraph styles to control the typography. If your imported caption were using a specific paragraph style, that would be one way to identify it within your script.

[larryp22136904]

Great idea....and I didn't think of using a paragraph style.....

That may be a a good way to identify the cutlline or caption....

I'll work on that....

Thanks again.

[Laubender]

Hi Larry,

also note that in the most recent version of InDesign CC 2019 version 14.0.2.324, available through the CC Desktop app, GREP seems to be broken with longer stories:

InDesign 2019 (version 14.0.2) - GREP is broken

Regards,
Uwe

[Robert Kyle]

Uwe:

Thanks for posting that. I've already cast my vote and hope others will do the same. I've got grep searches embedded in dozens of production critical scripts but luckily all of them are running in older software, at least for now. I trust that Adobe will get the message that this could discourage users from updating to 14.0.2

Bob