XML Won't Transform in Batch [JS, CS3]

[Pat_R_O_Neill]

When I use import xml manually into indesign, it works - but when I import it using the script below, it does not apply the transformation.

Any ideas?

with(app.activeDocument.xmlImportPreferences) {
        allowTransform = true;
        transformFilename = XMLTransformFile.STYLESHEET_IN_XML;
        createLinkToXML = false;
        ignoreWhitespace =true;
        ignoreUnmatchedIncoming = false;
        importCALSTables = true;
        importToSelected = false;
        allowTransform = false;
       importTextIntoTables = true;   
       repeatTextElements = false;
       removeUnmatchedExisting = false;
       importStyle = XMLImportStyles.MERGE_IMPORT;
    }

[Jongware]

Um. Is this all? It sets the preferences, but doesn't do anything else.

You need an additional line with "importXML" (with all of its parameters, etc.) to "do" the import ...

[Pat_R_O_Neill]

The rest of the import is as follows: (with some checking code for my own purposes)

try {
    contentLayer = app.activeDocument.layers.itemByName("ImportedContent").remove();
    }catch(e) { }
contentLayer = app.activeDocument.layers.add({name:"ImportedContent"});
newFrame = app.activeDocument.textFrames.add();
newFrame.geometricBounds = [0.736,0,10.3783819742489,7.75];
xmlFile2 = File(xmlFile.path+ "/" + xmlFile.name.split(".xml")[0] + "-ST.xml");
greenLight = 0;
if (xmlFile.exists) { passedFile = xmlFile;greenLight++; }
else if (xmlFile2.exists) { passedFile = xmlFile2;greenLight++; }

if (greenLight !=0) {
    try {
app.activeDocument.importXML(passedFile);
newFrame.placeXML(app.activeDocument.xmlElements[0]);
app.activeDocument.mapXMLTagsToStyles();

The reason I didn't post this before is that the xml imports without any issues, it just does not apply the stylesheet, so I assumed something is wrong in my import preferences that I'm not seeing.

If I manually import it, it works.

[Jongware]

Okay -- just wanted to make sure

Never used this myself ... Only other thing I can think of is: does it work if you do supply the XSLT filename?

[Pat_R_O_Neill]

Same result, its as if InDesign is completely ignoring the transform command.

Edit: Tried giving it both a File and String reference to the XSL file and the behavior is the same...what am I missing?

Message was edited by: Pat R O'Neill

[grefel]

Do you use a Mac? There is a bug with XML-Transform

http://forums.adobe.com/message/1110847#1110847

[Pat_R_O_Neill]

Stumbled on that one too, sadly no. I'm using a pc with WinXP.

[Pat_R_O_Neill]

Still no luck despite anything I try. I guess the bug on applescript is in the javascript implementation as well.

[grefel]

i just took the time to test a simple configuration. neither stylesheet in xml nor a separate stylesheet file works on cs3 via scripting (running a windows her, on mac it's it's not working too). in cs4 everything works fine, cs5 ist not around.

by the way, indesings xsl processor in cs3,4,5 is rather crappy. i do any reasonable transformation outside of indesign with saxon 9. you can process a batch file or command line easily via scripting.

regards,

gregor

[grefel]

arrgh, this was not was i wanted to test: it works with cs3 if you omit the with {} statement.

if you set the xmlImportPreferences direct it does work here.

app.activeDocument.xmlImportPreferences.allowTransform = true;
app.activeDocument.xmlImportPreferences.transformFilename = XMLTransformFile.STYLESHEET_IN_XML;

so this is not working:

var _file = File.openDialog ("Choose XML File");

with(app.activeDocument.xmlImportPreferences) {
        allowTransform = true;
        transformFilename = XMLTransformFile.STYLESHEET_IN_XML;
        //transformFilename = File.openDialog ("Choose XSL File");
    }

app.activeDocument.importXML(_file);

but this works fine:

var _file = File.openDialog ("Choose XML File");
app.activeDocument.xmlImportPreferences.allowTransform = true;
app.activeDocument.xmlImportPreferences.transformFilename = XMLTransformFile.STYLESHEET_IN_XML;
//transformFilename = File.openDialog ("Choose XSL File");   
app.activeDocument.importXML(_file);

[Pat_R_O_Neill]

Thank you for the help, but this was a painfully obvious case of PEBKAC on my part.

Go back through the code quickly if you want a good laugh and tell me why it didn't work.

[Jongware]

Just a guess: Was there no XSL specified in the XML?

[Pat_R_O_Neill]

Even simpler than that:

       allowTransform = true;
        transformFilename = XMLTransformFile.STYLESHEET_IN_XML;
        createLinkToXML = false;
        ignoreWhitespace =true;
        ignoreUnmatchedIncoming = false;
        importCALSTables = true;
        importToSelected = false;

// D'OH!
       allowTransform = false;

// D'OH!
       importTextIntoTables = true;   
       repeatTextElements = false;
       removeUnmatchedExisting = false;
       importStyle = XMLImportStyles.MERGE_IMPORT;

[Jongware]

You are right ... I did not see it last week and didn't just now -- even while making sure I read every single line.

You may give yourself some points for finding it out by yourself

[Pat_R_O_Neill]

After trying Grefel's post and having it still not work, I tried going through line by line and nulling or falsing everything to "reset" the preferences.

Thats when I noticed it. Partial points were handed out. Just glad to get this script back on track to meet deadline.