Resize by value with Applescript?

[DBLjan]

Hello Scripters,

i need a tiny bit of help to finish the last bit of a quick-and-dirty.

tell application "Adobe InDesign CC 2017"

set mySel to selection

set myitem to item 1 of mySel

resize myitem …

• I need my selected item (a picture frame) be exactly 9 mm (milimeters) in heigth, width scaling proportional, using the anchor upper left.

Thanks in advance!

[Loic.Aigon · Accepted solution]

You can use resize or transform with a simple math. However that will not work nicely if item is rotated or skewed or both.

Dealing with geometry inside indesign is actually a science topic by itself…

tell application "Adobe InDesign CC 2017"
  set sel to selection
  if (count of items in sel) = 0 then
  display dialog "You need one item to be selected"
  else
  set doc to active document
  set sel to item 1 of sel
  set vb to visible bounds of sel
  set uncertainHeight to ((item 3 of vb) - (item 1 of vb))
  set ratio to 9 / uncertainHeight
  --Using matrix
  set myTransformationMatrix to make transformation matrix with properties {horizontal scale factor:ratio, vertical scale factor:ratio}
  tell sel to transform in pasteboard coordinates from center anchor with matrix myTransformationMatrix
  --OR using resize
  --tell sel to resize in pasteboard coordinates from center anchor by multiplying current dimensions by values {ratio, ratio}
  end if
end tell

[DBLjan]

Good job Loic.Aigon​ !

And I never was close to that code you delivered . Also I didnt know about uncertainHeight, would come in handy in future.

Have a nice day!

[Loic.Aigon]

Once again, uncertainHeight stands for what it means i.e. a possible value for the height. If the item is rotated or skewed or both that will throw a wrong value. Normally it would imply dealing with internal object geometry for stronger results.

[DBLjan]

Thanks for the warning, I'll be careful with my script. But since its for a logo exchange routine, nothing will be skewed or rotated *phew*.