Dealing with Page Items

Adding items in a group

A complicated solution to a simple problem:

Group.prototype.addItems = function(/*PageItem[]*/ newItems)
//----------------------------
// Emulates Group.groups.add(items)
// [ Also supports Group.addItems(existing_item) ]
// <newItems> == Array of 2+ PageItem
//   -> create a <newItems> subgroup in <this>
// <newItems> == single PageItem
//   -> add the PageItem in <this>
// Returns the added subgroup or item
// (the whole group hierarchy is preserved)
// Note - this method fails if <this> is
//        anchored/embedded in a story
{
var nodes=[], gs=[], g=this, node;
 
var makeNode = function(id,g)
    {
    var elems = g.pageItems.everyItem().getElements();
    if (id === null) // placeholder for newItems
        return {index: elems.length, items:elems.concat(0)};
    for(var i=elems.length-1 ; i>=0 ; i--)
        // need to find the actual index in the group
        if (elems[i].id == id) break;
    return {index: i, items:elems};
    };
 
var id=null;
for( ; g.constructor == Group ; id=g.id, g=g.parent )
    {
    gs.push(g.getElements()[0]);
    nodes.push(makeNode(id,g));
    }
 
var add = (function()
    {
    var host = g;
    return function(items)
        {
        return host.groups.add(items);
        };
    })();
 
var r = ( 'array' == typeof newItems ) ?
    add(newItems) :
    newItems;
 
while( g=gs.pop() ) g.ungroup();
 
for( g=r ; node=nodes.shift() ; )
    {
    node.items[node.index] = g;
    g = add(node.items);
    }
return r;
}

• Original post: http://forums.adobe.com/message/2259499#2259499

Retrieving “Exclusive” Spread Items

This snippet returns the page items of Spreads —excluding those which belong to Pages:

var pItems = app.activeDocument.
    pageItems.everyItem().getElements();
 
var exclusiveSpreadItems = [];
 
for( var p, i = pItems.length-1 ; i>=0 ; i-- )
    {
    p = pItems[i].parent.constructor;
    if ( p == Spread || p == MasterSpread )
        exclusiveSpreadItems.push(pItems[i]);
    }
 
alert( exclusiveSpreadItems );

• Original post: http://forums.adobe.com/message/2218151#2218151

Page and PageItems

An improved version of getPage().

Page.prototype.intersects = function(/*bounds*/pib)
//----------------------------
// Return TRUE if this page intersects the bounds
// <pib> == [top,left,bottom,right]
{
var b = this.bounds;
return b[0]<=pib[2] && pib[0]<=b[2] &&
    b[1]<=pib[3] && pib[1]<=b[3];
}
 
TextFrame.prototype.getPage = function()
//----------------------------
// Returns the containing Page of this TextFrame
// [ Works also with grouped/embedded frame ]
{
var p = this.parent,
    b = this.visibleBounds,
    pc, pgs, i;
 
while( pc=p.constructor )
    {
    if( pc == Page )
        {
        if( p.intersects(b) ) return p;
        pgs = p.parent.pages; // spread pages
        for( i=pgs.length-1 ; i>=0 && p=pgs[i] ; i-- )
            {
            if( p.intersects(b) ) return p;
            }
        pc = Spread;
        }
 
    if( pc == Spread || pc == MasterSpread )
        throw Error("The textframe is placed on a spread!");
 
    if( 'parentTextFrames' in p && !(p=p.parentTextFrames[0]) )
        throw Error("The textframe's container overflows!");
 
    p=p.parent;
    }
}
 
// Sample code (assumed a text frame is selected)
//----------------------------
var tf = app.selection[0],
    pg;
 
try {
    pg = tf.getPage();
    alert( "Page: " + pg.name + " Side: " + pg.side);
    }
catch(e)
    {
    alert( e );
    }

• Original post: http://forums.adobe.com/message/2525480#2525480

Drawing a rounded corner

The below code illustrates a method to change the entirePath of an Oval in order to create a rounded corner.

var pg = app.activeWindow.activePage,
    pb = pg.bounds,
    w = pb[3]-pb[1],
    h = pb[2]-pb[0],
    diag = Math.sqrt(w*w+h*h),
    radius = diag/12.0,
    spacing = radius/3.0;
 
var t = spacing + 2*radius,
    c, ep;
 
// Create and position the circle at [top,right]
// ---
(c=pg.ovals.add()).geometricBounds = [
    pb[0]+spacing,
    pb[3]-t,
    pb[0]+t,
    pb[3]-spacing
    ];
 
// Reduce the path points to a top-right corner
// ---
ep = c.paths[0].entirePath;
ep[0] = [ep[1][1][0], ep[0][1][1]];
ep[1][0] = ep[1][1].concat();
ep[3] = [ep[3][1][0], ep[2][1][1]];
ep[2][2] = ep[2][1].concat();
c.paths[0].properties = {
    entirePath: ep,
    pathType: PathType.OPEN_PATH
    };

Drawing a rounded corner from an Oval.

• Original post: http://forums.adobe.com/message/3500409#3500409

Text, Contents, Font

Font Replacement Routine

A simple changeMissingFontsBy method (tested in InDesign CS4):

Document.prototype.
changeMissingFontsBy = function(/*str|Font*/fontOrFontName)
//----------------------------
{
var asFont = function(/*var*/f)
    {
    if( !f ) return null;
    if( 'string' == typeof f ) f = app.fonts.item(f);
    if( f.constructor != Font ) return null;
    return f;
    };
 
var missing = function(/*Font*/f)
    {
    return f.status != FontStatus.INSTALLED;
    };
 
var substFont = asFont(fontOrFontName);
if( (!substFont) || missing(substFont) )
    {
    alert( "["+ fontOrFontName + "] not installed!" );
    return;
    }
 
var changeMissingFont = function(obj)
    { // <obj> == any object w/ appliedFont prop
    var f = asFont(obj.appliedFont);
    if( !f || !missing(f) ) return;
 
    try{obj.appliedFont = substFont;}
    catch(_){}
    };
 
var scope = this.allCharacterStyles
    .concat(this.allParagraphStyles)
    .concat(this.stories.everyItem().
        textStyleRanges.everyItem().getElements());
 
var s;
while( s=scope.shift() ) changeMissingFont(s);
}
 
// test
app.activeDocument.changeMissingFontsBy("Times New Roman");

• Original post: http://forums.adobe.com/message/2250103#2250103

Fit Text Frame to Content (supports multicolumn)

CS4/CS5 fitHorizontal script —based on an dichotomous algorithm:

// Your Settings:
var X_PRECISION = .1;     // pts
 
// Some constants
var INNER = CoordinateSpaces.
        INNER_COORDINATES,
    MULTIPLY = ResizeMethods.
        MULTIPLYING_CURRENT_DIMENSIONS_BY,
    ADDTO = ResizeMethods.
        ADDING_CURRENT_DIMENSIONS_TO,
    AP_LEFT = AnchorPoint.
        TOP_LEFT_ANCHOR,
    AP_RIGHT = AnchorPoint.
        TOP_RIGHT_ANCHOR;
 
function fitHorizontal(/*TextFrame*/ tf, /*str*/xRef)
//----------------------------
// Fits a textframe width to its content
// i.e. adjusts the frame width to the optimal value
//      w/o changing the height
// <xRef> (opt.): reference pt
//                'left'(def.) | 'right' | 'center'
// * If needed, you must perform first a vertical fit
//   i.e.: tf.fit(FitOptions.FRAME_TO_CONTENT)
// * This routine supports rotated text frame
// * Also, unlike the InDesign UI, this routine
//   supports *multicolumn* TF
//----------------------------
{
    // Default width multiplier. This value is only
    // used if tf overflows in its initial state.
    // 1.5 is fine, usually.
    var X_FACTOR = 1.5;
 
    var ovf = tf.overflows,
        dx;
 
    xRef = AnchorPoint['TOP_' +
        (xRef||'left').toUpperCase() +
        '_ANCHOR'];
 
    // If tf originally overflows, we need to
    // increase the width
    while( tf.overflows )
        tf.resize(INNER,xRef,MULTIPLY,[X_FACTOR,1]);
 
    // Now, let's compute the maximal
    // width variation (dx)
    dx = tf.resolve(AP_RIGHT, INNER)[0][0]-
        tf.resolve(AP_LEFT, INNER)[0][0];
    if( ovf ) dx *= (1-1/X_FACTOR);
 
    // Dichotomy on dx
    while( dx > X_PRECISION )
        {
        dx*=.5;
        tf.resize(INNER,xRef,ADDTO,
            [dx*(tf.overflows?1:-1),0]);
        }
 
    // Last step, if needed
    if( tf.overflows )
        tf.resize(INNER,xRef,ADDTO,[dx,0]);
}
 
// Sample code
//----------------------------
 
// Assuming the user has selected a text frame
var tf = app.selection[0];
 
// Vertical fit (if you want it 1st --not needed)
// tf.fit(FitOptions.FRAME_TO_CONTENT);
 
// Horizontal fit (from the left edge)
fitHorizontal(tf, 'left');

Improved Horizontal Fitting.

• Original post: http://forums.adobe.com/message/3387054#3387054

Paragraph selection

Selecting paragraph(s), with or without end mark(s):

function selectParagraph(/*Paragraph*/par,
 /*?bool*/includingEndmark)
//----------------------------
// Returns FALSE if the target is invalid,
//  (otherwise returns TRUE)
// * Supports single Paragraph, or Paragraph
//   range, or everyItem()
// * If the target is empty (no character),
//   move the insertion pt within
{
var p, ips, c = -1;
 
try {
    p=resolve(par.toSpecifier());
    if( p && p.constructor == Array )
        // converts everyItem into a range
        p=p[0].parent.paragraphs.itemByRange(0,-1);
    ips = p.insertionPoints;
    }
catch(_){}
 
if( !ips ) return false;  // invalid specif.
 
if( !includingEndmark )
    c -= ((c=p.characters) &&
        c.length && c[-1].contents=='\r');
 
ips.itemByRange(0,c).select();
return true;
}
 
// Sample tests
//----------------------------
var pars = app.activeDocument.
    stories[0].paragraphs;
 
// Single paragraph
//----------------------------
if( selectParagraph(pars[1]) )
    alert( "Selection of the 2nd paragraph " +
        "EXCLUDING end mark" );
else
    alert( "Unable to select the 2nd paragraph" );
 
if( selectParagraph(pars[1], true) )
    alert( "Selection of the 2nd paragraph " +
        "INCLUDING end mark" );
else
    alert( "Unable to select the 2nd paragraph" );
 
// Paragraph range
//----------------------------
if( selectParagraph(pars.itemByRange(1,2), true) )
    alert( "Selection of paragraph range [1,2] " +
        "INCLUDING end mark" );
else
    alert( "Unable to select the " +
        "paragraph range [1,2]" );
 
if( selectParagraph(pars.itemByRange(1,2)) )
    alert( "Selection of paragraph range [1,2] " +
        "EXCLUDING end mark" );
else
    alert( "Unable to select the " +
        "paragraph range [1,2]" );
 
// everyItem() support -- equiv. to itemByRange(0,-1)
//----------------------------
if( selectParagraph(pars.everyItem()) )
    alert( "Selection of every paragraph " +
        "EXCLUDING end mark" );
else
    alert( "Unable to select every paragraph" );
 
if( selectParagraph(pars.everyItem(), true) )
    alert( "Selection of every paragraph " +
        "INCLUDING end mark" );
else
    alert( "Unable to select every paragraph" );

• Original post: http://forums.adobe.com/message/2993426#2993426

Useful Algorithms

Removing duplicate items from an Array of Strings

The “Hash Sieving” method is in O(2n):

function unique(/*str[]*/ arr)
{
    var o={},
        r=[],
        n = arr.length,
        i;
 
    for( i=0 ; i<n ; ++i )
        o[arr[i]] = null;
 
    for( i in o )
        r.push(i);
 
    o = null;
    return r;
}
 
// TEST:
alert( unique(["a","b","c","c","a","d","b","b"]) );
// => a, b, c, d

• Original post: http://forums.adobe.com/message/3288743#3288743

Polygon Collision

Two functions that help you to detect whether two shapes intersect:

Polygon.prototype.
 collideBounds = function(/*Polygon*/ _poly)
//----------------------------
// Ret. TRUE if the bounding boxes intersect,
//  otherwise return FALSE
// Note - Fast method, but TRUE does not mean that
//        the inner shapes actually intersect
{
var b = this.visibleBounds;
var _b = _poly.visibleBounds;
return( !((b[0]>_b[2]) || (b[2]<_b[0]) ||
    (b[1]>_b[3]) || (b[3]<_b[1])) );
}
 
Polygon.prototype.
 collideShapes = function(/*Polygon*/ _poly)
//----------------------------
// Ret. TRUE if the shapes actually intersect
// (Slow!)
{
try {
    this.intersectPath(_poly);
    app.activeDocument.undo();
    return(true);
    }
catch(_){ return(false); }
}

• Original post: http://forums.adobe.com/message/2385700#2385700

Formatting Numbers and Ranges

With the help of Peter Kahrel:

function formatRanges(numbers, separator,
    joiner, minWidth, tolerance)
//----------------------------
// Formats an array of integers into an ordered
// sequence of single numbers and/or ranges.
// Returns the formatted string.
//
// <numbers>
//      Array of Numbers [required]
//      The integers to format. Supports: empty
//      array, unsorted array, duplicated elems,
//      negative values.
// <separator>
//      String [opt] -- Default value: ", "
//      A string inserted between each result.
//      Ex.: formatRanges([4,1,3,8,9,6], " | ")
//          => "1 | 3-4 | 6 | 8-9"
// <joiner>
//      String [opt] -- Default value: "-"
//      A string used to format a range.
//      Ex.: formatRanges([4,1,3,8,9,6], ", ", "_")
//          => "1, 3_4, 6, 8_9"
// <minWidth>
//      Number [opt] -- Default value: 1
//      Minimum distance between the 1st and the
//      last number in a range.
//      Ex.: formatRanges([1,2,4,5,6,8,9,10,11], '', '', 1)
//          => "1-2, 4-6, 8-11"
//      Ex.: formatRanges([1,2,4,5,6,8,9,10,11], '', '', 2)
//          => "1, 2, 4-6, 8-11"
//      Ex.: formatRanges([1,2,4,5,6,8,9,10,11], '', '', 3)
//          => "1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 8-11"
// <tolerance>
//      Number [opt] -- Default value: 0
//      Number of allowed missing numbers in a range,
//      as suggested by Peter Kahrel (http://bit.ly/cABqIP)
//      Ex.: formatRanges([2,3,5,8,12,17,23], '', '', 1, 0)
//          => "2-3, 5, 8, 12, 17, 23"
//      Ex.: formatRanges([2,3,5,8,12,17,23], '', '', 1, 1)
//          => "2-5, 8, 12, 17, 23"
//      Ex.: formatRanges([2,3,5,8,12,17,23], '', '', 1, 2)
//          => "2-8, 12, 17, 23"
{
    // Defaults
    // ---
    separator = separator || ", ";
    joiner = joiner || "-";
    if( minWidth !== ~~minWidth || minWidth < 1 )
        minWidth = 1;
    if( tolerance !== ~~tolerance || ++tolerance < 1 )
        tolerance = 1;
 
    // Init.
    // ---
    var a = numbers.concat().
            sort(function(x,y){return x-y;}),
        sz = a.length,
        n = sz && a[0],
        d = sz || false,
        i = 0, w = 0, t = 0,
        ret = [];
 
    // Loop
    // ---
    while( d !== false )
    {
    if( 0 === (d=(++i<sz)?a[i]-n:false) )
        continue;    // skip duplicates
 
    if( d && (d<=tolerance) )
        {
        ret.push(n);
        n += d;
        ++w;
        t += (d-1);
        continue;
        }
 
    if( w >= minWidth )
        {
        ret.length -= w;
        ret.push((n-w-t)+joiner+n);
        }
    else
        {
        ret.push(n);
        }
    n += d;
    w = t = 0;
    }
 
return ret.join(separator);
}

• Original code: http://forums.adobe.com/message/3145480#3145480

ScriptUI stuff

Get swatches in dropdown list with color preview

Shows the document's Swatches in ScriptUI:

// PNG-String Generator (=> 13X13 pixels)
//----------------------------
var pngSwatch = (function()
{
    // Table of CRCs of 8-bit messages
    var CRC_256 = [0, 0x77073096, 0xee0e612c, 0x990951ba, 0x76dc419, 0x706af48f, 0xe963a535, 0x9e6495a3, 0xedb8832, 0x79dcb8a4, 0xe0d5e91e, 0x97d2d988, 0x9b64c2b, 0x7eb17cbd, 0xe7b82d07, 0x90bf1d91, 0x1db71064, 0x6ab020f2, 0xf3b97148, 0x84be41de, 0x1adad47d, 0x6ddde4eb, 0xf4d4b551, 0x83d385c7, 0x136c9856, 0x646ba8c0, 0xfd62f97a, 0x8a65c9ec, 0x14015c4f, 0x63066cd9, 0xfa0f3d63, 0x8d080df5, 0x3b6e20c8, 0x4c69105e, 0xd56041e4, 0xa2677172, 0x3c03e4d1, 0x4b04d447, 0xd20d85fd, 0xa50ab56b, 0x35b5a8fa, 0x42b2986c, 0xdbbbc9d6, 0xacbcf940, 0x32d86ce3, 0x45df5c75, 0xdcd60dcf, 0xabd13d59, 0x26d930ac, 0x51de003a, 0xc8d75180, 0xbfd06116, 0x21b4f4b5, 0x56b3c423, 0xcfba9599, 0xb8bda50f, 0x2802b89e, 0x5f058808, 0xc60cd9b2, 0xb10be924, 0x2f6f7c87, 0x58684c11, 0xc1611dab, 0xb6662d3d, 0x76dc4190, 0x1db7106, 0x98d220bc, 0xefd5102a, 0x71b18589, 0x6b6b51f, 0x9fbfe4a5, 0xe8b8d433, 0x7807c9a2, 0xf00f934, 0x9609a88e, 0xe10e9818, 0x7f6a0dbb, 0x86d3d2d, 0x91646c97, 0xe6635c01, 0x6b6b51f4, 0x1c6c6162, 0x856530d8, 0xf262004e, 0x6c0695ed, 0x1b01a57b, 0x8208f4c1, 0xf50fc457, 0x65b0d9c6, 0x12b7e950, 0x8bbeb8ea, 0xfcb9887c, 0x62dd1ddf, 0x15da2d49, 0x8cd37cf3, 0xfbd44c65, 0x4db26158, 0x3ab551ce, 0xa3bc0074, 0xd4bb30e2, 0x4adfa541, 0x3dd895d7, 0xa4d1c46d, 0xd3d6f4fb, 0x4369e96a, 0x346ed9fc, 0xad678846, 0xda60b8d0, 0x44042d73, 0x33031de5, 0xaa0a4c5f, 0xdd0d7cc9, 0x5005713c, 0x270241aa, 0xbe0b1010, 0xc90c2086, 0x5768b525, 0x206f85b3, 0xb966d409, 0xce61e49f, 0x5edef90e, 0x29d9c998, 0xb0d09822, 0xc7d7a8b4, 0x59b33d17, 0x2eb40d81, 0xb7bd5c3b, 0xc0ba6cad, 0xedb88320, 0x9abfb3b6, 0x3b6e20c, 0x74b1d29a, 0xead54739, 0x9dd277af, 0x4db2615, 0x73dc1683, 0xe3630b12, 0x94643b84, 0xd6d6a3e, 0x7a6a5aa8, 0xe40ecf0b, 0x9309ff9d, 0xa00ae27, 0x7d079eb1, 0xf00f9344, 0x8708a3d2, 0x1e01f268, 0x6906c2fe, 0xf762575d, 0x806567cb, 0x196c3671, 0x6e6b06e7, 0xfed41b76, 0x89d32be0, 0x10da7a5a, 0x67dd4acc, 0xf9b9df6f, 0x8ebeeff9, 0x17b7be43, 0x60b08ed5, 0xd6d6a3e8, 0xa1d1937e, 0x38d8c2c4, 0x4fdff252, 0xd1bb67f1, 0xa6bc5767, 0x3fb506dd, 0x48b2364b, 0xd80d2bda, 0xaf0a1b4c, 0x36034af6, 0x41047a60, 0xdf60efc3, 0xa867df55, 0x316e8eef, 0x4669be79, 0xcb61b38c, 0xbc66831a, 0x256fd2a0, 0x5268e236, 0xcc0c7795, 0xbb0b4703, 0x220216b9, 0x5505262f, 0xc5ba3bbe, 0xb2bd0b28, 0x2bb45a92, 0x5cb36a04, 0xc2d7ffa7, 0xb5d0cf31, 0x2cd99e8b, 0x5bdeae1d, 0x9b64c2b0, 0xec63f226, 0x756aa39c, 0x26d930a, 0x9c0906a9, 0xeb0e363f, 0x72076785, 0x5005713, 0x95bf4a82, 0xe2b87a14, 0x7bb12bae, 0xcb61b38, 0x92d28e9b, 0xe5d5be0d, 0x7cdcefb7, 0xbdbdf21, 0x86d3d2d4, 0xf1d4e242, 0x68ddb3f8, 0x1fda836e, 0x81be16cd, 0xf6b9265b, 0x6fb077e1, 0x18b74777, 0x88085ae6, 0xff0f6a70, 0x66063bca, 0x11010b5c, 0x8f659eff, 0xf862ae69, 0x616bffd3, 0x166ccf45, 0xa00ae278, 0xd70dd2ee, 0x4e048354, 0x3903b3c2, 0xa7672661, 0xd06016f7, 0x4969474d, 0x3e6e77db, 0xaed16a4a, 0xd9d65adc, 0x40df0b66, 0x37d83bf0, 0xa9bcae53, 0xdebb9ec5, 0x47b2cf7f, 0x30b5ffe9, 0xbdbdf21c, 0xcabac28a, 0x53b39330, 0x24b4a3a6, 0xbad03605, 0xcdd70693, 0x54de5729, 0x23d967bf, 0xb3667a2e, 0xc4614ab8, 0x5d681b02, 0x2a6f2b94, 0xb40bbe37, 0xc30c8ea1, 0x5a05df1b, 0x2d02ef8d];
 
    // PNG Cyclic Redundancy Code algorithm
    // http://www.w3.org/TR/PNG/#D-CRCAppendix
    var crc32 = function(/*uint[]*/buf)
        {
        var c = 0xffffffff >>> 0,
            n = buf.length >>> 0,
            i;
        for( i=0 ; i < n ; ++i )
            c = CRC_256[( ( c>>>0 ) ^ buf[i]) & 0xff] ^ (c >>> 8);
 
        return (c ^ 0xffffffff)>>>0;
        };
 
    var PNG_PROLOG = "\x89PNG\r\n\x1A\n\x00\x00\x00\rIHDR\x00\x00\x00\r\x00\x00\x00\r\b\x03\x00\x00\x00E5\x14N\x00\x00\x00\x06",
        PNG_EPILOG = "\x00\x00\x00\x16IDATx\xDAb`D\x06\f\x8C\f\b0\xC8x\xC8\x00 \xC0\x00\x11\xC6\x001{U\x93\xB6\x00\x00\x00\x00IEND\xAEB`\x82";
 
    return function(/*uint[3]*/rgb)
        {
        var buf = [0x50,0x4C,0x54,0x45, rgb[0], rgb[1], rgb[2], 0, 0, 0],
            crc = crc32(buf),
            i, r;
 
        buf = buf.concat([ (crc>>>24)&0xFF, (crc>>>16)&0xFF, (crc>>>8)&0xFF, (crc>>>0)&0xFF ]);
        i = buf.length;
        while( i-- )
            buf[i] = String.fromCharCode(buf[i]);
 
        r = PNG_PROLOG + buf.join('') + PNG_EPILOG;
 
        buf.length = 0;
        buf = null;
        return r;
        };
})();
 
var PNG_NONE = "\x89PNG\r\n\x1A\n\x00\x00\x00\rIHDR\x00\x00\x00\r\x00\x00\x00\r\b\x03\x00\x00\x00E5\x14N\x00\x00\x00\fPLTE\xFF\xFF\xFF\x00\x00\x00\xFF\xBC\xBC\xFF\x00\x00 C\x89[\x00\x00\x002IDATx\xDAL\xC7\xC9\x01\x000\b\x020\xD4\xFDwn\xF1\xC2\xFC\x02\xBB`\x18\x1Eg\x1E\xAE\xFD`\xC7\xEC2\xB3J\xAFS\x9B\xE46\x9C\xC2)\xDC\xF5\x04\x18\x00+\xB9\x00z\xA7\xBDj\x1B\x00\x00\x00\x00IEND\xAEB`\x82";
 
var localeColor = function(/*str*/name)
{
    return '['+
        app.translateKeyString('$ID/'+name)+
        ']';
};
 
// Parse the app|doc Swatches
//----------------------------
var RGB = ColorSpace.RGB,
    SPOT = ColorModel.SPOT,
    REGISTRATION = ColorModel.REGISTRATION,
    MIXEDINK = ColorModel.MIXEDINKMODEL;
 
var target = (app.documents.length&&
        app.activeDocument)||app,
    swatches = target.swatches.
        everyItem().getElements(),
    n = swatches.length,
    color, rgbValues,
    colors = [],
    sp, md, nm,
    i, t;
 
for( i=n-1 ; i>=0 ; i-- )
    {
    color = swatches[i];
 
    if( !(color instanceof Color) ) continue;
 
    color = color.getElements()[0];
    sp = color.space;
    md = color.model;
    nm = color.name;
 
    if( MIXEDINK==md ) continue;    // TODO
 
 
    switch( -(REGISTRATION==md||"Black" == nm) ||
        +(RGB==sp) )
        {
        case -1:
            rgbValues = [0,0,0];
            nm = localeColor(nm);
            break;
        case 1:
            rgbValues = color.colorValue;
            break;
        default:
            // backup the color value
            t = color.colorValue;
            // convert to rgb
            color.space = RGB;
            rgbValues = color.colorValue;
            // revert to the color space
            color.space = sp;
            color.colorValue = t;
        }
 
    if( nm=="Paper" ) nm = localeColor(nm);
 
    colors.unshift({
        name:nm,
        png: pngSwatch(rgbValues),
        id:color.id
        });
    }
 
colors.unshift({
    name:localeColor("None"),
    png: PNG_NONE,
    id:target.swatches.itemByName('None').id
    });
 
// UI
//----------------------------
var w = new Window("dialog", "See Your Swatches!"),
    ddl = w.add("dropdownlist");
n = colors.length;
for( i=0 ; i < n ; ++i )
    (ddl.add('item', "\xa0"+
        colors[i].name)).image = colors[i].png;
ddl.selection = 0;
w.show();

See your Swatches in ScriptUI.

• Original post: http://forums.adobe.com/message/3426666#3426666

Using the ‘mouseout’ event in a palette

Automatically reactivate the application when the mouse leaves the drawable area of the palette:

#targetengine "mySession"
 
var pal = new Window("palette", "focustest",
    undefined, {resizeable:true, closeButton:true});
 
pal.st = pal.add("statictext", undefined,
    "some static text...");
 
pal.addEventListener('mouseout', leaveTestPalette);
 
function leaveTestPalette(/*MouseEvent*/mev)
    {
    if( mev.target instanceof Window ) app.activate();
    }
 
pal.show();

• Original post: http://forums.adobe.com/message/3462710#3462710

Miscellaneous

Open an URL in the default browser

An adaptation of Gerald Singelmann's function:

function openInBrowser(/*str*/ url)
//----------------------------
{
    var isMac = (File.fs == "Macintosh"),
        fName = 'tmp' + (+new Date()) +
            (isMac ? '.webloc' : '.url'),
        fCode = isMac ?
        ('<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>\r'+
        '<!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" '+
        '"http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd">\r'+
        '<plist version="1.0">\r'+
        '<dict>\r'+
            '\t<key>URL</key>\r'+
            '\t<string>%url%</string>\r'+
        '</dict>\r'+
        '</plist>') :
        '[InternetShortcut]\rURL=%url%\r';
 
    var f = new File(Folder.temp.absoluteURI + '/' + fName);
    if(! f.open('w') ) return false;
 
    f.write(fCode.replace('%url%',url));
    f.close();
    f.execute();
    $.sleep(500);   // 500 ms timer
    f.remove();
    return true;
}
 
// Test:
openInBrowser("http://www.indiscripts.com/");

• Original post: http://forums.adobe.com/message/3180866#3180866

Processing XMP data through the XMPScript API

Just a sample code:

TextFrame.prototype.getCaption = function()
//----------------------------
// Here you can customize the XMP caption
{
// E.g.:
// return this.contents.replace( /[\n\r]/g , " " );
 
// Default:
    return this.contents;
}
 
Document.prototype.getScope = function()
//----------------------------
// return the array of {txf,img} objects to treat
{
    var scope = [], pages = this.pages;
    for ( var pg, p = pages.length-1 ; p >= 0 ; p-- )
        {
        pg = pages[p];
        if ( pg.textFrames.length != 1 )
            continue;
        if ( pg.rectangles.length != 1 )
            continue;
        if ( pg.rectangles[0].images.length != 1 )
            continue;
        scope.push({
            txf: pg.textFrames[0],
            img: pg.rectangles[0].images[0]
            });
        }
    return(scope);
}
 
Application.prototype.main = function()
//----------------------------
{
if( this.documents.length<=0 )
    {
    alert("Think to open a document!");
    return;
    }
 
var scope,
    sel = this.selection,
    t;
 
switch(sel.length)
    {
    case 0 :
        scope = this.activeDocument.getScope();
        break;
    case 2 :
        scope = ( function()
            {
            t = (sel[0].constructor == TextFrame) ?
                0 :
                (
                (sel[1].constructor == TextFrame) ?
                1 :
                false
                );
            if (t===false)
                return null;
            if ( sel[1-t].images.length != 1 )
                return null;
            return [{
                txf: sel[t],
                img: sel[1-t].images[0]
                }];
            } )();
        if (scope) break;
    default :
        alert("One image and one textframe "+
            "must be selected.");
        return;
    }
 
if( ExternalObject.AdobeXMPScript == undefined )
    {
    try {
        ExternalObject.AdobeXMPScript = new ExternalObject('lib:AdobeXMPScript');
        }
    catch(_)
        {
        alert("Unable to load the AdobeXMPScript library");
        return;
        }
    };
 
var txfImg, iLink, iFile, xmpFile, xmp;
var err=0, cpt=0;
 
while (txfImg=scope.pop())
    {
    iLink = txfImg.img.itemLink;
    try {iFile = new File(iLink.filePath);}
    catch(_) {err++;continue;}
 
    xmpFile = new XMPFile(iFile.fsName,
        XMPConst.UNKNOWN, XMPConst.OPEN_FOR_UPDATE);
 
    xmp = xmpFile.getXMP();
    xmp.deleteProperty(XMPConst.NS_XMP,
        "Description");
    xmp.setProperty(XMPConst.NS_XMP,
        "Description", txfImg.txf.getCaption());
 
    if( xmpFile.canPutXMP(xmp) )
        {
        xmpFile.putXMP(xmp);
        cpt++;
        }
    else
        err++;
 
    xmpFile.closeFile(XMPConst.CLOSE_UPDATE_SAFELY);
 
    if (iLink.status == LinkStatus.linkOutOfDate)
        iLink.update();
    }
 
alert(''+cpt+" image descriptions updated -- "+
    err+" errors.");
 
try{this.activeDocument.save();}
catch(ex){}
}
 
app.main();

• Original post: http://forums.adobe.com/message/2225492#2225492

Bugs (and workarounds)

Attempt to bypass the ‘FastEntireScript Bug’

How to prevent the fastEntireScript mode to puzzle InDesign undo feature? Not easy! Here I suggest we embed the fastEntireScript block within a safe entireScript block:

var myLauncher = function()
    {
    alert('Undo mode:' +
        app.activeScriptUndoMode); // still in safe zone
 
    app.doScript(
        myFastFunc,
        undefined,
        undefined,
        UndoModes.fastEntireScript, // => dangerous zone
        "MyFastEntireScript");
 
    alert('Undo mode:' +
        app.activeScriptUndoMode); // safe zone restored
    };
 
var myFastFunc = function()
    {
    alert('Undo mode:' +
        app.activeScriptUndoMode); // dangerous zone
 
    // do something here...
    // but please avoid try...catch!
    };
 
app.doScript(
    myLauncher,
    ScriptLanguage.javascript,
    undefined,
    UndoModes.entireScript, // => safe zone
    "MyEntireScript");

• Original post: http://forums.adobe.com/message/3464685#3464685

ScriptUI Window.children Memory Leak (CS4)

The below code demoes a memory leak in CS4 (no workaround):

// Use a persistent engine
#targetengine 'myTest'
 
// Create a minimal Dialog
var w = new Window('dialog');
 
// Just 'hit' w.children --does nothing!
w.children;
 
// Nullify w
w = null;
 
// Double garbage collection
$.gc();
$.gc();
 
// Count the residual objects/instances
alert( $.summary() );

• Original post: http://forums.adobe.com/message/3465525#3465525

UnitValue Bug

UnitValue reverses the subtraction operands when the first term is a Number!

// tested in ID CS4 and CS5
 
var r = Number(10) - UnitValue(0,'in');
 
alert(r);            // => -10 in
alert(r.__class__);  // => UnitValue
alert(r.value);      // => -10
alert(r.type);       // => 'in'

• Original post: http://forums.adobe.com/message/3343724#3343724

CS3 Closure Bug

In CS3, inner variables may not hide outer variables having the same name!

var outerFct = (function()
    {
    var v = 'v in outerFct';
 
    var innerFct = (function()
        {
        // v hides locally outer-v:
        var v = 'v in innerFct';
 
        // no conflict with any outer var:
        var w = 'w in innerFct';
 
        return function() { alert(v + ' - ' + w); }
        })();
 
    innerFct();
    })();
 
// Results
// --- 
// ID CS4 alerts:
//  'v in innerFct - w in innerFct' (as expected)
// ID CS3 alerts:
//  'v in outerFct - w in innerFct' (!!!)

• Original post: http://forums.adobe.com/message/2311472#2311472

CS4 bug with RegExp Negated Character Class

In CS4 the following regex does not behave as expected:

// THE BUG:
// ---
alert( /foo[^a-z0-9]/.test("foo") );
    // CS4 => true (!) -- CS5 => false (ok)
 
// A WORKAROUND (using negative lookahead):
// ---
alert( /foo(?![a-z0-9])./.test("foo") );
   // CS4 & CS5 => false (ok)

• Original post: http://forums.adobe.com/message/3510078#3510078

Quick tips, good practices, discussions

Open a TextFrame in Text-Edit mode

One line code:

// Text Edit Mode:
myTextFrame.parentStory.storyEdit();

• Original post: http://forums.adobe.com/message/3168140#3168140

Setting an XML attribute from a variable

What if you need to set an XML attribute whose name is given in a variable?

var xml = <document><pages><page/></pages></document>;
var att_name = "foo";
xml.page['@'+att_name] = 123;

• Original post: http://forums.adobe.com/message/3190611#3190611

Dealing with InDesign's SpecialCharacters

Precisions about SpecialCharacters cast and conversion issues:
• http://forums.adobe.com/message/3381674#3381674

Escaping characters in RegExp

How to use backslashes in literal RegExp and in literal strings supplied to the RegExp() constructor:

// Here's a literal RegExp in JS:
var RE1 = /[a\-c]/;
alert( RE1.test("-") ); // TRUE
alert( RE1.test("b") ); // FALSE
// ...RE1 means a|-|c (as expected)
 
 
// Now, using explicitly the RegExp class,
// we need to pass a String :
var RE2 = RegExp("[a\-c]");
alert( RE2.test("-") ); // FALSE
alert( RE2.test("b") ); // TRUE
// ...RE2 actually means [a-c] !
 
// Why?
 
// Because "\" is a metamarker in JS literal strings.
// "\" is supposed to escape a few special chars and
// is ignored in other cases:
alert( "\a\.\-" == "a.-" ); // TRUE !
 
// So, to get a "\" in a string, you need
// to use "\\"
var RE3 = RegExp("[a\\-c]");
alert( RE3.test("-") ); // TRUE
alert( RE3.test("b") ); // FALSE
 
// Finally RE3 works like RE1.
 
/* One more example */
 
var str = "a\\t"; // str contains 3 chars: a\t
 
// How to grab str in a RegExp?
 
// 1) In a literal RegExp, we need to
// escape the backslash (because of \t):
alert( /a\\t/.test(str) ); // TRUE
 
// 2) Using explicitly the RegExp class,
// we need to express the pattern a\\t
// in a literal string, so:
alert( RegExp("a\\\\t").test(str) ); // TRUE
 
// 4 backslahes to target 1 backslash!

• Original post: http://forums.adobe.com/message/2845333#2845333

Avoiding Global Variables

A few reasons to avoid globals in ExtendScript:
• http://forums.adobe.com/message/3148058#3148058

Preventing Memory Leak in a Closure

Since we cannot delete a declared variable, we have to nullify complex data to free up memory within closures:
• http://forums.adobe.com/message/3274984#3274984

Indiscripts

InDesign Scripting Forum: 25 ‘sticky’ posts