InDesign provides a powerful set of tools for producing beautiful documents. While you can certainly do all your work by hand through InDesign's graphical interface, there are many times when it's much easier to write a script. Once you've automated a task, you can run it over the whole document, ensuring consistency, or just when you need it, simplifying and speeding your layout process. All it takes is a bit of JavaScript knowledge and a willingness to explore InDesign's programming features. (This version covers only InDesign CS2. For coverage of InDesign CS3 and CS4, see the version at http://oreilly.com/catalog/9780596802523/.)
Peter Kahrel, born 1 May 1953 in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Trained as a linguist (MA and PhD) at the University of Amsterdam. I've lived in the UK since 1994. I work as a typesetter and copy-editor for publishers in the UK, the Netherlands, and Germany. Until recently, I taught part-time at the Linguistics Dept. at Lancaster University. Kahrel has been programming InDesign with JavaScript since 2003.
Comments about oreilly Scripting InDesign with JavaScript:
A very good resource from a very helpful guy!
Peter does a great job of presenting the information needed to get you up to speed in an easy to digest format.
1/3/2007
(2 of 2 customers found this review helpful)
5.0
Scripting InDesign with JavaScript
By Theresa
from Undisclosed
Comments about oreilly Scripting InDesign with JavaScript:
I gave it a 5 only because there wasn't anything higher.
This is a GREAT reference tool for anyone trying to find their way around with JavaScript intended specifically for InDesign.
Mr. Kahrel brings the topic down to a non-programmer level and offers some great examples of scripts that can be easily modified to fit many automation needs.
This is a valuable reference that has been desperately needed for a long time. I hope we will be seeing more of his work soon.
