InDesign CS actions or scripts?

cranwinks

I build a lot of ads in InDesign and then place them into InDesign newspaper pages. I wind up doing the following series of keyboard commands: command-A, command-G, command-C, command-S, command-W (select all, group, copy, save, close). Is there a way to record that series of actions so I can just use one F key or hot key? Please let me know.

curiousuburb

Yes.



Depending on which version of OS, you could use an applescript, or reprogram a key combo.

cranwinks

I use OSX, Panther. But I'm not familiar with programming a key combo or using apple script. Can you help?



cranwinks

Quote:

Originally posted by curiousuburb

Yes.



Depending on which version of OS, you could use an applescript, or reprogram a key combo.

neutrino23

Quickeys or some similar products will repeat a series of stored keystrokes when you select one key. This is adequate for very simple things. Search on version tracker for these.



Applescript lets you talk to InDesign (and other programs) and perform much more sophisticated actions.



InDesign has very extensive support for Applescript. Every year Sal Soghoian, the AppleScript guru at Apple, shows off some cool demo using Applescript. Something like "drop a bunch of photos and text in a folder, run the script and a full brochure or catalog comes out as a result".



However, if you are new to scripting it will take a little while to ascend the learning curve.



I don't know if ID is recordable. A recordable app is one that cooperates nicely with the script editor. You open the script editor, click record, go do a bunch of things, come back and click stop and voila, you have a script that will repeat what you just did. This has virtually no learning curve. You can try it out now. The script editor should already be installed on your computer.





Here are some sample scripts from Adobe.

http://adobe.co.uk/products/indesign/samplescripts.html

curiousuburb

More of a "how-to" of scripting in InDesign:



http://www.adobe.com/products/indesign/scripting.html

cranwinks

Thanks! That was exactly what I needed to hear.



Jim

Quote:

Originally posted by neutrino23

Quickeys or some similar products will repeat a series of stored keystrokes when you select one key. This is adequate for very simple things. Search on version tracker for these.



Applescript lets you talk to InDesign (and other programs) and perform much more sophisticated actions.



InDesign has very extensive support for Applescript. Every year Sal Soghoian, the AppleScript guru at Apple, shows off some cool demo using Applescript. Something like "drop a bunch of photos and text in a folder, run the script and a full brochure or catalog comes out as a result".



However, if you are new to scripting it will take a little while to ascend the learning curve.



I don't know if ID is recordable. A recordable app is one that cooperates nicely with the script editor. You open the script editor, click record, go do a bunch of things, come back and click stop and voila, you have a script that will repeat what you just did. This has virtually no learning curve. You can try it out now. The script editor should already be installed on your computer.





Here are some sample scripts from Adobe.

http://adobe.co.uk/products/indesign/samplescripts.html

cranwinks

Ditto on the Thanks!



Very helpful.



Jim

Quote:

Originally posted by curiousuburb

More of a "how-to" of scripting in InDesign:



http://www.adobe.com/products/indesign/scripting.html