Place Tagged Text File

While some think of copying and pasting text, I prefer to write formatted text to an Adobe InDesign Tagged Text file and then read the file back at the desired location. I won't go into the reasonings behind this, but despite what you might think, it is very fast to do.

Below is a generic function to place a tagged text file at a location (such as a selection).

//

function placeTaggedText ( location , fileRef ) {

//-------------------------------------------------------------------------

//-- P L A C E T A G G E D T E X T

//-------------------------------------------------------------------------

//-- Generic: Yes. For both InCopy and Adobe InDesign.

//-- Tested with CS3, but should work with CS2 and newer

//-------------------------------------------------------------------------

//-- Purpose: To import the passed Tagged Text at the passed location.

//-------------------------------------------------------------------------

//-- Parameters: 2

//-- location: The location to place the file. Can accept anything

//-- that InDesign and InCopy will accept for the place function

//-- and it works in the same fashion as place.

//-- fileRef: A file object to the tagged text file to import.

//-------------------------------------------------------------------------

//-- Calls: Nothing.

//-------------------------------------------------------------------------

//-- Returns: true if the function was successful, or false if it was not.

//-------------------------------------------------------------------------

//-- Sample Use: Too many options to document.

//-------------------------------------------------------------------------

//-- Notes: In reality, this function will place ANY file. It doesn't

//-- test for tagged text files. But it does hard code some Tagged

//-- text import preferences.

//-------------------------------------------------------------------------

//-- Written: 2009.07.28 by Jon S. Winters of electronic publishing support

//-- eps@electronicpublishingsupport.com

//-------------------------------------------------------------------------

//-- Revised: 2009.09.13 for version 2.60 in New Orleans, LA to allow

//-- the placement to happen even if there is a dialog displayed.

//-- The problem was that the tagged text file can have missing fonts,

//-- and that really stops the script and throws a javascript error.

//-- Wrap the function in a try. The parameters can be setup incorrectly

//-- which will cause problems

try {

//-- Setup the Import Preferences for Tagged Text files

app.taggedTextImportPreferences.removeTextFormatting = false ;

app.taggedTextImportPreferences.styleConflict = StyleConflict.PUBLICATION_DEFINITION ;

//~ app.taggedTextImportPreferences.styleConflict = StyleConflict.TAG_FILE_DEFINITION ;

app.taggedTextImportPreferences.useTypographersQuotes = false ;

//-- Version 2.60 2009.09.13 prevent any user interaction.

var oaspuil = app.scriptPreferences.userInteractionLevel ;

app.scriptPreferences.userInteractionLevel = UserInteractionLevels.NEVER_INTERACT ;

//-- Now place the file -- simple. As a Text File that is marked as a

//-- tagged text file, it will just work.

var placeResults = location.place ( fileRef, false )

//-- Version 2.6 2009.09.13 return the user interaction levels

app.scriptPreferences.userInteractionLevel = oaspuil ;

//-- Check that the file was imported. This won't work when the wrong

//-- location is sent.

if ( placeResults == undefined ) { return false ; }

//-- implied else

return true ;

}

catch (err) {

return false ;

}

}

//