Indiscripts

In my previous post I introduced some key concepts and tools for benchmarking Array.sort() and took you through the “standard model” of optimizing the callback function. We also emphasized that, of course, it is impossible to go faster than the native method. If these clues made you sit up and take notice, it's time to go one step further…

Do you want to stretch your InDesign-scripting power? Check out the new episode of the ISFR series and improve your skills in managing text, characters, styles, page items, events… in an automated manner.

Exploring the prototypal relationships between basic ExtendScript's entities reveals an interesting network of hidden objects. The following diagram shows that ExtendScript's own implementation of JavaScript is deeply connected with a root function (referred to as [[Function]] in the figure) which provides the actual prototype—that is, the __proto__ property—of many visible objects, including Function and Object themselves…

Considering the size of the PDF, below, you could think that InDesign CC offers plenty of new features. But that's just an optical illusion! In fact, the vast majority of members introduced into the Scripting DOM regard QR Code's API, which is based on the recurring methods createEmailQRCode(), createHyperlinkQRCode(), createPlainTextQRCode(), createTextMsgQRCode(), and createVCardQRCode().

Apart from that a very small number of innovations is identifiable in the scripting area of InDesign CC—most are relative to look-and-feel and EPUB Export options. What is not highlighted here, however, is the fact that many ScriptUI features are now broken, or partially locked. The new InDesign skin subsystem introduces drastic limitations in the way scripters can customize oldschool user interfaces. For example, ScriptUI fonts do not seem to be supported anymore, and many event types or listeners (focus, onDraw…) are quite defective for various widgets. Also, FlashPlayer embedding leads to critical issues—as it has been reported that invokePlayerFunction() just does not work anymore. In short: very bad news for InDesign developers!

• See also:
— “So What's New in InDesign CS6 Scripting DOM”
— “So What's New in InDesign CS5.5 Scripting DOM”
— “So What's New in InDesign CS5 Scripting DOM”

My colleague Loïc Aigon recently updated his professional website: loicaigon.com. I take this opportunity to let him unveil axis and motions of a misknown job: automation expert…

New tools, new solutions, new ideas, emerge every day for and from InDesign and Creative Suite heroes. But strangely enough, most graphic designers and InDesign end-users still ignore—or cannot measure—the power of automation. As a kind of proof of concept I decided to start the year with a celebration of the most noticeable scripts, tools and resources that have shaken 2012 in this area. Since I use Twitter as a bookmarking platform, it seemed fun to compile a selection of links I've tweeted or re-tweeted during the last 12 months. This is also an opportunity to pay tribute to my colleagues, scripters, developers, trainers, and time-savers! Now make yourself comfortable and enter in the Productive Dome…

Dealing with groups is a major headache for InDesign scripters. On one hand, the Group object has no injection method to offer, which makes difficult to append existing page items into a given group. On the other hand, although the Groups API exposes a promising add() method, nobody has ever managed to use this feature from any PageItem.groups area, so we seem doomed to perpetually rebuild groups from scratch.

InDesign CS6 is full of new features, which explains the size (98 pages) of the Object Members part in our tracking-change PDF below. Of course many additions regard interactivity, form behaviors and the related events. The Scripting DOM now includes the following ubiquitous collections: checkBoxes, comboBoxes, listBoxes, radioButtons, signatureFields, textBoxes. A number of existing objects have been extended accordingly.

Besides, there are many interesting additions to discover and experiment. Have fun!

• See also:
— “So What's New in InDesign CS5.5 Scripting DOM”
— “So What's New in InDesign CS5 Scripting DOM”

In April 2009, Thomas Silkjær reported a bug on app.doScript that alters the ‘undo’ feature in InDesign. Although this issue has been fixed in CS5, there are still some pitfalls to beware of when you want to speed up your script through fastEntireScript…

Non sans témérité, Stéphane Baril et David Deraedt nous ont récemment accueillis sur le plateau de Chips & Tips, la célèbre série d'Adobe TV dédiée à la diététique productivité. Au détour de cet épisode, Loïc Aigon et votre serviteur proposons une sorte de préambule aux techniques d'automatisation et de scripting dans la Creative Suite, avec quelques illustrations simples et directement accessibles aux néophytes. Vous y découvrirez notamment la version embryonnaire du script SwapItems utilisé pour permuter des objets dans une maquette InDesign…