XMLElement

An XML element.

Instance

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InsertionPoint storyOffset

The insertion point before the table in the story containing the table.

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Story parentStory

The story that contains the text.

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Mixed xmlContent

The text content or page item referred to by the element. Can return: Text, Story, PageItem, Movie, Sound, Graphic, Table or Cell.

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Number id

The unique ID of the XMLElement.

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Boolean isValid

Returns true if the object specifier resolves to valid objects.

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Mixed parent

The parent of the XMLElement (a Document or XMLElement).

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Number index

The index of the XMLElement within its containing object.

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XMLAttributes xmlAttributes

A collection of XML attributes.

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XMLElements xmlElements

A collection of XML elements.

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XMLItems xmlItems

A collection of XML items.

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XMLComments xmlComments

A collection of XML comments.

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XMLInstructions xmlInstructions

A collection of XML instructions.

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PageItems pageItems

The page items collection, which can be used to process all page items in a container (such as a document, page, or group), regardless of type.

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Images images

A collection of bitmap images in any bitmap file format (including TIFF, JPEG, or GIF).

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Graphics graphics

A collection of imported graphics in any graphic file format (vector, metafile, or bitmap).

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EPSs epss

A collection of EPS files.

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WMFs wmfs

A collection of WMF graphics.

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PICTs picts

A collection of PICT graphics.

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PDFs pdfs

A collection of PDF files.

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Stories stories

A collection of stories.

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Tables tables

A collection of tables.

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Cells cells

A collection of table cells.

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Texts texts

A collection of text objects.

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Characters characters

A collection of characters.

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Words words

A collection of words.

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Lines lines

A collection of lines.

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TextColumns textColumns

A collection of text columns.

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Paragraphs paragraphs

A collection of paragraphs.

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InsertionPoints insertionPoints

A collection of insertion points.

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TextStyleRanges textStyleRanges

A collection of text style ranges.

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Events events

A collection of events.

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EventListeners eventListeners

A collection of event listeners.

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SVGs svgs

A collection of SVG files.

XMLTag markupTag

The XML tag applied to the element. Can also accept: String.

Mixed contents

The contents of the text. Can return: String or SpecialCharacters enumerator.

Object properties

A property that allows setting of several properties at the same time.

Methods

Asset store( Library using, Object withProperties )

Stores the object in the specified library.

Parameters

Type
Name
Description
Library
using
The library in which to store the object.
Object
withProperties
Initial values for properties of the new XMLElement (Optional)

XMLElement move( LocationOptions to, Mixed reference )

Moves the element to the specified location.

Parameters

Type
Name
Description
LocationOptions
to
The location in relation to the reference object or within the containing object.
Mixed
reference
The reference object. Note: Required when the to parameter specifies before or after. . Can accept: XMLItem or Text. (Optional)

XMLElement duplicate()

Duplicates the XMLElement.

markup( Mixed using )

Associates the object with the specified XML element while preserving existing content.

Parameters

Type
Name
Description
Mixed
using
The object to mark up. Can accept: PageItem, Movie, Sound, Graphic, Story, Text or Table.

placeXML( Mixed using )

Places XML content into the story, replacing the existing content.

Parameters

Type
Name
Description
Mixed
using
The object to place into. Can accept: Story, PageItem, Graphic, Movie or Sound.

untag()

Untags an element.

ValidationError validate( Number maximumErrors )

Validates the element against a DTD.

Parameters

Type
Name
Description
Number
maximumErrors
The maximum number of validation errors to generate. (Optional)

applyParagraphStyle( Mixed using, Boolean clearingOverrides )

Applies the specified paragraph style to the text content of the XMLElement.

Parameters

Type
Name
Description
Mixed
using
The paragraph style to apply. Can accept: String or ParagraphStyle.
Boolean
clearingOverrides
If true, clears any attributes before applying the style. (Optional)

applyCharacterStyle( Mixed using )

Applies the specified character style to the text content of the XMLElement.

Parameters

Type
Name
Description
Mixed
using
The character style to apply. Can accept: String or CharacterStyle.

XMLAttribute convertToAttribute( String using )

Converts the XMLElement to an attribute of its parent element.

Parameters

Type
Name
Description
String
using
The name to give to the new attribute. (Optional)

Table convertElementToTable( XMLTag rowTag, XMLTag cellTag )

Converts the content of the XML element to a table.

Parameters

Type
Name
Description
XMLTag
rowTag
The XML tag that indicates a table row.
XMLTag
cellTag
The XML tag that indicates a table cell.

PageItem placeIntoInlineFrame( Measurement Unit (Number or String)=any dimensions )

Places an XML element into an inline frame.

Parameters

Type
Name
Description
Measurement Unit (Number or String)=any
dimensions
The dimensions of the inline frame in the format [width, height].

PageItem placeIntoInlineCopy( PageItem copyItem, Boolean retainExistingFrame )

Associates an existing page item with the XML element and places it into an inline frame.

Parameters

Type
Name
Description
PageItem
copyItem
The page item to copy.
Boolean
retainExistingFrame
If true, moves the existing page item. If false, moves a copy of the page item. (Optional)

PageItem setContent( String using, String relativeBasePath )

Replaces the content of XML element with content imported from a file.

Parameters

Type
Name
Description
String
using
The file path to the import file.
String
relativeBasePath
Base path used to resolve relative paths. (Optional)

Text insertTextAsContent( Mixed using, XMLElementPosition position )

Inserts the specified text as content before, in, or after the XML element.

Parameters

Type
Name
Description
Mixed
using
The text to be inserted. Can accept: String or SpecialCharacters enumerator.
XMLElementPosition
position
The position at which to insert the text. Note that text inserted before or after the element does not become part of the content of the element. Instead, it becomes content of the parent of the element.

applyTableStyle( Mixed using, Boolean clearingOverrides )

Applies a table style to the table associated with the XMLElement.

Parameters

Type
Name
Description
Mixed
using
The table style to apply. Can accept: String or TableStyle.
Boolean
clearingOverrides
If true, removes local formatting before applying the table style. (Optional)

applyCellStyle( Mixed using, Boolean clearingOverrides )

Applies a cell style to the table cells associated with the XMLElement.

Parameters

Type
Name
Description
Mixed
using
The cell style to apply. Can accept: String or CellStyle.
Boolean
clearingOverrides
If true, removes local formatting before applying the cell style. (Optional)

applyObjectStyle( Mixed using, Boolean clearingOverrides, Boolean clearingOverridesThroughRootObjectStyle )

Applies an object style to the frame associated with the XMLElement.

Parameters

Type
Name
Description
Mixed
using
The object style to apply. Can accept: String or ObjectStyle.
Boolean
clearingOverrides
If true, removes local formatting before applying the object style. (Optional)
Boolean
clearingOverridesThroughRootObjectStyle
If true, clears unchecked category attributes through the root style. (Optional)

PageItem placeIntoFrame( Mixed on, Measurement Unit (Number or String)=any geometricBounds )

Places the XML element into a new rectangular page item. If the XML element was already associated with a page item, that page item is deleted.

Parameters

Type
Name
Description
Mixed
on
The page or spread on which to create the new page item. Can accept: Spread, Page or MasterSpread.
Measurement Unit (Number or String)=any
geometricBounds
The bounds of the page item excluding the stroke width, in the format [y1, x1, y2, x2].

PageItem placeIntoCopy( Mixed on, Measurement Unit (Number or String)=any placePoint, PageItem copyItem, Boolean retainExistingFrame )

Associates the XML element with a copy of a page item.

Parameters

Type
Name
Description
Mixed
on
The page or spread on which to create the new page item. Can accept: Spread, Page or MasterSpread.
Measurement Unit (Number or String)=any
placePoint
The page coordinates of the top left corner of the page item, in the format [y1, x1]
PageItem
copyItem
The page item to copy.
Boolean
retainExistingFrame
If true, associates the XML element with the existing page item and moves the page item (rather than a copy of the page item). (Optional)

importXML( File from )

Imports the specified XML file into an InDesign document.

Parameters

Type
Name
Description
File
from
The XML file.

XMLItem evaluateXPathExpression( String using, Mixed prefixMappingTable )

Evaluates an XPath expression starting at this XML element in the structure.

Parameters

Type
Name
Description
String
using
The XPath expression.
Mixed
prefixMappingTable
The namespace mapping table. Can accept: Array of Arrays of 2 Strings. (Optional)

Text findText( Boolean reverseOrder )

Finds text that matches the find what value.

Parameters

Type
Name
Description
Boolean
reverseOrder
If true, returns the results in reverse order. (Optional)

Text changeText( Boolean reverseOrder )

Finds text that matches the find what value and replaces the text with the change to value.

Parameters

Type
Name
Description
Boolean
reverseOrder
If true, returns the results in reverse order. (Optional)

Text findGrep( Boolean reverseOrder )

Finds text that matches the find what value.

Parameters

Type
Name
Description
Boolean
reverseOrder
If true, returns the results in reverse order. (Optional)

Text changeGrep( Boolean reverseOrder )

Finds text that matches the find what value and replaces the text with the change to value.

Parameters

Type
Name
Description
Boolean
reverseOrder
If true, returns the results in reverse order. (Optional)

Text findTransliterate( Boolean reverseOrder )

Finds text that matches the find character type value.

Parameters

Type
Name
Description
Boolean
reverseOrder
If true, returns the results in reverse order. (Optional)

Text changeTransliterate( Boolean reverseOrder )

Finds text that matches the find character type value and replaces the text with the change character type value.

Parameters

Type
Name
Description
Boolean
reverseOrder
If true, returns the results in reverse order. (Optional)

exportFile( Mixed format, File to, Boolean showingOptions, PDFExportPreset using, String versionComments, Boolean forceSave )

Exports the object(s) to a file.

Parameters

Type
Name
Description
Mixed
format
The export format, specified as an enumeration value or as an extension that appears in the Save as type or Format menu in the Export dialog. Can accept: ExportFormat enumerator or String.
File
to
The path to the export file.
Boolean
showingOptions
If true, displays the export options dialog. (Optional)
PDFExportPreset
using
The export style. (Optional)
String
versionComments
The comment for this version. (Optional)
Boolean
forceSave
If true, forcibly saves a version. (Optional)

BackgroundTask asynchronousExportFile( Mixed format, File to, Boolean showingOptions, PDFExportPreset using, String versionComments, Boolean forceSave )

asynchronously exports the object(s) to a file.

Parameters

Type
Name
Description
Mixed
format
The export format, specified as an enumeration value or as an extension that appears in the Save as type or Format menu in the Export dialog. Can accept: ExportFormat enumerator or String.
File
to
The path to the export file.
Boolean
showingOptions
If true, displays the export options dialog. (Optional)
PDFExportPreset
using
The export style. (Optional)
String
versionComments
The comment for this version. (Optional)
Boolean
forceSave
If true, forcibly saves a version. (Optional)

remove()

Deletes the XMLElement.

select( SelectionOptions existingSelection )

Selects the object.

Parameters

Type
Name
Description
SelectionOptions
existingSelection
The selection status of the XMLElement in relation to previously selected objects. (Optional)

String toSource()

Generates a string which, if executed, will return the XMLElement.

XMLElement getElements()

Resolves the object specifier, creating an array of object references.

String toSpecifier()

Retrieves the object specifier.

EventListener addEventListener( String eventType, Mixed handler, Boolean captures )

Adds an event listener.

Parameters

Type
Name
Description
String
eventType
The event type.
Mixed
handler
The event handler. Can accept: File or JavaScript Function.
Boolean
captures
This parameter is obsolete. (Optional)

Boolean removeEventListener( String eventType, Mixed handler, Boolean captures )

Removes the event listener.

Parameters

Type
Name
Description
String
eventType
The registered event type.
Mixed
handler
The registered event handler. Can accept: File or JavaScript Function.
Boolean
captures
This parameter is obsolete. (Optional)