HOW TO: set anchoredObjectSettings for .palce() object?

Report · Nov 08, 2014

Hi, I'm currently working on interesting script for GREP placing, and I'm wondering how I can set anchoredObjectSettings for .palce() object?

for(i=0; i < found.length; i++)
{
    foundElem = new File (myFolder + "/" + found.contents);
    found.place(foundElem); // Placing Ancored Object
   
    // HERE IS WHERE I NEED SOME HELP: how to set "anchoredObjectSettings" for just placed Ancored Object
    //anchoredObjectSettings.anchoredPosition = AnchorPosition.ABOVE_LINE;
    //anchoredObjectSettings.horizontalAlignment = HorizontalAlignment.TEXT_ALIGN;
}

Here you can download example files - script, InDesign file and images, that should be placed into InDesign file with script

Dropbox - GREP placing.zip

PS: I believe this script will be very useful, so if anybody have any ideas/suggestions, and want to help me with further development - this would be great!

Report · Nov 08, 2014

Hi,

line 04 returns an array of placed objects. Store it as variable and set properties of 1st element.

mPlacedObj = found.place(foundElem)[0];
mPlacedObj.anchoredObjectSettings.anchoredPosition = AnchorPosition.ABOVE_LINE;
// and so on

Jarek

Report · Nov 08, 2014

Hi,

Thanks for reply, but its seems its not working - I tried before asking here.. or it's work on your computer?))

/*
    GREP place files.
    This script will ask to select source folder with files to place,
    and then, with dialog box (or prompt) [this is not implemented yet, so I use static GREP value while developing]
    will ask to type GREP find expresion to search for text placeholder, that need to be replaced with file from source folder we just selected.
   
    TODO: for now, I want to figure out how I can set:
    anchoredObjectSettings.anchoredPosition = AnchorPosition.ABOVE_LINE;
        AND
    anchoredObjectSettings.horizontalAlignment = HorizontalAlignment.TEXT_ALIGN;
        once I placed file as ancoredObject (this part is at the very ending)
       
    Also, this might be usefull to make anchored frame with column widh, and fit image proportionally
*/


var myFilteredFiles;
//Make certain that user interaction (display of dialogs, etc.) is turned on.
app.scriptPreferences.userInteractionLevel = UserInteractionLevels.interactWithAll;


var myExtensions = []; // initialize array


myExtensions.push(".jpg", ".jpeg", ".png", ".gif"); // raster images
myExtensions.push(".psd", ".tif", ".tiff", ".pdf"); // raster images (layered)
myExtensions.push(".ai", ".eps", ".svg", ".cdr"); // vector graphics
myExtensions.push(".mp3"); // audio files
myExtensions.push(".mp4"); // video files
myExtensions.push(".swf"); // flash files
myExtensions.push(".doc", ".docx", ".rtf", ".txt"); // text documents
myExtensions.push(".xls", ".xlsx"); // table documents   


//Display the folder browser.
var myFolder = Folder.selectDialog("Select the source folder with files for placing", "");


//Get the path to the folder containing the files you want to place.
if(myFolder != null)
{
    if(File.fs == "Macintosh")
    {
        myFilteredFiles = myMacOSFileFilter(myFolder);
    }
    else
    {
        myFilteredFiles = myWinOSFileFilter(myFolder);
    }
    if(myFilteredFiles.length != 0)
    {
        for(i = 0; i < myFilteredFiles.length; i++)
        {
            /* TEMPORARILY NOT USED var myTextFrame = app.selection[0];  var myPlaceFile = new File (myFilteredFiles);  myTextFrame.place(myPlaceFile);        */
        }
    }
}


//Windows version of the file filter.
function myWinOSFileFilter(myFolder)
{
  var myFiles = new Array;
  var myFilteredFiles = new Array;
  for(myExtensionCounter = 0; myExtensionCounter < myExtensions.length; myExtensionCounter++)
    {
        myExtension = myExtensions[myExtensionCounter];
        myFiles = myFolder.getFiles("*"+ myExtension);
  if(myFiles.length != 0)
        {
            for(var myFileCounter = 0; myFileCounter < myFiles.length; myFileCounter++)
            {
  myFilteredFiles.push(myFiles[myFileCounter]);
            }
        }
  }
  return myFilteredFiles;
}


function myMacOSFileFilter(myFolder)
{
  var myFilteredFiles = myFolder.getFiles(myFileFilter);
  return myFilteredFiles;
}
//Mac OS version of file filter
//Have to provide a separate version because not all Mac OS users use file extensions and/or file extensions are sometimes hidden by the Finder.
function myFileFilter(myFile)
{
    var myFileType = myFile.type;
    switch (myFileType)
    {
        case "JPEG":
        case "EPSF":
        case "PICT":
        case "TIFF":
        case "8BPS":
        case "GIFf":
        case "PDF ":
            return true;
            break;
        default:
        for(var myCounter = 0; myCounter<myExtensions.length; myCounter++)
        {
            var myExtension = myExtensions[myCounter];
            if(myFile.name.indexOf(myExtension)>-1)
            {
                return true;
                break;
            }
        }
  }
  return false;
}


findWhat = "\\<\\l+\\.\\l{2,4}\\>"; // \\< means "begining of the world", and \\> means end of the world;


app.findGrepPreferences = app.changeGrepPreferences = null;
app.findGrepPreferences.findWhat = findWhat; // our GREP that search for image placeholder text;


found = app.activeDocument.findGrep();


for(i=0; i < found.length; i++)
{
    foundElem = new File (myFolder + "/" + found.contents);
    //found.place(foundElem); // Placing Ancored Object - this line works
   
    mPlacedObj = found.place(foundElem)[0]; // this one also working
   
    // those lines cause error
    //mPlacedObj.anchoredObjectSettings.anchoredPosition = AnchorPosition.ABOVE_LINE;
    //mPlacedObj.anchoredObjectSettings.horizontalAlignment = HorizontalAlignment.TEXT_ALIGN;
}
app.changeGrepPreferences.changeTo = "";
app.activeDocument.changeGrep();

Report · Nov 09, 2014

Hi,

Right, It was too fast...

That line returns an array of placed graphics - and we have to set property for its container in fact.

so make it for

//.......
mPlacedObj = found.place(foundElem)[0].parent;
//.......

Jarek

Report · Nov 09, 2014

yeah! now it work just as expected! thank you so much!

Report · Nov 11, 2014

Hi Guys,

can someone explain to me, why this whole filtering-thing (and Mac / PC is necessary) and if the above script is the right way to do that?

To the grep-part:

1. The reset should be insert before the 'findWhat'-Part

2. If the file does not exists, the script will generate an error

3. There is no need for 'ChangeGrep', since the text will be replaced with the graphic

I would do the GREP and place part in this way:

app.findGrepPreferences = app.changeGrepPreferences = null;
app.findGrepPreferences.findWhat = /\b\l+\.\l{3,4}\b/.source;
var found = app.activeDocument.findGrep();
app.findGrepPreferences = app.changeGrepPreferences = null;

var props = {
    anchoredObjectSettings: {
        anchoredPosition: AnchorPosition.ABOVE_LINE,
        horizontalAlignment: HorizontalAlignment.TEXT_ALIGN
    }
};

for ( var i = 0; i < found.length; i++ ) {
    var curFound = found;
    var replaceElem = File ( myFolder + "/" + curFound.contents );
    try {
        var mPlacedObj = curFound.place( replaceElem )[0].parent; // Placing Ancored Object
        mPlacedObj.properties = props;
    } catch ( error ) {
        alert ( error );
    }
}

– Kai

Report · Nov 11, 2014

Hi Kai, this script is still under development, here is updated version attached (now it can also place files/images by file name only, without extension):

#target indesign;
//#include  "! Basic functions.jsx"
/*
    GREP place files.
    This script will ask to select source folder with files to place,
    and then, with dialog box (or prompt) [this is not implemented yet, so I use static GREP value while developing]
    will ask to type GREP find expresion to search for text placeholder, that need to be replaced with file from source folder we just selected.
  
    TODO: Check how it works with other than image formats
        Also, this might be usefull to make anchored frame with column widh, and fit image proportionally
*/


scriptName = decodeURI(File(app.activeScript).name.slice(0, -4)); // detect name of current script without expression


function Alert(msg) // function for native-looking alerts
{
    w = new Window ("dialog", scriptName, undefined, {closeButton: true});
    w.preferredSize = [300,75]; // window width and height
    w.margins = 15; // window margins
    w.orientation = "column";
    w.alignChildren = ["left", "top"];
    w.add("statictext", undefined, msg);
    close = w.add ("button", [0,0,96,20], "OK", {name: "Ok"});
    close.alignment = ["right", "bottom"];
    close.onClick = function(){exit();}
    w.show();
}


main();
function main()
{
    app.scriptPreferences.userInteractionLevel = UserInteractionLevels.interactWithAll;

    if(app.documents.length == 0)
    {
        Alert("No documents are open. Please open a document and try again."); exit();
    }
    else
    {
        //> START OF doUndoWraper
        if (parseFloat(app.version) < 6) // "app.version < 6" if it's running under an earlier version than CS4, as earlier versions don't support "Undo" in scripts
            doUndoWrapper();
        else
            app.doScript(doUndoWrapper, ScriptLanguage.JAVASCRIPT, undefined, UndoModes.ENTIRE_SCRIPT, scriptName);
        //< END OF doUnoWraper
    }
}


function doUndoWrapper() // this is the wraper function UNDO everything script made  by single undo
{// START OF doUndoWrapper


defaultGREPexpression = "(?i)^[a-z0-9 _-]+\\.\\w{2,4}$"; // Paragraph that starts with upper or lower case latin character, digits, spaces, hyphen or underscore, and ends with .extension


var myFilteredFiles;


var myExtensions = []; // initialize array


myExtensions.push(".jpg", ".jpeg", ".png", ".gif"); // raster images
myExtensions.push(".psd", ".tif", ".tiff", ".pdf"); // raster images (layered)
myExtensions.push(".ai", ".eps", ".svg", ".cdr"); // vector graphics
myExtensions.push(".mp3"); // audio files
myExtensions.push(".mp4"); // video files
myExtensions.push(".swf"); // flash files
myExtensions.push(".doc", ".docx", ".rtf", ".txt"); // text documents
myExtensions.push(".xls", ".xlsx"); // table documents  


//Display the folder browser.
if(app.activeDocument.saved) // our document was saved before - we suggest to start search for source folder from were InDesign file saved
{
    var myFolder =  Folder(app.activeDocument.filePath).selectDlg("Select the source folder with files for placing", "");
}
else // file was not saved before, so we don't know where to search > suggest to start from Desktop
{
    var myFolder = Folder.selectDialog("Select the source folder with files for placing", "");
}


if(myFolder) // if folder was selected
{
    //Get the path to the folder containing the files you want to place.
    var files = new Object(); // This will assoc array with FILE_NAME => FILE_EXTENSION
  
    if(File.fs == "Macintosh")
    {
        myFilteredFiles = myMacOSFileFilter(myFolder);
    }
    else
    {
        myFilteredFiles = myWinOSFileFilter(myFolder);
    }


    if(myFilteredFiles.length != 0) // success: we have found supported files to place
    {
        for(i = 0; i < myFilteredFiles.length; i++)
        {
            var filename = myFilteredFiles.fsName.toString().replace(/^.*[\\\/]/, ""); // now we get only file names with extenstions
          
            var file = [];
            file = filename.split("."); // separate file name from file extension          
          
            files[file[0]] = file[1]; // write FILE_NAME => FILE_EXTENSION as assoc array
        }
    }
    else // error: There is no supported files for placing in specified folder
    {
        Alert("ERROR: There is no supported files for placing in specified folder.");
        exit();
    }
}
else // ERROR: we have not choose source folder
{
    Alert("Folder with source files was not specified"); exit();
}


//Windows version of the file filter.
function myWinOSFileFilter(myFolder)
{
  var myFiles = new Array;
  var myFilteredFiles = new Array;
  for(myExtensionCounter = 0; myExtensionCounter < myExtensions.length; myExtensionCounter++)
    {
        myExtension = myExtensions[myExtensionCounter];
        myFiles = myFolder.getFiles("*"+ myExtension);
  if(myFiles.length != 0)
        {
            for(var myFileCounter = 0; myFileCounter < myFiles.length; myFileCounter++)
            {
  myFilteredFiles.push(myFiles[myFileCounter]);
            }
        }
  }
  return myFilteredFiles;
}


function myMacOSFileFilter(myFolder)
{
  var myFilteredFiles = myFolder.getFiles(myFileFilter);
  return myFilteredFiles;
}
//Mac OS version of file filter
//Have to provide a separate version because not all Mac OS users use file extensions and/or file extensions are sometimes hidden by the Finder.
function myFileFilter(myFile)
{
    var myFileType = myFile.type;
    switch (myFileType)
    {
        case "JPEG":
        case "EPSF":
        case "PICT":
        case "TIFF":
        case "8BPS":
        case "GIFf":
        case "PDF ":
            return true;
            break;
        default:
        for(var myCounter = 0; myCounter<myExtensions.length; myCounter++)
        {
            var myExtension = myExtensions[myCounter];
            if(myFile.name.indexOf(myExtension)>-1)
            {
                return true;
                break;
            }
        }
  }
  return false;
}


//> START OF GREP expression dialog
w = new Window ("dialog", scriptName+": specify expression", undefined, {closeButton: true});
w.preferredSize = [300,75]; // window width and height
w.margins = 15; // window margins
w.orientation = "column";
w.alignChildren = ["left", "top"];
panel = w.add("panel", undefined, "Find what: (GREP expression)");


if(app.findGrepPreferences.findWhat != "")
{
    grepExpression = app.findGrepPreferences.findWhat;
    clearFindWhat = false;
}
else
{  
    grepExpression = defaultGREPexpression; // use default GREP expression
    //fgrepExpression = "\\[.+\\]"; // \\< means "begining of the world", and \\> means end of the world;
    clearFindWhat = true;
}


var grepExpression = panel.add ("edittext", [0,0,270,20], grepExpression);
grepExpression.active = true;


panel.add("statictext", undefined, "GREP expression no need for for double \\\\ escaping");


ok = w.add ("button", [0,0,96,20], "Continue", {name: "Ok"});
ok.alignment = ["right", "bottom"];


ok.onClick = function()
{  
    findWhat = grepExpression.text;  
    w.hide();
}
w.show();
//< END OF GREP expression dialog


if(typeof findWhat !== "undefined") // check we have not left GREP expression field empy
{
    app.findGrepPreferences.findWhat = findWhat; // our GREP that search for image placeholder text;


    found = app.activeDocument.findGrep();


    for(i=0; i < found.length; i++)
    {
        if(found.contents.indexOf(".") > -1) // we wroking with file name with extension
        {
            foundElem = new File (myFolder + "/" + found.contents);
        }
        else // we work with file name only, so we need to add file extension manually
        {
            found.contents = found.contents.replace(/[^a-z0-9 _-]/gi, ""); // remove all unwanted characters from file name: only letters, numbers, spcaces, minus and underscores allowed      
            foundElem = new File (myFolder + "/" + found.contents + "." +  files[found.contents]);      
        }  
    
      try
        {
            placedObj = found.place(foundElem)[0].parent; // THANKS TO: Jump_Over for help @ https://forums.adobe.com/message/6912489#6912489
          
            placedObj.anchoredObjectSettings.anchoredPosition = AnchorPosition.ABOVE_LINE;
            placedObj.anchoredObjectSettings.horizontalAlignment = HorizontalAlignment.TEXT_ALIGN;
            placedObj.frameFittingOptions.autoFit = true;
            placedObj.frameFittingOptions.fittingOnEmptyFrame = EmptyFrameFittingOptions.FILL_PROPORTIONALLY;
            placedObj.frameFittingOptions.fittingAlignment = AnchorPoint.CENTER_ANCHOR;          
        }
        catch(e)
        {
            Alert(e);          
        }  
    }
    app.changeGrepPreferences.changeTo = "";
    app.activeDocument.changeGrep();


    if(clearFindWhat) // clearing only if typed GREP expression manually
    {
        app.findGrepPreferences = app.changeGrepPreferences = null; // clear Find/Change preferences once we finished
    }
}
else
{
    Alert("Find what GREP expression was not specified"); exit();
}


}// END OF doUndoWrapper

Top part with Windows/Mac filtering was copy-pasted from default InDeign script "ImageCatalog.jsx" as example and modified - I'm not sure if all this stuff is needed, I haven't test if it works the same without those filtering on both OS - if that's not needed - then thanks for tip!

PS: in your findWhat \l{3,4} will not catch .ai files

and what means .source at the end? is that doing necessary escaping, so with it it's posible to write \l instead of \\l

Report · Nov 11, 2014

Hi,

thanks for your code.

"PS: in your findWhat \l{3,4} will not catch .ai files"

That’s true. So leave it as your {2,4}

"and what means .source at the end? is that doing necessary escaping, so with it it's posible to write \l instead of \\l"

Yes. With 'source' you can write it, as you would write it in the UI. This is sometimes better to read. Nothing more.

HOW TO: set anchoredObjectSettings for .palce() object?

1 Correct answer