How to open images with different default applications in InDesign and resource manager (Windows)?

@Eugene Tyson this is an example of how I like to handle BridgeTalk calls. I write a function that I then convert to string using `Function.toSource()` then I call it inside an IIFE, adding parameters to the IIFE call (these must be strings too). (Edit: note that I don't actually invoke `toSource`—the function `openPaths` is impicitly coerced to a string by the `replace` method I used to construct the bt.body string.) This might seem a bit opaque at first but for me it avoids a lot of the messy string concatenation dance that goes on. It also means that I can literally test the Photoshop function `openPaths` directly in photoshop to make sure it works!

@dublove this is my attempt at a script to "Open Selected Images in Photoshop". It works for me on MacOS. Does it work for you on Windows?

- Mark

/**
 * @file Open Selected Links In Photoshop.js
 *
 * Opens the selected linked file(s) in Photoshop.
 *
 * @author m1b
 * @version 2025-03-08
 * @discussion https://community.adobe.com/t5/indesign-discussions/how-to-open-images-with-different-default-applications-in-indesign-and-resource-manager-windows/m-p/15197180
 */
(function () {

    if (0 === app.documents.length)
        return alert('Please open a document and try again.');

    var doc = app.activeDocument,
        items = doc.selection;

    if (0 === items.length)
        return alert('Please select a linked graphic frame and try again.');

    // collect paths for each selected item
    var paths = [];

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

        var item = items[i];

        // maybe user selected the image, not the frame
        if ('Image' === item.constructor.name)
            item = item.parent;

        if (
            !item.hasOwnProperty('graphics')
            || 0 === item.graphics.length
            || !item.graphics[0].itemLink
            || LinkStatus.NORMAL !== item.graphics[0].itemLink.status
        )
            // ignore anything we can't use
            continue;

        // first linked image is all we need right now
        paths.push(item.graphics[0].itemLink.filePath);

    }

    if (0 === paths.length)
        return alert('Please select a linked graphic frame and try again.');

    // open the paths in photoshop
    openPathsInPhotoshop(paths);

})();

/**
 * Opens the given `paths` in Photoshop.
 * @author m1b
 * @version 2025-03-08
 * @param {Array<String>} paths - the paths to open.
 */
function openPathsInPhotoshop(paths) {

    const DELIMITER = '###';

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

    if (!photoshop)
        return alert("Photoshop is not available.");

    // send script via BridgeTalk
    var bt = new BridgeTalk();
    bt.target = photoshop;

    // arrange the function inside an IIFE string,
    // and perform string replacements to insert
    // our variables
    bt.body = '(#FN#)("#P#","#D#");'
        .replace('#D#', DELIMITER)
        .replace('#P#', paths.join(DELIMITER))
        .replace('#FN#', openPaths);

    bt.onResult = undefined;
    bt.send(1000);

};

/**
 * Photoshop function to open the given `paths`.
 * Note: cannot use // style comments here because
 * of the way I stringify it.
 * @param {String} paths - the paths, delimited.
 * @param {String} delimiter - the string used to delimit `paths`.
 */
function openPaths(paths, delimiter) {

    app.bringToFront();

    /* make aray by splitting paths */
    paths = paths.split(delimiter);

    for (var i = 0; i < paths.length; i++)
        if (File(paths[i]).exists)
            app.open(File(paths[i]));

};

Edit 2025-03-08: fixed a bug, where I forgot to include the string delimiter. Oops!