Scripting events for Assets for InDesign

In this article, the InDesign scripting events are shown that are available for Assets for InDesign.

Application

Methods

elvisPostRequest

• Returns: A string with the result of the request.
• Description: This method will perform a PostRequest (REST API) on Assets Server with the passed path and query.

• Sample script:

var r = [
[ "path" , "/", "String"] ];
var response = app.elvisPostRequest( "/browse", r );
alert( response );

elvisGetRequest

• Returns: A string with the result of the request.
• Description: This method will perform a GetRequest (REST API) on Assets Server with the passed path and query.

• Sample script:

var r = [ ];
var response = app.elvisGetRequest( "/profile", r );
alert( response );

elvisOpenDocument

• Returns: The opened document.
• Description: Opens the document with the passed Assets ID.

• Sample script:

var myDoc = app.elvisOpenDocument( "<Elvis_ID>", true );

elvisOpenDocuments

• Returns: Nothing.
• Description: Opens the documents with the passed Assets ID. When users are not logged in they will be prompted to log in. After log on (also in case of SSO) the documents will be opened.

• Sample script:

var myDoc = app.elvisOpenDocuments( "<Elvis_ID>","<Elvis_ID>", true );

Properties

assetsPreferences

• Returns: AssetsPreference
• Description: Assets Preferences settings.
• Access mode: Read-only
• Introduced in: Assets for InDesign 4.3.0.

woodwingLogging

• Returns: Boolean
• Description: Turns off and on WoodWing logging.
• Access mode: Read/write
• Sample script:

app.woodwingLogging = true;

AssetsPreference

Properties

useFileCache

• Returns: Boolean
• Description: Controls if downloaded files are kept in the cache when the layout is closed. Enabled by default.
• Access mode: Read/write
• Introduced in: Assets for InDesign 4.3.0.
• Sample script:

app.assetsPreferences.useFileCache = true;

maxFileCacheSize

• Returns: Number.
• Description: Controls the maximum file size of the cache folder (in Gigabytes). The default size is 5GB.
• Access mode: Read/write
• Introduced in: Assets for InDesign 4.3.0.
• Sample script:

app.assetsPreferences.maxFileCacheSize = 5;

removeFileFromCacheAfter

• Returns: Number.
• Description: When files are kept in the cache, controls when a file is removed from the cache folder. The default period is 30 days after it has been added.
• Access mode: Read/write
• Introduced in: Assets for InDesign 4.3.0.
• Sample script:

app.assetsPreferences.removeFileFromCacheAfter = 30;

autoRelinkToAssetsWhenOpening

• Returns: Boolean.
• Description: Automatically link placed images with existing images in Assets Server. Disable this when automatic relinking needs to be turned off completely.
• Access mode: Read/write
• Introduced in: Assets for InDesign 4.3.0.
• Sample script:

app.assetsPreferences.autoRelinkToAssetsWhenOpening = true;

relinkBasedOnInstanceID

• Returns: Boolean.
• Description: Forces Assets Server to first search for files based on their Instance ID when automatically linking images is enabled. When nothing is found, a search is done based on the file name. The default value is 'false'.
• Access mode: Read/write
• Introduced in: Assets for InDesign 4.3.0.
• Sample script:

app.assetsPreferences.relinkBasedOnInstanceID = true;

doAutoLogIn

• Returns: Boolean.
• Description: Starts the log-in process to Assets Server when InDesign is started or a local document is opened. The default value is 'true'.
• Access mode: Read/write
• Introduced in: Assets for InDesign 4.3.0.
• Sample script:

app.assetsPreferences.doAutoLogIn = true;

Document

Methods

downloadElvisLinks

• Returns: Nothing
• Description: This method will make sure that the latest version of all linked files (stored in Assets Server) in the document are downloaded to the local machine. When a newer version of a file is downloaded then currently placed on the document, the link will be updated with this new version.
• Sample script:

var myDoc = app.documents.item(0);
myDoc.downloadElvisLinks();

elvisCloseDocument

• Returns: Nothing
• Description: Closes and checks-in the document or performs an undo action of the check-out when needed. The document will not be saved before check-in.

Note: If you want to have a preview of the InDesign document you need to start InDesign Server with an extra '-preview' argument such as: 'InDesignServer -previews -port <...>'. Without this setting InDesign Server will not add a preview to the file and Assets Server will not be able to show a file preview.

* When both checkInFile and undoCheckOutFile are set to true the file will be checked in.

• Sample script:

var myDoc = app.documents.item(0);
myDoc.elvisCloseDocument( true, false ); 

elvisFixXmpInfoOfPlacements

• Returns: Nothing
• Description: Fixes the XMP info that is stored in the document for all placements from Elvis.
• Sample script:

var myDoc = app.documents.item(0);myDoc.elvisFixXmpInfoOfPlacements(); 

elvisRelinkAll

• Returns: Nothing
• Description: Relinks as many as possible placed files to files in Assets Server. Similar to the Relink All menu command.
• Sample script:

var myDoc = app.documents.item(0);
myDoc.elvisRelinkAll(); 

Properties

elvisId

• Returns: String
• Description: The Assets ID of the document. Returns an empty string when the document is not an Elvis document.
• Sample script:

var myDoc = app.documents.item(0);
alert( myDoc.elvisId );

Link

Methods

downloadElvisLink

• Returns: Nothing
• Description: This method will make sure that the latest version of the linked file in Assets Server is downloaded to the local machine. When a newer version of the file is downloaded then is currently placed on the document, the link will be updated with this new version.
• Sample script:

var myDoc = app.documents.item(0);
var myLink = myDoc.links[0];
myLink.downloadElvisLink();

Properties

elvisId

• Returns: String
• Description: The Assets ID of the link. Returns an empty string when the link is not an Assets link.
• Access mode: Read-only
• Sample script:

var myDoc = app.documents.item(0);
var myLink = myDoc.links[0];
alert( myLink.elvisId );

elvisUrl

• Returns: String
• Description: The Assets URL of the link. Returns an empty string when the link is not an Assets link.
• Access mode: Read-only
• Sample script:

var myDoc = app.documents.item(0);
var myLink = myDoc.links[0];
alert( myLink.elvisUrl );

elvisPath

• Returns: String
• Description: The path of the link in Assets Server. Returns an empty string when the link is not an Assets Server link.
• Access mode: Read-only
• Sample script:

var myDoc = app.documents.item(0);
var myLink = myDoc.links[0];
alert( myLink.elvisPath );

elvisFilePath

• Returns: String
• Description: The local file path of the link. Returns also a path for non-Assets links.

Note: This call is introduced because Link.filePath does not work for custom datalinks.

• Sample script:

var myDoc = app.documents.item(0);
var myLink = myDoc.links[0];
alert( myLink.elvisFilePath );

PageItem

Methods

elvisPlace

• Returns: Nothing
• Description: This method places an object in the page item using Assets Server that the user is logged on to.

• Sample script:

var myDoc = app.documents[0];
var myPage = myDoc.pages.item(0);
var myPageItem = myPage.rectangles.add({geometricBounds:["36pt", "36pt", "236pt", "236pt"]});
myPageItem.elvisPlace( "<Elvis_Id>" );
myPageItem.fit(FitOptions.FILL_PROPORTIONALLY);