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Finding the value type of a variable, VBScript, AppleScript

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Adobe InDesign CS2 Scripting Guide Scripting Basics 13 VBScript Rem To convert from a number to a string: myNumber = 2 myString = cstr(myNumber) Rem To convert from a string to an integer: myString = "2" myNumber = cInt(myString) Rem If your string contains a decimal value, use "cDbl" rather than "cInt": myNumber = cDbl(myString) JavaScript //To convert from a number to a string: myNumber = 2; myString = myNumber + ""; //To convert from a string to an integer: myString = "2"; myNumber = parseInt(myString); //If your string contains a decimal value, use "parseFloat" rather than "parseInt": myNumber = parseFloat(myString); //You can also convert strings to numbers using the following: myNumber = +myString; Finding the value type of a variable Sometimes, your scripts must make decisions based on the value type of an object. If you're working on a script that operates on a text selection, for example, you might want that script to stop if the type of the selection is a page item. All of the scripting languages allow you to determine the type of a variable. AppleScript -- Given a variable of unknown type, "myMysteryVariable"... set myType to class of myMysteryVariable --myType will be an AppleScript type (e.g., rectangle) VBScript Rem Given a variable of unknown type, "myMysteryVariable"... myType = TypeName(myMysteryVariable) Rem myType will be a string corresponding to the variable type (e.g., "Rectangle") JavaScript //Given a variable of unknown type, "myMysteryVariable"... var myType =typeof (myMysteryVariable); //If the variable is an object, "typeof" will return "object". //To get the specific type of the object, add the following: if (myType == "object"){ myType = myMysteryVariable.constructor.name; } //myType will be a string corresponding to the JavaScript type (e.g., "Rectangle") When you are iterating through a collection, JavaScript insists that the type of the item is the type of the collection. When you iterate through a pageItems collection, for example, the type of each item will be PageItem, rather than Rectangle, Oval, Polygon, GraphicLine, or TextFrame. To get the speciﬁc type of an item when you are iterating through a collection of unlike items, use the getElements() method, as shown in the following example:

Section	Page
1 Introduction	9
What is in this book	9
Who should read this book	9
What you need to use scripting	9
JavaScript	10
Macintosh	10
Windows	10
How to use the scripts in this document	10
Copying examples with long lines	11
Running JavaScript files	11
Where to find more information	11
InDesign online scripting resources	12
2 Scripting Basics	13
Introduction to scripting	13
What is scripting?	13
Why use scripting?	14
What about macros?	14
Making script files readable	15
Commenting the script	15
Continuing long lines in AppleScript and VBScript	15
Continuing long lines in JavaScript	15
Objects and classes	16
Objects	16
Object references	16
Values and variables	17
Values	17
Variables	18
Variable names	19
Assigning values to variables	19
Array variables	20
Converting values from one type to another	20
Finding the value type of a variable	21
Operators	22
Methods	22
Control structures	23
Conditional statements	23
Loops	24
Subroutines and handlers	25
3 Getting Started with InDesign Scripting	27
Measurements and positioning	27
Coordinates	27
Measurement units	28
The InDesign document object model	29
Looking at the InDesign object model	29
Your first InDesign script	30
Adding features to “Hello World”	33
Adding a user interface to \	37
Dialog box overview	37
Adding the user interface	38
Creating a more complex user interface	41
Handling errors	47
Using palettes to manage scripts	48
Using the Scripts palette	48
Using the Script Label palette	49
Testing and troubleshooting	50
AppleScript debugging	50
VBScript debugging	50
JavaScript debugging	50
4 Using ExtendScript Tools and Features	51
The ExtendScript Toolkit	52
Configuring the Toolkit window	52
Selecting a debugging target	53
Selecting scripts	54
Tracking data	55
The JavaScript console	56
The call stack	56
The Script Editor	57
Debugging in the Toolkit	58
Profiling	62
Dollar ($) Object	63
Dollar ($) object properties	63
Dollar ($) object functions	64
ExtendScript Reflection Interface	66
Reflection Object	66
ReflectionInfo Object	67
Localizing ExtendScript Strings	68
Variable values in localized strings	69
Enabling automatic localization	69
Locale names	70
Testing localization	70
Global localize function	71
User notification helper functions	71
Global alert function	72
Global confirm function	72
Global prompt function	73
Specifying measurement values	74
UnitValue object	74
Converting pixel and percentage values	75
Computing with unit values	76
Modular programming support	77
Preprocessor directives	77
Importing and exporting between scripts	79
Operator overloading	80
Application and namespace specifiers	81
Application specifiers	81
Namespace specifiers	82
Script locations and checking application installation	82
5 Working with Documents in AppleScript	83
Basic document management	84
Creating a new document	84
Opening a document	84
Closing a document	85
Saving a document	85
Basic page layout	86
Defining page size and document length	86
Defining bleed and slug areas	87
Setting page margins and columns	88
Changing the pasteboard's appearance	90
Using guides and grids	90
Defining guides	90
Setting grid preferences	92
Snapping to guides and grids	92
Changing measurement units and ruler	93
Defining and applying document presets	93
Creating a preset by copying values	93
Creating a preset using new values	94
Using a preset	95
Setting up master spreads	95
Setting text-formatting defaults	97
Setting application text defaults	97
Setting the active document's defaults	99
Using text defaults	99
Adding XMP metadata	99
Creating a document template	100
Printing a document	104
Printing using page ranges	104
Setting print preferences	104
Using printer presets	107
Creating printer presets from printing preferences	107
Exporting a document as PDF	112
Using current PDF export options	112
Setting PDF export options	112
Exporting a range of pages	114
Exporting pages separately	114
Exporting pages as EPS	115
Exporting all pages	116
Exporting a range of pages	116
Exporting with file naming	116
6 Working with Documents in JavaScript	119
Basic document management	120
Creating a new document	120
Opening a document	120
Closing a document	120
Saving a document	121
Basic page layout	122
Defining page size and document length	122
Defining bleed and slug areas	122
Setting page margins and columns	123
Changing the pasteboard's appearance	125
Using guides and grids	125
Defining guides	125
Setting grid preferences	127
Snapping to guides and grids	127
Changing measurement units and ruler	127
Defining and applying document presets	128
Creating a preset by copying values	128
Creating a preset using new values	129
Using a preset	130
Setting up master spreads	130
Setting text-formatting defaults	131
Setting application text defaults	131
Setting the active document's defaults	134
Using text defaults	134
Adding XMP metadata	134
Creating a document template	135
Printing a document	138
Printing using page ranges	138
Setting print preferences	138
Using printer presets	141
Creating printer presets from printing preferences	141
Exporting a document as PDF	146
Using current PDF export options	146
Setting PDF export options and exporting pages separately	147
Exporting a range of pages	149
Exporting pages as EPS	149
Exporting all pages	149
Exporting a range of pages	149
Controlling export options	150
7 Working with Documents in VBScript	151
Basic document management	152
Creating a new document	152
Opening a document	152
Closing a document	153
Saving a document	153
Basic page layout	154
Defining page size and document length	154
Defining bleed and slug areas	154
Setting page margins and columns	156
Changing the pasteboard's appearance	157
Using guides and grids	158
Defining guides	158
Setting grid preferences	160
Snapping to guides and grids	160
Changing measurement units and ruler	161
Defining and applying document presets	162
Creating a preset by copying values	162
Creating a preset using new values	163
Using a preset	163
Setting up master spreads	163
Setting text-formatting defaults	165
Setting application text defaults	165
Setting the active document's defaults	167
Using text defaults	168
Adding XMP metadata	168
Creating a document template	168
Printing a document	173
Printing using page ranges	173
Setting print preferences	174
Creating printer presets from printing preferences	177
Exporting a document as PDF	178
Using current PDF export options	178
Setting PDF export options	179
Exporting a range of pages	180
Exporting pages separately	180
Exporting pages as EPS	181
Exporting all pages	181
Exporting a range of pages	181

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Adobe InDesign CS2 Scripting Guide

Scripting Basics

VBScript

Rem To convert from a number to a string:

myNumber = 2

myString = cstr(myNumber)

Rem To convert from a string to an integer:

myString = "2"

myNumber = cInt(myString)

Rem If your string contains a decimal value, use "cDbl" rather than "cInt":

myNumber = cDbl(myString)

JavaScript

//To convert from a number to a string:

myNumber = 2;

myString = myNumber + "";

//To convert from a string to an integer:

myString = "2";

myNumber = parseInt(myString);

//If your string contains a decimal value, use "parseFloat" rather than "parseInt":

myNumber = parseFloat(myString);

//You can also convert strings to numbers using the following:

myNumber = +myString;

Finding the value type of a variable

Sometimes, your scripts must make decisions based on the value type of an object. If you’re working on a

script that operates on a text selection, for example, you might want that script to stop if the type of the

selection is a page item. All of the scripting languages allow you to determine the type of a variable.

AppleScript

-- Given a variable of unknown type, "myMysteryVariable"...

set myType to class of myMysteryVariable

--myType will be an AppleScript type (e.g., rectangle)

VBScript

Rem Given a variable of unknown type, "myMysteryVariable"...

myType = TypeName(myMysteryVariable)

Rem myType will be a string corresponding to the variable type (e.g., "Rectangle")

JavaScript

//Given a variable of unknown type, "myMysteryVariable"...

var myType =typeof (myMysteryVariable);

//If the variable is an object, "typeof" will return "object".

//To get the specific type of the object, add the following:

if (myType == "object"){

myType = myMysteryVariable.constructor.name;

}

//myType will be a string corresponding to the JavaScript type (e.g., "Rectangle")

When you are iterating through a collection, JavaScript insists that the type of the item is the type of the

collection. When you iterate through a

pageItems

collection, for example, the type of each item will be

PageItem

, rather than

Rectangle

Oval

Polygon

GraphicLine

, or

TextFrame

. To get the speciﬁc type

of an item when you are iterating through a collection of unlike items, use the

getElements()

method, as

shown in the following example: