Passing Arguments

Since InDesign v18.4 arguments/parameters can be passed to UXP scripts.

You can use the script.args API to access the arguments passed to the script as an array.

Usage

Use the following to fetch the arguments passed to the script as an array:

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const script = require("uxp").script;
let argsArray = script.args
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const script = require("uxp").script;
let argsArray = script.args

Passing Arguments to InDesign Server

You can pass arguments to InDesign Server through the sampleclient.

Specify all the necessary information, such as the port number, script name, and arguments. Pass the arguments as a string where the = sign separates the key and the value. The script.args API returns an array of strings where the elements are the key/value pairs of arguments specified while executing the script. Here’s an example:

Command to Pass Arguments to IDS Scripts

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../../../../mac/debug_cocoa64/sampleclient -host localhost:12345 testArgs.idjs "arg1=100" "arg2=200"
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../../../../mac/debug_cocoa64/sampleclient -host localhost:12345 testArgs.idjs "arg1=100" "arg2=200"

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const script = require("uxp").script;
let ar = script.args;
script.setResult(ar);
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const script = require("uxp").script;
let ar = script.args;
script.setResult(ar);

The result after executing this script on InDesign Server is shown on the client side.

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Script result (LIST, 2):
    (std__string): arg1=100
    (std__string): arg2=200
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Script result (LIST, 2):
    (std__string): arg1=100
    (std__string): arg2=200

Passing Arguments to InDesign Server/ InDesign App Via doScript()

Passing arguments to another UXP script is possible with the help of the doScript API.

You can pass a variable of type array as the third parameter of the doScript API call. Unlike on InDesign Server, script.args fetches the values of the arguments passed to the external script. Here’s an example:

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//caller.idjs
const myInDesign = require("indesign");
const app = myInDesign.app;
const argsArray = [100,200];
app.doScript("PATH_TO_CALLED/called.idjs", myInDesign.ScriptLanguage.UXPSCRIPT, argsArray);
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//caller.idjs
const myInDesign = require("indesign");
const app = myInDesign.app;
const argsArray = [100,200];
app.doScript("PATH_TO_CALLED/called.idjs", myInDesign.ScriptLanguage.UXPSCRIPT, argsArray);

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//called.idjs
const script = require("uxp").script;
consoel.log(script.args);
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//called.idjs
const script = require("uxp").script;
consoel.log(script.args);

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[console] 100,200
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[console] 100,200