How to export only certain files/links from Indesign to png or jpg?

[peetu]

I've been trying to compile exporting script from various scripts to export only Adobe Illustrator files ignoring jpgs/tiffs from id document to png format. Succeeded to "collect" only ai-files, but saving to png-format won't  happen. What is wrong with it? My script is so far:

//#target "InDesign"

var exportPath = Folder.selectDialog("Choose export location");
if (exportPath != null) {
    var doc = app.activeDocument;
    for (var i = 0; i < doc.links.length; i++) {
        var currentLink = doc.links[i];
        if (currentLink.status == LinkStatus.NORMAL && currentLink.filePath.match(/\.ai$/i)) { //Choose only Illustrator links
            try {
            var myNewFileName = currentLink.name.replace(/\.[a-z]{2,4}$/i, '.png'); //Change extension to png
            var newExportFile = new File(exportPath + "/" + myNewFileName); //New path + new file name
           
            // Set EXPORT presets
app.pngExportPreferences.exportResolution = 300;
app.pngExportPreferences.antiAlias = true;
app.pngExportPreferences.pngQuality = PNGQualityEnum.MAXIMUM;
app.pngExportPreferences.pngColorSpace = PNGColorSpaceEnum.RGB;
app.pngExportPreferences.pngExportRange = PNGExportRangeEnum.EXPORT_RANGE;

//alert("New filename " + newExportFile); //Check to see that proper files been chosen
    myNewFileName.exportFile(ExportFormat.PNG_FORMAT, myNewFileName); //Should export *.ai files to png, but no

    } catch (e) {};
        }
    }
}
alert("Done!");

[rob day · Accepted solution]

Hi @peetu , You’ll want to export the link item’s parent frame—the equivalent of choosing Selection in the UI. Try this:

var exportPath = Folder.selectDialog("Choose export location");
if (exportPath != null) {
    var doc = app.activeDocument;
    var cl, pi, fn;
    for (var i = 0; i < doc.links.length; i++) {
        cl = doc.links[i];
        if (cl.status == LinkStatus.NORMAL && cl.filePath.match(/\.ai$/i)) {
            pi = cl.parent.parent
            fn = cl.name.replace(/\.[a-z]{2,4}$/i, '.png')
            app.pngExportPreferences.exportResolution = 300;
            app.pngExportPreferences.antiAlias = true;
            app.pngExportPreferences.pngQuality = PNGQualityEnum.MAXIMUM;
            app.pngExportPreferences.pngColorSpace = PNGColorSpaceEnum.RGB;
            app.pngExportPreferences.pngExportRange = PNGExportRangeEnum.EXPORT_RANGE;
            pi.exportFile(ExportFormat.PNG_FORMAT, File(exportPath + "/" + fn))
        }
    }
}
alert("Done!");

[peetu]

Thank You @rob day a very very many. That worked like a charm. Now I don't have to export about 200 ai-files by  selection. Thanks.

[Robert at ID-Tasker]

Do you have access to those linked files? 

Because, why would you export "previews" from InDesign - if you have original files? 

[peetu]

Ah, yes @Robert at ID-Tasker  I understand your point. I've done that via Bridge, but it is so time consuming.
At the beginning of project there might be two to three hundreds AI drawings per one press printable ID document , but after two or three draft rounds only about hundred which will be in used as a png format in online publication also. Picking only the chosen ai-files (left in document) of the bunch of files by hand takes time and happens mistakes too. It is frustrating.

[Robert at ID-Tasker]

If the size from InDesign is what you are looking for - then OK. 

But bulk export from original application can also be scripted - and I'm not talking about preselecting from a folder - info about files to export can be collected from InDesign and then native app - Illustrator or Photoshop - can be used to do finall export.

If you work on a PC - my ID-Tasker would do this easily - and much more, as you could automatically sort and / or filter by size, location, page, layer, etc. then export only those results... And then you can save it as a Task and next time - just load the Task and run it - on any file / any number of files - you can even automatically process whole server of files... 

If you are on Mac - you would need dedicated PC and WatchedFolders mode. 

[peetu]

That script sounds workable solution. If I happen to work with Windows someday I will consider that.