How to count selected cells with scripting

[FZan]

Hi, everyone!

I am a beginner in the scripting world and, as I try to study and understand JavaScript, I analyze existing scripts and work a lot with cutting, pasting, and rewriting things.

Recently I put together a functional script to change the color, weight and style of the inner horizontal lines of selected cells of a table. It worked pretty well, but I would like to check if there is more than one cell selected before run the script and I couldn't find a way to do this...

Whenever I try to capture the number of selected cells, the script always returns the value "1", regardless of the quantity. Is there a way to change this behavior? I haven't been able to find any information about it so far, which is why I'm starting my participation here in the community.  🙂

Ps: if I try to change the (selectedCells.length != 0) to (selectedCells.length > 1), it just goes to the second-to-last "else" block.

The code in question is right below.

Thank you in advance for any help!

---

(function () {

app.scriptPreferences.measurementUnit = MeasurementUnits.POINTS; // Ensures the unit of measurement

function main() {

// Checks if the selection is valid

if (app.selection != 0 && app.selection[0].constructor.name === "Cell") {

var selectedCells = app.selection;

// Checks if the selection covers more than one cell

if (selectedCells.length != 0) {

for (var i = 0; i < selectedCells.length; i++) {

var cell = selectedCells[i];

var appLanguage = app.locale;

// Apply styles to the selection

if (app.activeDocument.swatches.item("Grafite") == null) {

alert("The swatch \"Grafite\" does not exist.");

break;

} else {

if (appLanguage == Locale.PORTUGUESE_LOCALE) {

cell.innerRowStrokeType = app.activeDocument.strokeStyles.item("Pontilhado japonês");

} else if (appLanguage == Locale.ENGLISH_LOCALE) {

cell.innerRowStrokeType = app.activeDocument.strokeStyles.item("Japanese Dots");

} else {

alert("This script does not work in your language.");

break;

}

cell.innerRowStrokeWeight = 1; // The unit of measurement is in pts

cell.innerRowStrokeColor = app.activeDocument.swatches.item("Grafite");

}

}

} else {

alert("Please select at least two vertically adjacent cells.");

}

} else {

alert("Invalid selection. Please select at least two vertically adjacent cells.");

}

}

}());

[Robert at ID-Tasker]

If type of your 1st / [0] item of the selection is a "Cell" - then you'll get access to the collection of selected cells like this:

alert(app.selection[0].cells.length);

and then:

alert(app.selection[0].cells[3].contents);

[FZan]

Hello, Robert. Thanks a lot for the response!

Actually, I need to make the selection manually because the tables vary too much in size and structure and I just want to know exactly the number of selected cells, not the content itself (just like in the video attached).

I need to select what I want to change and run the script, then the lines are changed.

When I try to return the selection as

$.writeln(selectedCells.length);

I always get cell = 1, even though I have 6 cells selected (in the example sent). My intention was just to add another error control that would display an alert if only one cell was selected.

[Robert at ID-Tasker · Accepted solution]

var mySelectedCells = app.selection[0].cells;

Then:

for (var i = 0; i < mySelectedCells.length; i++) {
var myCell = mySelectedCells[i];
... 
};

[FZan]

A little obvious, I would say... But it took me quite a while.

Now I understand my mistake!

Thanks a lot, Robert!

[Robert at ID-Tasker]

You are welcome.