Output function (results to a file) in Extendscript

[klk_nc]

When I check a script I use the alert to see if the code is working, such as "Current tag is body".

Is there a function that outputs alert results to a file? For example, a way to send to a file all

of the paragraph tags that are used in a document. (The actual code could be a loop). I could

use this as a start to produce what I really want, an array of all the valid tags, and then print to a file

a list of all the "rogue" tags that are not in the valid list

[4everJang]

Check the JavaScript Tools Guide for details about the File object. Basically, it works more or less like this:

var oFile = new File ( /* full path name as text string */ );

oFile.open( "w" );     /* use "a" to append, "w" to remove existing text.

oFile.writeln ( "Whatever you want to write in there" );

oFile.close (  );

Ciao

Jang

[klk_nc]

Here's the code I have, but the Extendscript debugger says oFile.open is not a function, is this only for javascript?

Thanks,

Keith

function processDoc (doc) {

        //Process the paragraphs and tables in the main document flow

        var textList, count = 0, i = 0, tbl = 0, pgf = 0;

        var oFile = "c:\myname\tags-list.txt";

        // Turn off the document display to speed the script and

        // prevent screen flicker.

        if (app.Displaying == 1) {

        app.Displaying = 0;

        }

        //Process each top-level paragraph in document

        oFile.open("a");

        pgf = doc.MainFlowInDoc.FirstTextFrameInFlow.FirstPgf;

        while (pgf.ObjectValid()) {

    //!!    applyNewPgfFmt(pgf,doc);

    oFile.Writeln(pgf.Name);

            pgf = pgf.NextPgfInFlow;

        }

    oFile.close();

[klk_nc]

OK, was in a hurry, see that the new is a resreved word, this should be closer, there are no errors but no text output, I'll keep trying...

//Process the paragraphs and tables in the main document flow

        var textList, count = 0, i = 0, tbl = 0, pgf = 0;

        var tagsFile = new File ("C:\extend\tag_list.txt")

        // Turn off the document display to speed the script and

        // prevent screen flicker.

        if (app.Displaying == 1) {

        app.Displaying = 0;

        }

        //Process each top-level paragraph in document

        tagsFile.open("a");

        pgf = doc.MainFlowInDoc.FirstTextFrameInFlow.FirstPgf;

        while (pgf.ObjectValid()) {

    //!!    applyNewPgfFmt(pgf,doc);

            tagsFile.writeln (pgf.NextPgfInFlow);

            // pgf = pgf.NextPgfInFlow;

        }

    tagsFile.close();

[4everJang]

Keith,

There are a couple of problems with your script.

1. You need to 'escape' the backslash in strings. So the code for creating your file should look like this:

var tagsFile = new File ("C:\\extend\tag_list.txt")

2. You cannot write the pgf to a text file as the pgf is an object that contains a whole lot of properties. I am not sure which property you want to write to the text file, but if you want to write the paragraph format tag, you should use:

tagsFile.writeln (pgf.NextPgfInFlow.Name);

Good luck

Jang

[klk_nc]

Thanks, I got it to work, with using foraward slashes and an extra step, is there an advantage to your code? Sometimes mine will lock up Frame:

function processDoc (doc) {

        //Process the paragraphs and tables in the main document flow

        var textList, count = 0, i = 0, tbl = 0, pgf = 0;

        var tagsFile = new File ("/<path>/For_Keith/tag_list.txt")

        alert (tagsFile);

        // Turn off the document display to speed the script and

        // prevent screen flicker.

        if (app.Displaying == 1) {

        app.Displaying = 0;

        }

        //Process each top-level paragraph in document

        tagsFile.open("w");

        pgf = doc.MainFlowInDoc.FirstTextFrameInFlow.FirstPgf;

        while (pgf.ObjectValid()) {

    //!!    applyNewPgfFmt(pgf,doc);

            tagsFile.writeln (pgf.Name);

            pgf = pgf.NextPgfInFlow;

        }

     tagsFile.close();  

   }

[4everJang]

Hi Keith,

I can't tell why Frame sometimes locks up, as I don't know what your applyNewPgfFmt function looks like. I would keep displaying on until the code is perfected and well-tested, then use the debug mode to step through until it hits the spot where Frame locks up. You can also write debug messages to either a text file or the console, simply by using the function Console( "message" );

Good luck

Jang