StaticCaption for Image and Opacity settings in Object style

[shahidr100]

Hi

I have an empty Objectstyle named "caption".

Here is the code to add a caption to a selected image.

var myDoc = app.activeDocument;

var myPhotos = app.selection[0];
var gb = myPhotos.geometricBounds;

// Frame for caption
var myCaption = myPhotos.parent.textFrames.add();

// Position and size of the caption
myCaption.geometricBounds = [gb[2]-1, gb[1]+1, gb[2]-6, gb[3]-1];

// apply existing object style to the caption
myCaption.applyObjectStyle (app.activeDocument.objectStyles.item("caption"));

// add caption contents
myCaption.contents = "group the picture and the caption";

// group the picture and the caption
//myPhotos.parent.groups.add([myPhotos, myCaption]);

var objStyle = myDoc.objectStyles.itemByName("caption");
objStyle.fillColor="white";
objStyle.fillTint=20;

I need three things which I am not able to achieve.

a. I am unable to set the opacity of the fill to 20 or 30%

b. I am unable to get the static caption

c. Create the objectstyle named "caption" on the fly

I searched this link for opacity settings:

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

[Robert at ID-Tasker]

What is your "white" color? "[Paper]" ? You can't change FillTint for the "[Paper]" - not even in the UI.

And FillTint isn't a Transparency - as I think this is what you are looking for to change?

Can't give you exact code for JS - but it porbably would look like this:

var objStyle = myDoc.objectStyles.add;
objStyle.name = "caption";

Or maybe it can be done in one line, don't know.

In order to use "captions" - you need to use TextVariable:

https://www.indesignjs.de/extendscriptAPI/indesign-latest/#TextVariable.html#d1e570702

that you'll place inside your TextFrame and then set its settings:

[shahidr100]

@Robert at ID-Tasker Thanks for the reply Robert.

Yes [Paper] is white. I tried [Paper] first. I got an error so I created "white". I am attaching another screenshot of what I want. Here I have changed the opacity of white from the UI. Maybe it will be easier to understand. Look at the caption textframe in the attached image. Thanks

[Robert at ID-Tasker]

But, from scripting perspective, this should be done as Transparency.

Tint is just "amount" of color - won't make it translucent / transparent - 100 for K will be black - but 0 will be white. 

[shahidr100]

Thanks for the reply.

I may have used the wrong term. I need to make the caption textframe translucent.

I am unable to decode the ObjectStyleFillEffectsCategorySettings property. I do not know how to use it.

https://www.indesignjs.de/extendscriptAPI/indesign-latest/#ObjectStyleFillEffectsCategorySettings.ht...

Thanks

[Anantha Prabu G]

objStyle.transparencySettings.blendingSettings.opacity= 20; 

[Robert at ID-Tasker]

objStyle.transparencySettings.blendingSettings.opacity= 20; 

By @Anantha Prabu G

Exactly. 

https://www.indesignjs.de/extendscriptAPI/indesign-latest/#BlendingSetting.html#d1e395936 

[shahidr100]

@Anantha Prabu G Thanks for the tip. However, its making the text also translucent. Only the fill should be translucent (if you see my earlier attachment). Attaching the screenshot after adding the line provided by you.

[rob day · Accepted solution]

Hi @shahidr100 , Try

objStyle.fillTransparencySettings.blendingSettings.opacity = 20;

[shahidr100]

@rob day Thank you so much. It worked.

Now I will try for the last part. and that is static caption from the image itself.

Thanks @rob day @Robert at ID-Tasker @Anantha Prabu G 

[Robert at ID-Tasker]

Caption is done by a TextVariable - which is controlled / updated by InDesign - if it's "live".

[Robert at ID-Tasker]

objStyle.fillTransparencySettings.blendingSettings.opacity = 20;

By @rob day

Right, there are 4x separate TransparencySettings:

• ContentTransparencySettings
• FillTransparencySettings
• StrokeTransparencySettings
• TransparencySetting

[shahidr100]

Ok folloiwng code gives me the builtin caption from the image but there is one issue. On updating the caption in the image directly from windows or adobe bridge, the caption does not refresh in the indesign document even after syncing the "refresh" from the links panel.

Here is the code:

//Use links to get XMP data from the images
var img = myPhotos.images[0];
var lnk = img.itemLink;
var imgTitle = lnk.linkXmp.documentTitle;
var imgDescription = lnk.linkXmp.description;

myCaption.contents = imgDescription;

What am I missing or doing wrong ?

[rob day · Accepted solution]

Hi @shahidr100 , If you set the contents of a regular textFrame from XMP data I don‘t think there is a way to make the caption dynamic. You could invoke the Generate Live Caption menu item, which would create the dynamic text frame. Something like this:

makeCaption()

function makeCaption(){
    //check for a selection
    if (app.activeDocument.selection.length > 0 && app.activeDocument.selection[0].graphics.length > 0) {
        var f = app.activeDocument.selection[0];
    } else {
        alert("Please Select a Frame with an image.")
        return
    }

    //with the text frame selected invoke Generate Live Caption
    var makeCap =  app.menuActions.itemByName("Generate Live Caption")
    makeCap.invoke();

    //this would be the newly created caption text frame, which could be styled
    var c = app.activeWindow.activePage.textFrames[0];

    //Set the meta tag options are "Name", "Path", "Description", "Author", "Actual PPI", "Creation Date"
    setCaptionMeta("Description");


}

/**
* Sets the caption’s metadata
* @ param the metadata name to use
* @ return void 
*/

function setCaptionMeta(n){
    var tv = app.activeDocument.textVariables
    for (var i = 0; i < tv.length; i++){
        try {
            var tvo = tv[i].variableOptions
            if (tvo.constructor.name == "CaptionMetadataVariablePreference") {
                tv[i].variableOptions.metadataProviderName = n
            } 
        }catch(e) {}  
    } 
}

[shahidr100]

@rob day Thank you so much. It worked. 

[Robert at ID-Tasker]

If you setup Live Caption as:

It will update automatically - after editing Description in Bridge - of course after you update the Link - or move the Frame near other Linked object.