InDesign CS4 scripting documentation

[sPretzel]

Hi,

For Illustrator CS4, there is a pdf document that captures many, if not all of the objects and methods and properties for javascript scripting called Adobe Illustrator CS4 Scripting Reference: JavaScript. Is there a similar document for InDesign CS4? If so, where can I find it?

Thank you.

[rob day]

Hi @sPretzel , You can look at the CS6 API here:

https://www.indesignjs.de/extendscriptAPI/indesign8/#about.html

[sPretzel]

Hi Rob,

Does that mean Adobe itself does not provide such document for InDesign as the one I referred to for Illustrator?

[rob day]

Not sure where you find it online. I have the CS5 guide, which I’ve attached. I would still look at the https://www.indesignjs.de APIs for getting the complete object model and methods

[Loic.Aigon]

They used to be publicly available but now part of the Scripting SDK (to be downloaded):

https://developer.adobe.com/indesign/

But most InDesign devs nowadays use resources such as:

https://www.indesignjs.de/extendscriptAPI/indesign-latest/#about.html

That said, if you need CS4 specifically, then CS6 scripting guides are probably the closest to what you need.

Otherwise I guess that will be challenging to find this specific resource that is 14 years old.

[Dirk Becker]

With a machine capable of running CS4, you should also have ExtendScript Toolkit around.

From its help menu you can invoke the object model viewer, which covers the entire object model. That's the best you can get as a reference, to the very version of your installation including additions by plug-ins installed in your machine.

There are also plenty guide documents and example scripts in the Scripting SDK dating back to around your CS4 (version 6). While the download is provided for the current version (that's 18), the basics described there still apply.

For several download links and also more current web pages, see the recent https://community.adobe.com/t5/indesign-discussions/book-tutorial-recommendations-for-reference-and-...

In case you don't have it, the github area also has some pretty recent downloads of the ESTK installer that might still work with your antique version.

[sPretzel]

Thanks everyone. I will look into these. I do have the ExtendScript Toolkit for CS4 and am aware of the Object Model Viewer it provides but I find it painful to use. Especially painful when I don't know what the name of what I'm looking for is.

@rob day: I do have that document for InDesign CS4. It is nothing like the document I referred to for Illustrator. Based on my initial look through it, it is missing things (that the object model viewer does have).

[rob day]

Based on my initial look through it, it is missing things (that the object model viewer does have).

Right, indesignjs.de is better—for example this has all of the methods and properties for the version 8 document object:

https://www.indesignjs.de/extendscriptAPI/indesign8/#Document.html

[sPretzel · Accepted solution]

Had I read the first page more carefully, I would have answered my own question! In the "Scripting Read Me for Adobe InDesign CS4" pdf document, it says:

There is no Scripting Reference PDF for CS4; instead, use the object-model viewer included with your script-editing application (as described in Adobe InDesign CS4 Scripting Tutorial).