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How to install scripts in InDesign

Download the script onto your computer and if necessary, decompress it (unstuff or unzip it). You should end up with a plain text file with a special filename extension:

* Javascript files can be run on Mac or Windows and have a .jsx extension — “script.jsx”
* Applescript files are Mac-only and have an .as extension — “script.as” (or .scpt)
* Visual Basic files are Windows-only and have a .vbs extension — “script.vbs”

If you need to change a setting inside of a script, you can edit it in a text editor. Be sure to save the file as a plain text file with the original extension.

[ed note: updated 2/2009 for CS3 and CS4]

There are two places you can install scripts in InDesign: The application folder and the user script folder. The easiest way to find these folders is to open the Scripts panel in InDesign (Window > Automation > Scripts), then right-click (or Ctrl-click with a one-button mouse) on either Application or User. We tend to use “User” for scripts that we’ve downloaded, but it’s up to you and the permissions you have on your computer. From the context menu, choose Reveal in Finder (or Reveal in Windows Explorer). Inside the folder that opens there is a folder called Scripts panel. Put your scripts inside that.

Any script inside the Scripts Panel folder will show up immediately in InDesign. No need to restart the program.

If you’re still using CS or CS2, follow this info: To install the script, locate the Adobe InDesign program on your computer and drag and drop the script file into the Adobe InDesign CS2 > Presets > Scripts folder. If you don’t see a folder called Scripts inside of Presets, you can make one yourself.

Note that you may need to have an admin account on your computer in order to add plug-ins and scripts to InDesign … but once they’re in there, any type of user account can use them.

To run the script, open a document in InDesign, then open the Scripts palette (Window > Automation > Scripts) and double-click the script name. Some scripts require you make a selection first before you run them, because they act on the selection. See if the script writer provided any sort of documentation if you can’t figure it out.

You’re trying to reference a value that was never created. If you get this while referencing a property of another object, you’re probably trying to access a property that is not defined as a public member of that object’s class. If you get this error in response to a value that you’ve defined within the script that you’re writing, then you probably forgot to declare the value with a “var” statement before its first reference.