Skip to main content
D
dtpartner_Suzz
Participating Frequently
January 29, 2009
Question

Is it possible to have Action Panel in InDesign like Illustrator & Photoshop?

  • January 29, 2009
  • 13 replies
  • 63782 views

Make Actions in InDesign (like in Illustrator and Photoshop)

 

<Title renamed by moderator>

    13 replies

    Show previous replies
    Scott Falkner
    Community Expert
    Scott FalknerCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    March 4, 2009
    > Why in the world would Adobe discontinue this useful capability?

    I don't believe they did. Actions have never been a feature of InDesign.
    _
    _Ron_M_Anderson_
    Participant
    March 4, 2009
    You are so right "there is no way to record a sequence of operations and save them for later re-use, which would be a real bonus for the non-scripters among us." I'm constantly running into cases where I want to create an action, like I used to be able to, where I can save a series of keystrokes to reuse.

    Why in the world would Adobe discontinue this useful capability??

    Ron
      BobLevine
      Community Expert
      BobLevineCommunity Expert
      Community Expert
      March 4, 2009
      > Why in the world would Adobe discontinue this useful capability??

      You can't discontinue something that never existed. You must be thinking
      about something else.

      Bob
      Peter Spier
      Community Expert
      Peter SpierCommunity Expert
      Community Expert
      January 29, 2009
      This is something I've wished for from time to time.

      InDesign allows for scripts, which are far more powerful that simple actions, and you can use the transform again commands to repeat what you just did, but there is no way to record a sequence of operations and save them for later re-use, which would be a real bonus for the non-scripters among us.

      Peter
        S
        Sami_PA
        Known Participant
        November 17, 2021

        I can't believe it's over 12 years since this post and it still isn't a thing.

         

        Absolutely agree. Illustrators actions aren't as robust and can't call on specific presets which is upsetting and the export panel is a laugh. 


        I have about 50 different actions in photoshop which I have mapped to hotkeys and then to a stream deck. If anything there should be more options available for conditional loops, simple variables, input boxes. I'm sure someone will say scripting is available. I used to do scripting with Microsoft products but the point is the basis is there in actions and it should be available without the need for detailed scripting. 

         

        I mean if Apple can implement Siri shortcuts what is Adobe's excuse?

          rob day
          Community Expert
          rob dayCommunity Expert
          Community Expert
          November 18, 2021

          case in point I use an amazing exporting app from Zevrix which handles my hundreds of exports I do every month.

           

          But the Zervix plugins are either Javascript or SDK code. That’s exactly the kind of thing that would break with a recorded action.


          Consider an apparently simple action like making a 1" filled rectangle in the upper left corner of page 7 with an object style applied. What happens if page 7, the object style, and the fill color swatch don’t exist when the action is run? What’s meant by page 7, is it absolute page 7 or a section number 7? What if the rulers are set to points instead of inches, the ruler’s zero point isn’t [0,0], and rulers are set to spreads?

           

          Even for that simple task you need a scripting language to consider the conditions, save, set and reset the ruler and other preferences, and handle the errors when the page, object style, and color swatches don’t exist.

          Terms & ConditionsAccessibility statement
          Using the community Terms of use Privacy Cookie preferences Do not sell or share my personal information ad choicesAdChoices