The result was SaveSelection.jsx, which saves a selection in a document, and RestoreSelection.jsx, which selects the same objects again, in the same order. It’s very simple to use—select a set of objects (in order, if necessary), then double-click SaveSelection.jsx). The script will display a dialog box where you can name the selection (or choose an existing selection to replace). If you’re creating a new saved selection, enter a name and click the OK button. If you’re replacing an existing saved selection, select its name from the dropdown menu (and do not enter any text in the New Selection field), then click the OK button. Either way, the selection will be saved in the document.

What if you want to open a menu item by script? For example the Configure plug-ins window. The solution is not on the surface: neither the InDesign Scripting Reference nor the InDesign Scripting Guide say anything about it.

However it is possible to achieve by invoking a menu action by ID. In our particular case we would use:

app.menuActions.itemByID(45313).invoke();

All InDesign scripts on this site are compatible with InDesign versions CS3 up to the latest version of CC.

The InDesign Scripting Forum is an ideal place to post scripting recipes and to address technical issues. I learn a lot from its famous contributors —Dave Saunders, Harbs, Jongware, Peter Kahrel, Kasyan Servetsky, Marijan Tompa… At odd times I post my own brainchilds. Here is a small selection of snippets and topics that I think are worthwhile.

This repo is the home for my research and documentation on Adobe Extendscript.

This document shows how to do the following:

• Work with the Adobe® InDesign® scripting environment.
• Use advanced scripting features.
• Perform basic document tasks like setting up master spreads, printing, and exporting.
• Work with page items (rectangles, ellipses, graphic lines, polygons, text frames, and groups).
• Work with text and type in an InDesign document, including finding and changing text.
• Create dialog boxes and other user-interface items.
• Customize and add menus and create menu actions.
• Respond to user-interface events.
• Work with XML, from creating XML elements and importing XML to adding XML elements to a layout.
• Apply XML rules, a new scripting feature that makes working with XML in InDesign faster and easier.

At first glance, InDesign might not seem like a natural choice for UX design. But the interactive and animation tools that make InDesign great for designing ebooks and apps also happen to be ideal for designing wireframes and prototypes. In this installment of UX Design Tools, Justin Putney shows how to use InDesign's grid and guides to align wireframe objects, create shapes, save and reuse text and object styles, and add interactivity and motion to your designs. Plus, learn how to create alternative layouts and liquid layouts that automatically scale when displayed on different devices, and build a library of reusable artwork.

When InDesign starts to behave strangely, the number one suggestion for troubleshooting is to replace (or trash, reset or restore) the application preferences. This will remove corrupt preferences and replace them with a new set of default preferences, and often end bad behavior.

There's always been a certain degree of confusion as to the definition of "orphans", "widows" and "runts" in typography. Runts are occasionally referred to as orphans, which does not help matters. And they are sometimes (mistakenly) called widows, too.

Equalizer for InDesign CS4 is an all-in-one tool which allows you to pick up, swap, transfer and propagate size and/or location coordinates between objects. The script fits into the InDesign UI by expanding the contextual menu you get when right-clicking an object. Just install Equalizer.js in the Startup Scripts subfolder and you have the Equalizer features within arm's reach.

Some of us just need to swap objects around, and this script makes it really easy.

A complete grid system for super fast wireframing and visual design.

I wanna share script for changing cursor key increment.

If you want to write simple documents using a plain text editor but still want to add basic text formatting, you can use Markdown: John Gruber's formatting system, with which you use short and easy-to-remember codes to mark up your text. Lots of websites and blogs are already using Markdown, so you can enter plain text and still have it formatted the way you want.
With my Javascript markdownID), you can select existing text or import a Markdown file, and it will be converted into properly styled text for InDesign.
The script supports lots of the standard functions from the original Markdown, and so you can use the Markdown reference for the basic set of commands. Unfortunately, there are also some functions that InDesign cannot easily emulate.

There are likely dozens of other uses for New Window (feel free to add your own below). But one of the best (you saw this coming, didn’t you?) is to edit in one window and see the final version, without selections, in the other. For example, open a new window and put it into Preview mode (press W). Then switch back to the first window and edit away. When you do your Undo/Redo (Command/Ctrl-Z, then Command/Ctrl-Shift-Z) moves, you’ll see before and after in both windows — one with the selection and one in its pure, unsullied state.

On Thursday, David Blatner sent me an email asking how difficult it would be to create a script which would create swatches in InDesign from hex values.

Hundreds of tools may be available for interaction designers, but there is still no industry standard for interaction design the way Photoshop and Illustrator are to graphic design. Popular programs are out there, but many of them have considerable drawbacks, which has led me to explore alternative apps.

Links to interesting scripts, sorted by categories. I just started filling in this page so there is a small number of scripts so far. Some scripts may appear in several categories.

You Didn't Know You Could Automate that many tasks