Moon Bat Media

Adobe has long offered users the option of automating InDesign workflows through scripting. Although scripts may be writing in AppleScript (Macintosh only) or VBScript (Windows only), the most satisfactory scripting language is the cross-platform, and very widely used, JavaScript. One of the simplest and yet most useful operations that can be accomplished using scripting is the automation of Find/Change. InDesign’s Find/Change feature is one of the program’s most powerful features and it is one of those features which can be fully automated by scripting. In fact, you can achieve a lot more through scripting than you can by manually performing a Find/Change operation.

There are three commands in the InDesign scripting framework for performing Find/Change operations: findText(), findGrep() and findGlyph(). A good deal can be accomplished using the straightforward findText() command. However, if you need to make fairly complex changes, and if you have the time and patience to find the right regular expression, you can use the findGrep() command which is designed for performing searches for regular expressions.

Before performing a Find/Change operation, you need to set up the preferences that will be used. Firstly, you set the properties of the findChangeTextOptions object: parameters include caseSensitive, wholeWord, ignoreHiddenLayers and ignoreMasterPages. Next, you set up your findTextPreferences and changeTextPreferences parameters, the most important of which are findWhat and changeTo, respectively. It is also usually a good idea to clear out any preferences that may still be in play from a previous search. This is done by setting both the findTextPreferences and changeTextPreferences objects to nothing, using the commands: app.findTextPreferences = NothingEnum.nothing and app.changeTextPreferences = NothingEnum.nothing.

As well as this, the findTextPreferences and changeTextPreferences objects offer all of the formatting parameters normally available with text objects.

A popular exercise that we give to students attending our InDesign scripting courses is to create a script which searches for the name of a company within a document, changes the format of the text to look like a regular web hyperlink (blue, bold, underlined) and then makes it a hyperlink. To change the format of the text, we simply use the appropriate properties of the changeTextPreferences object, such as fillColor, fontStyle and underline.

You can find out more about InDesign training courses, visit Macresource Computer Training, an independent computer training company offering InDesign Classes in London and throughout the UK.

Technorati Tags: computer software, computers and the internet, desktop publishing, dtp, graphic design, InDesign training, page layout

Adobe Photoshop training can make all the difference between spending hours fiddling with images and becoming frustrated and you being able to produce professional and creative images for your website and all your other graphic design needs.

The Adobe Photoshop software program is a very useful tool that allows you to manipulate images and create amazing results that will help your website to stand apart from all the others online. The downside to the program is that unless you have Adobe Photoshop training you will not get the best out of it.

There are many online Adobe Photoshop training sites that can teach you how to use the program from the basics to advanced tips and tricks. Photoshop is a complex piece of software and without the proper training you will not be able to utilize all the tools to their full extent.

With Adobe Photoshop training you can learn to digitally touch up images and create your very own graphics. Beginner’s skills included in a training program might include learning how to work with layers to manipulate images and produce different effects, how to change a person’s hair color or eye color and blending tools.

Once you have the basics down pat, intermediate and advanced training can teach you how to enhance digital photography, advanced layer techniques, creating links with an image, compositing and typographic design.

When you know your way around the software and have completed some Adobe Photoshop training then you can begin to enhance your websites to give them a truly creative, unique and professional appearance. You may also be able to freelance your skills and pick up lucrative side projects. There are many people who successfully do Photoshop work for others from the comfort of their own homes.

By doing your own Adobe Photoshop training you can get yourself an extra income; shave time off how long it takes you to complete projects; get the most out of the program by using the program efficiently and utilizing all its tools and impress people with your professional images.

The writer’s company runs Adobe Photoshop training classes as well as Adobe Acrobat training in London and throughout the UK.

Technorati Tags: computer software, computers and the internet, desktop publishing, dtp, graphic design, page layout, photoshop training

Adobe InDesign has long offered users the option of automating their workflows through scripting. Although scripts may be writing in AppleScript (Macintosh only) or VBScript (Windows only), the most satisfactory scripting language is the cross-platform, and very widely used, JavaScript. One of the simplest and yet most useful operations that can be accomplished using scripting is the automation of Find/Change. InDesign’s Find/Change feature is one of the program’s most powerful features and it is one of those features which can be fully automated by scripting. In fact, you can achieve a lot more through scripting than you can by manually performing a Find/Change operation.

There are three commands in the InDesign scripting framework for performing Find/Change operations: findText(), findGrep() and findGlyph(). A good deal can be accomplished using the straightforward findText() command. However, if you need to make fairly complex changes, and if you have the time and patience to find the right regular expression, you can use the findGrep() command which is designed for performing searches for regular expressions.

Before your actually perform a Find/Change operation, you need to set up the preferences that will be used. Firstly, you set the properties of the findChangeTextOptions object: parameters include caseSensitive, wholeWord, ignoreHiddenLayers and ignoreMasterPages. Next, you set up your findTextPreferences and changeTextPreferences parameters, the most important of which are findWhat and changeTo, respectively. It is also usually a good idea to clear out any preferences that may still be in play from a previous search. This is done by setting both the findTextPreferences and changeTextPreferences objects to nothing, using the commands: app.findTextPreferences = NothingEnum.nothing and app.changeTextPreferences = NothingEnum.nothing.

Just as when performing Find/Change manually, the findTextPreferences and changeTextPreferences objects offer all of the formatting parameters normally available with text objects.

A popular exercise that we give to students attending our InDesign scripting courses is to create a script which searches for the name of a company within a document, changes the format of the text to look like a regular web hyperlink (blue, bold, underlined) and then makes it a hyperlink. To change the format of the text, we simply use the appropriate properties of the changeTextPreferences object, such as fillColor, fontStyle and underline.

If you would like to learn more about InDesign training courses, visit Macresource Computer Training, a UK IT training company offering InDesign training courses in London and throughout the UK.

categories: InDesign training,graphic design,page layout,desktop publishing,dtp,computers and the internet,computer software

Technorati Tags: computer software, computers and the internet, desktop publishing, dtp, graphic design, InDesign training, page layout