[JS CS6] paste onto active document from external .indd

Unfortunately what I'm pasting needs to be editable (they're templates for various differently designed text boxes, some with graphics, backgrounds, headings etc), when I place an .indd file it just becomes a static graphic (unless I paste snippets, but they're not as quick to edit as an .indd)

The method would be, assuming the blank document is already open:

• Open the appropriate BMDFile .indd
• Copy all from it
• Paste to the already open blank document (which will be the correct size, they're all the same)
• Close the external file

Unfortuately the Workflow setup here (that I cant change is)

• Designer accepts a job for a customers ad with other software we use, it creates a blank indesign template with the correct name in the correct place with correct colour settings etc
• It opens that blank document in InDesign and the designer makes the ad
• Designer ends the job by using a script here (which I cant change) to Save (on top) & generate a PDF to specific settings

So unfortunately the 'current empty document' I'm looking to paste this external stuff onto, is a file that could be in various different folders and names, i can't see an easy way to script it.

I just wanted to script:

• Designer has the automatic blank template up, sees its a repetative ad
• Designer presses F4 (or similar for this script) types a code number
• Script pastes the almost fully made ad on the template for them

If indesign cant do this, i'm probably better off scripting windows to find out where these files are saves and copy a pre-saved template into the relevant folder with the new name (if i can find out how its generated) and then open that.  But this means the designer would be shutting down a blank template, running a script then opening it, not very intuative.  I was thinking of a library but only one user can work on it at a time, so not ideal.  Placing a Snippet DOES work, leaving editable objects, but to update a snippet seems to be a lot of unnecessary clicks if it could just remain an .indd that anyone could go in and update as necessary

Before you think it, don't worry, i agree this companies workflow is akward at best, i'm just trying to save daily repetitive clicks, file browsing and copy & pasting for pretty simple templates.

Ah thankyou Jarek, I was wrong on the indexes!  I thought last opened was [1]

This ALMOST works

app.open(BMDFile);

var doc1 = app.documents[0]; // copy from

var doc2 = app.documents[1];  // paste to

for(i=0; i<doc1.pages.length; i++)

{

    if(doc2.pages.length < i+1){

        doc2.pages.add();

    }

    doc1.pages[i].pageItems.everyItem().duplicate(doc2.pages[i]);

};

app.activeDocument.close();

But there are items missing from the copy & paste, it doesn't seem to bring across any images boxes?

ah apologies, it is pasting the graphics, but the layer order is changing during the paste so they were all behind.  I guess i need to script it to group everything before pasting or something?

Hmm, everything on the source document(s) only have 1 layer, the script seems to be re-ordering the items back to front, so the white background is becoming the topmost item after the duplicate

Seems to give the same result I'm afraid, images are behind still.

Managed to cobble together a group/ungroup method which seems to work!

// open the BMDFile external doc

app.open(BMDFile);

var doc1 = app.documents[0]; //  the BMDFile external doc

var doc2 = app.documents[1];  // currently open blank doc

for(i=0; i<doc1.pages.length; i++)

{

    if(doc2.pages.length < i+1){

        doc2.pages.add();

    }

// group everything to avoid the order changing

    var myObj = new Array;

    myObj = app.activeWindow.activePage.pageItems;

    app.activeWindow.activePage.groups.add(myObj);

// duplicate

    doc1.pages[i].pageItems.everyItem().duplicate(doc2.pages[i]);

// ungroup everything

    with(app.documents[1]) { 

        while (groups.length != 0) { 

        groups.everyItem().ungroup(); 

        } 

      }      

};

// close the BMDFile external doc, dont save changes

app.activeDocument.close(SaveOptions.no);

It's probably not ideal, but my company aren't paying me to do this, so it will do for now!