VBScript to call JavaScript

[Ghoulfool-Rz4oxM]

See if you guys can help me:

Is there a way for a Photoshop VBScript to call a JavaScript file?

Or at least pass some user input (variable or return from function) from one script to another.

Here's what I have. This simple VBScript asks for the user to type in their name which is then created as text in the second script.

VBScript

' Ask User for input
Dim appRef Set appRef = CreateObject( "Photoshop.Application" )
Dim askName : askName = InputBox("Enter name: ")

JavaScript

// create a document to work with
var docRef = app.documents.add(200, 100, 72, "Hello");

// Create a new art layer containing text
var artLayerRef = docRef.artLayers.add();
artLayerRef.kind = LayerKind.TEXT;

// Set the contents of the text layer.
var textItemRef = artLayerRef.textItem
textItemRef.contents = "Hello " + askName

What do I need to connect the two up?

[pixxxelschubser]

Sorry.

You always asking but never give credits to your helper.

[Ghoulfool-Rz4oxM]

Probably because that's not been pointed out to me

Whooops! My bad

[Kasyan Servetsky]

You don't need VBS for this. JS has Prompt.

main();
function main() {
    var askName = prompt("Enter name:", "", "My script");
    // if the user hits 'Cancet', it returns null, otherwise the value of the text edit field 
    if (askName != null) {
        // create a document to work with
        var docRef = app.documents.add(200, 100, 72, "Hello");
        // Create a new art layer containing text
        var artLayerRef = docRef.artLayers.add();
        artLayerRef.kind = LayerKind.TEXT;
        // Set the contents of the text layer.
        var textItemRef = artLayerRef.textItem
        textItemRef.contents = "Hello " + askName;
    }
}

— Kas

[Ghoulfool-Rz4oxM]

Kas,

I know about JavaScript UI but... I've been having the same problems as this guy: Script won't create UI as window does not have a constructor. The problem is erratic and hard to pin down. I do NOT want to have to delete PS prefs each time.

So I was wondering if it was possible to get VBS UI to call the JavaScript. - Although I might end up doing something in HTML instead

[Kasyan Servetsky]

Unlike InDesign, Photoshop doesn't have the 'doScript' method so, of the top of my head,  my answer is no, it's impossible. Maybe there's a workaround but I don't know about it.

In my opinion, the easiest approach, in this case, would be to translate the script from JS to VBA.

— Kas

[SuperMerlin · Accepted solution]

Check out this thread.. Calling an action in extendscript toolkit

[Kasyan Servetsky]

I looked for it only in the JS reference: obviously it wasn't there. It is in the VBS reference (last time wrote in VB for Photoshop somewhere in 2004 -- that's why I didn't look here) so theoretically it should work but, for some reason, VBS-files don't appear in my scripts menu (tested in CC 2015 and 17). Also, they're unavailable via 'Browse' menu: it allows to choose only JS.

CC 2015

CC 2017

Here they give a contradictory information:

First they say: "In Windows, you can use scripting languages that support COM automation, such as VB Script."

A few lines below: "Choose File > Scripts and then select the script from the list. The scripts list includes all the script files saved with a .js or .jsx extension and saved in the Photoshop CS5/Presets/Scripts folder. To run a script saved in another location, choose File > Scripts > Browse and navigate to the script."

— Kas