is there a scripting reference for InDesign

Report · Oct 22, 2008

I have looked around or I would not be asking - is there an official scripting reference, such as what Adobe maintains online for Flash, that includes the complete object model for InDesign and how to access it? I have the advanced tutorial. I also visited niemannross.com per the wiki post, but have trouble accessing the site even with an openID.

If not official, what is the best alternative? (I did find http://www.indesignscriptingreference.com/cs3/javascript/ on the web - is that the best out there?)

Thank you!

Report · Oct 22, 2008

Hi eLearning Developer,

It's all found in the object model viewer inside the ExtendScript Toolkit--no need for an external reference.

Thanks,

Ole

Report · Oct 22, 2008

That's funny -- it looks suspicously much like the HTML I bloody generated a while ago from the provided Help files.

(Checking: yep -- so far, the HTML is virtually the same. It seems some guy named "Bazar Sitaram" is making money by advertising with free stuff.)

The help file that you see there, in glorious formatted HTML, is created from the same text you see in the ESTK, menu Help, section InDesign.

Report · Oct 22, 2008

Hi jongware,

That's just low--on the part of "Bazar Sitaram", I mean. But it's pretty common. I cannot count the number of times I've helped people with scripts they insist are *theirs* when they're just my original scripts with one or two things done (wrong) to them.

Sad, really.

Thanks,

Ole

Report · Oct 22, 2008

Well, let's not make me a fool of myself. That's (probably) a city name...

"The articles are copyrighted to Amit Verma and can only be reproduced given the author's permission."

That's the line proudly at the bottom of his (now defunct) blog, and the guy is a self-proclaimed master of XSLT "since 2008" (his CV).

There is a shiny new InDesign scripting forum attached as well. I might as well move over there.

"So long and thanks for the fish".

Report · Oct 24, 2008

The InDesign CS3 JavaScript Help HTML is back on-line, after a well-deserved break.

The new set of files contains even more extensive hyperlinking than before, making it oh-so-easy to jump from object to object and property to enumeration. The unwieldy long index has been formatted into 3 columns (I could make it 2, or 4, or 25 -- that's the distinctive advantage of being the writer of the formatting style sheet), and the looks have been tweaked to something more "2008", with extensive use of CSS for formatting -- meaning, you can edit the CSS at will to make it suit your personal preferences.
The entire text generating routines have had an overhaul, inserting hard returns and indents, so the source files are more easy to read when viewed with a plain text editor.
It even comes with a tailor-made favicon. (Unfortunately, that doesn't work off-line. But I still count that as an "extra".)

Download the entire set of about 780 HTML files in one handy package from the creator's website for Best Possible Consumer Experience.

Did I mention it doesn't contain a single advertisement? Well, it doesn't.

Report · Oct 24, 2008

.. and if those previous improvements are not enough, check this out.

Not every item mentioned in the description was listed as 'property' -- for example, for more than one parent item it simply listed "any". That has been added now as well.

Speaking of parents, that's one of those items I always have to look up. How about that new "Hierarchy" field: if a property has any parents, they are neatly displayed for your convenience.

Out now in one zipped package from its creator's website.

Report · Oct 25, 2008

I don't want to spoil you scripters, but I've enhanced my HTML help with some pretty graphics and ID related purple coloring. As before, just edit the CSS if you no like.

If that's not enough to warrant a new download, the proper hierarchy of objects are now displayed with parents and (usually) relevant children. The latter is a bit experimental, so in case of doubt scroll to the full list of properties.

One complete zipped package can be d/l'ed from its creator's website.

Report · Oct 25, 2008

Hey jongware, should I update the Compiled HTML file?

Report · Oct 25, 2008

Sure, if you like it as it is now. Why not send me a private mail -- I have a hotmail for my handle. In the future, I'll keep you posted for any major changes.

Can HTML help handle the CSS as it is? If not, I could adjust the XSLT to write out compatible output in a jiff, being the sole creator and such. (Oh my, it's still bugging me!)
Well, let's discuss this in private -- not right away, tho', as it is 2 o' clock (again!) and I'm going to sleep.

Report · Oct 28, 2008

Hello jongware

thank you very much for your Scripting Reference, converted into HTML!
It's a very fast way to look up properties, methods and parameters of the DOM.

The object browser in ESTK 2 is pretty good, but it is slow too.
Specially the process of the first loading in one session.

When I only have to look up for one or a few things only during a session, I prefer not to load the objects browsers contents, but to use your HTML-set of the reference.

Meanwhile I have made a PDF-file out of your HTML-files, too.
This sometimes helps to search in full text.

But there is one little typo in your CSS-file:
Use 'font-family' instead of 'font'.

Thanks
Martin

Report · Oct 28, 2008

> The object browser in ESTK 2 is pretty good, but it is slow too.
> Specially the process of the first loading in one session.
>
FWIW, the object browser in CS4 is very responsive.

--
Harbs
http://www.in-tools.com

Report · Oct 28, 2008

>But there is one little typo in your CSS-file

Well, I didn't write it myself -- I found a suitable starting point somewhere else, and I figgered everything on the web is free, so .. :-D

>Use 'font-family' instead of 'font'.

The top line 'font: [size]? [weight]? [family name]*' is okay, though.

For the rest, watch my new post.

Report · Oct 28, 2008

> The top line 'font: [size]? [weight]? [family name]*' is okay, though.

After reading basic instructions for CCS: Shame on me.
You are pretty right.
I had better read the instruction before I have made the wrong assertion.

But for the rest (the compliment) I still agree with me.
Go on like you did before. ;-)

Martin