Python scripts for InDesign on Mac

[GeirOle]

Hello, I would like to make scripts for InDesign in Python3 on Mac. My OS is MacOS 12.4 (Monterey). I have made a lot of code in the past with Python 2.7, but now the most recent versions of MacOS come with Python3. That is fine with me. I can switch to Python3.

I did the pip3 install appscript and that went well. I found some code examples here, but they are all for Windows, and they don't work on Mac.

I have managed to start InDesign and open an InDesign document from Python3 with the following code:

############################################################### from appscript import * import os app = app('/Applications/Adobe InDesign 2022/Adobe InDesign 2022.app')

myFile = '/Users/soc/test-python/test-tables.indd' myDocument = app.open(myFile) ################################################################

In the examples I have found here the call to open a document is: myDocument = app.Open(myFile)

That is with capital "O" in open. On Mac, that gives an error message. So I tried with lower case "o", and then it works.

I have tried to save the document, but then I get an error message. I have tried with

######################## myDocument.Save(myFile) ######################## and then the error message says: Unknown property, element or command: 'Save'

If I try with lower case "s":

###################### myDocument.save(myFile) ######################

I get another error: Command failed: Application could not handle this command. (-1708)

It is a bit strange that code which works on Windows does not work on Mac.

Has anyone managed to write Python scripts for InDesign on Mac? Is there a reference guide somewhere?

I hope there is some information out there that can help me get going.

With best regards from

Geir

[mlove4u]

@GeirOle see this: https://github.com/mlove4u/InDesign-Automation-Python-Mac-Appscript/blob/master/01_document.py