Script to create static caption

[MadMac55]

There are other manners to automate captions (checkbox on import, variable text + object and p-styles), but I thought I could get this to work and now at a loss.    If someone has a moment to look at this, target the line    myCaption.contents = <Metadata:Description></Metadata:Description>;  

For if I was to use    myCaption.contents = "caption text goes here";      you would be served placeholder text.  I thought I would be closer to snagging the description, but no cigar as yet.    🙂

capset ();

function capset()

{

var

mDoc = app.activeDocument,

//anchored or grouped items excluded

myGraphics = mDoc.splineItems.everyItem().getElements(),

picContainer, gb, myCaption;

while(picContainer = myGraphics.pop() )

{ 

//exclude empty frames

if (!picContainer.graphics.length) continue;

gb= picContainer.geometricBounds;

//add a frame to to picture’s parent, which is a Page

myCaption = picContainer.parentPage.textFrames.add ();

//set position and size of the caption

myCaption.geometricBounds = [gb[2], gb[1], gb[2]+3, gb[3]];

//add placeholder contents

myCaption.contents = <Metadata:Description></Metadata:Description>;

mDoc.groups.add ([picContainer, myCaption]);

}

}

[m1b · Accepted solution]

Something like this?

capset();
function capset() {
    var mDoc = app.activeDocument,
        //anchored or grouped items excluded
        myGraphics = mDoc.splineItems.everyItem().getElements(),
        picContainer,
        gb,
        myCaption;

    while (picContainer = myGraphics.pop()) {
        //exclude empty frames
        if (!picContainer.graphics.length) continue;
        gb = picContainer.geometricBounds;
        //add a frame to to picture’s parent, which is a Page
        myCaption = picContainer.parentPage.textFrames.add();
        //set position and size of the caption
        myCaption.geometricBounds = [gb[2], gb[1], gb[2] + 3, gb[3]];
        // get xmp data
        var img = picContainer.images[0],
            lnk = img.itemLink,
            imgTitle = lnk.linkXmp.documentTitle,
            imgAuthor = lnk.linkXmp.author,
            imgDescription = lnk.linkXmp.description;
        //add placeholder contents
        myCaption.contents = imgDescription;
        mDoc.groups.add([picContainer, myCaption]);
    }
}

 Using the linkXmp property of the link.

- Mark

[MadMac55]

So on the money!  And more.  🙂

Thank you for taking me there.  This is fantastic.

[MadMac55]

Hey Mark, where would you put a line of code for Paragraph or Object style?

[m1b]

// object style applied to frame
myCaption.applyObjectStyle(mDoc.objectStyles.itemByName('My Object Style'));

// paragraph style applied to paragraphs of (story of) frame
myCaption.paragraphs.everyItem().appliedParagraphStyle = mDoc.paragraphStyles.itemByName('My Style');

You can read about the method: 'applyObjectStyle" here. Also you can include the paragraph style with the object style, which is probably sensible in most cases.

- Mark

[MadMac55]

Thank you so much!

[m1b]

By the way, here's a list of some more linkXmp properties:

linkXmp.author
linkXmp.copyrightInfoURL
linkXmp.copyrightNotice
linkXmp.copyrightStatus
linkXmp.creationDate
linkXmp.creator
linkXmp.description
linkXmp.documentTitle
linkXmp.format
linkXmp.jobName
linkXmp.keywords
linkXmp.modificationDate
linkXmp.serverURL

[m1b · Accepted solution]

Hi @MadMac55, just for learning purposes, here's a version of your script with a bit of error handling added. For example, the other script will throw an error if there isn't metadata for the linked image.

function main() {

    addCaptionToImages('My Object Style', 30);

    function addCaptionToImages(objStyleName, captionBoxHeight) {

        // setting this explicitly so we can
        // be sure what captionBoxHeight means!
        app.scriptPreferences.measurementUnit = MeasurementUnits.POINTS;
        captionBoxHeight = captionBoxHeight || 20;

        var doc = app.activeDocument,
            imgs = doc.allGraphics,
            img,
            captionBox;

        while (img = imgs.pop()) {
            try {
                var frame = img.parent,
                    b = frame.geometricBounds,
                    // get metadata
                    lnk = img.itemLink,
                    filename = lnk.name,
                    imgTitle = lnk.linkXmp.documentTitle,
                    imgAuthor = lnk.linkXmp.author,
                    imgDescription = lnk.linkXmp.description;
            } catch (error) {
                /* metadata not available */
            }
            // exclude images that aren't at the root level of a page or spread
            if (!(frame.parent.constructor.name == 'Page' || frame.parent.constructor.name == 'Spread')) continue;
            // add a frame for the caption text
            captionBox = img.parentPage.textFrames.add();
            // set position and size of the caption
            captionBox.geometricBounds = [b[2], b[1], b[2] + captionBoxHeight, b[3]];
            //add caption text
            captionBox.contents = imgDescription || filename + ': no metadata found.';
            // object style
            try {
                if (objStyleName != undefined)
                    captionBox.applyObjectStyle(doc.objectStyles.itemByName(objStyleName));
            } catch (error) {
                /* object style not found in document */
            }
            // group
            try {
                doc.groups.add([frame, captionBox]);
            } catch (error) {
                /* can't group objects */
            }
        }
    }


} // end main

app.doScript(main, ScriptLanguage.JAVASCRIPT, undefined, UndoModes.ENTIRE_SCRIPT, 'Add Caption To Images');

[MadMac55]

This is just better than great!!   I am experimenting with where to insert the name of the object style as my initial guess is off.

captionBox.applyObjectStyle(doc.objectStyles.itemByName(name of style goes here));

Maybe i have to define that above.

[MadMac55]

The link to Jongware's API really helped also.  I have it running with the object style now.  Cant thank you enough.  :-). Great lesson right here.  I know others will appreciate this thread.

[m1b]

In this version I moved it out of the function so you can specify when you call the function. Look for 'My Object Style' string passed in to the function (close to top).

[MadMac55]

Well, Mark, this thread just keeps getting better and better!  🙂