Scripting InDesign on a PC

[Norcrans]

Before getting into my question please note that I am asking about scripting on a PC. I don't want this thread turned into PC vs Mac discussion or rants about one platform against the other.

I help manage a very large Mac Prepress and we have a lot of our everyday redundant functions in InDesign scripted with Applescripts. We script everything from saving the document and creating a press ready pdf at the same time to using a script to get rid of unused color swatches before outputing plates. The question has come up again about what impact would it have on our workflow if we changed our Prepress over to PC's.

The question I have is does anyone know if it is possible to convert our current Applescripts over to scripts that will work with the PC version of InDesign without having someone write the scripts over.

 

[GinSu]

Re: Scripting InDesign on a PC

I don't know of any, but my experience is limited. I was tempted to try my latest scripts in JavaScript (cross platform!!??), but since I've never used JavaScript before, I really didn't want to learn it for the 4 or 5 scripts that I use.

If there is a complier that will convert it that would be awesome, but being the hack that I am, I just don't know.

 

[leonardr]

Re: Scripting InDesign on a PC

Your scripts will need to be rewritten . AppleScript and Visual Basic
are NOTHING alike.

However, if you are considering a rewrite, then you MIGHT want to consider
rewriting in JavaScript - which is supported by BOTH InDesign Mac and
InDesign Windows. That way you'd only need to maintain a single version of
the script and it would work on both platforms.

Leonard Rosenthol
Adobe Systems

 

[Norcrans]

Re: Scripting InDesign on a PC

Leonard,

Thanks for the info. This was exactly the kind of information I was looking for.