Hi,
I have multi-layered pdf file and I need to place into indesign CS6 only specific layer from that pdf:
creaseLayer = myDoc.layers.item("Crease");
How can I do it with javascript?
Thank you.
Yulia
1 Correct answer
Yes indeed. I was trying to say that you cannot set layer's visibility during the import phase but later (like just after the place command) once the file has been placed onto the layout.
...var f = File ( Folder.desktop+"/layers.pdf" );
var pdf = app.activeDocument.pages[0].rectangles.add().place( f )[0];
pdf.parent.fit ( FitOptions.FRAME_TO_CONTENT );
pdf.parent.move ( [0,0] );
var layers = pdf.graphicLayerOptions.graphicLayers;
var layerA = layers.itemByName ("LAYER A");
var layerB = layers.itemByName
23
Replies
Yes indeed. I was trying to say that you cannot set layer's visibility during the import phase but later (like just after the place command) once the file has been placed onto the layout.
var f = File ( Folder.desktop+"/layers.pdf" );
var pdf = app.activeDocument.pages[0].rectangles.add().place( f )[0];
pdf.parent.fit ( FitOptions.FRAME_TO_CONTENT );
pdf.parent.move ( [0,0] );
var layers = pdf.graphicLayerOptions.graphicLayers;
var layerA = layers.itemByName ("LAYER A");
var layerB = layers.itemByName ("LAYER B");
layerA.isValid && layerA.currentVisibility = false;
layerB.isValid && layerB.currentVisibility = true;
Don't be creative and stick to the DOM 
itemLayer returns a layer which has not a place method. Place belongs to containers such as a Page, a frame or some graphic instance.
Again,
place(File(myFile), [0,0])
place can take two arguments indeed. File reference as a starter and showing options after. If [0,0] intends to move the placed object at point [0,0] then you need to move the container (or the "image") later.
So to be brief :
myPDFPage = myPage.place(File(myFile))[0];
myPDFPage.parent.itemLayer = "Crease";
myPDFPage.parent.move( [0,0] );
…
I can do it in Indesign UI, it works:
I am trying to setup the update policy, and something is not working there:
var layers = myPDFPage.graphicLayerOptions.graphicLayers;
var layerA = layers.itemByName ("Register");
var layerB = layers.itemByName ("Crease");
var layerC = layers.itemByName ("Thru-cut");
layerA.isValid && layerA.currentVisibility = true;
layerB.isValid && layerB.currentVisibility = false;
myPDFPage.graphicLayerOptions.updateLinkOptions = UpdateLinkOptions.KEEP_OVERRIDES;
layerC.isValid && layerC.currentVisibility = false;
Something in the grammar of this line:
myPDFPage.graphicLayerOptions.updateLinkOptions = UpdateLinkOptions.KEEP_OVERRIDES;
And I am not sure what would be correct place for it.
Thank you.
Yulia
Hi Yulia and Loic,
now I tested a bit with a placed PDF that has some graphic layers. I exported one InDesign page with layers intact to PDF and used that one as sample PDF.
One thing we have to think about in my case:
There is one single graphicLayer as top layer and a couple of layers nested in that top layer.
To access all nested layers one would go for graphicLayers[0].graphicLayers
With Yulia's sample that is different, I think.
Nevertheless, I found that changing the visibility of a graphicLayer will change the id of the graphic that contains the graphic layers.
And that would mean addressing the layers is a bit a problem! I think, we already had this problem some years ago when updating placed Adobe Illustrator files in a document.
Here some code for testing the placed PDF with layers.
First I am looking for the number of nested layers. In my case there were 5.
Then I do a loop and every time I address the graphic layer the same way without using a variable.
The $.writeln will show the id of the graphic.
The id of the graphic should be the same with every iteration, but it is not!
The graphic frame holding the placed PDF is selected before running the script. All 5 sublayers are visible:
I want to change the currentVisibility for all sub layers to false.
var layerLength = app.selection[0].graphics[0].graphicLayerOptions.graphicLayers[0].graphicLayers.length;
for(var n=0;n<layerLength;n++)
{
$.writeln( n+"\t"+app.selection[0].graphics[0].id );
app.selection[0].graphics[0].graphicLayerOptions.graphicLayers[0].graphicLayers
.currentVisibility = false; };
Result with $.writeln() is showing the changing id of the placed graphic:
/*
Result:
0 325
1 331
2 337
3 343
4 349
*/
If I try to change currentVisibility in one go with everyItem(), it will fail, because the id of the graphic is changing midway and the object does not exist anymore:
"Die angeforderte Aktion konnte nicht ausgeführt werden, da das Objekt nicht mehr existiert."
$ID/ObjectDeletedError
// That will throw an error in my German InDesign: "Die angeforderte Aktion konnte nicht ausgeführt werden, da das Objekt nicht mehr existiert."
app.selection[0].graphics[0].graphicLayerOptions.graphicLayers[0].graphicLayers.everyItem().currentVisibility = false;
Regards,
Uwe
Thanks Laubender for the exercice. I remember indeed having hard times in the past with graphicLayerOptions and visibility settings in a project where I need to edit those. References were indeed lost and I had to reset references everytime. It's all coming back now.
A good refresh ! Thx
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