User Guide Cancel

Scripting

Search
InDesign

InDesign

Open app
  1. InDesign User Guide
  2. Get to know InDesign
    1. Introduction to InDesign
      1. What's New in InDesign
      2. What's New in InDesign (Beta)
      3. Adobe InDesign desktop release notes
      4. System requirements
      5. Common questions
      6. Use Creative Cloud libraries
      7. GPU performance
    2. Workspace
      1. Workspace basics
      2. Templates
      3. Projects
      4. Contextual task bar
      5. Customize your workspace in InDesign
      6. Toolbox
      7. Set preferences
      8. Properties panel
      9. Touch workspace
      10. Default keyboard shortcuts
      11. Undo edits and manage History panel
      12. Document recovery and undo
    3. Generative AI (Not available in mainland China)
      1. Text to Image
      2. Generative Expand
      3. Generative Fill (beta)
      4. Generative AI FAQ
  3. Create and layout documents
    1. Documents and pages
      1. Create documents
      2. Work with parent pages
      3. Work with document pages
      4. Set page size, margins, and bleed
      5. Work with files and templates
      6. Convert PDFs to InDesign Documents
      7. Create book files
      8. Add basic page numbering
      9. Number pages, chapters, and sections
      10. Convert QuarkXPress and PageMaker documents
      11. Share content
      12. Understand a basic managed-file workflow
      13. Save documents
    2. Grids
      1. Grids
      2. Format grids
    3. Flex Layout
      1. Work with Flex Layout
      2. Flex Layout panel overview
      3. Create a team page using Flex Layout
      4. Apply Flex Layout properties using object style
      5. Apply Flex Layout in an existing document
      6. Auto-detect Flex Layout in InDesign
      7. Manage Flex Layout conflicts
    4. Layout aids
      1. Rulers
      2. Align and distribute objects using rulers
      3. Measure objects using the Measure tool
  4. Add content
    1. Text
      1. Add text to frames
      2. Threading text
      3. South-East Asian Scripts
      4. Arabic and Hebrew features in InDesign
      5. Create type on a path
      6. Bullets and numbering
      7. Create math expressions
      8. Glyphs and special characters
      9. Text composition
      10. Composing CJK characters
      11. Text variables
      12. Generate QR codes
      13. Edit text
      14. Align text
      15. Wrap text around objects
      16. Anchored objects
      17. Linked content
      18. Format paragraphs
      19. Format characters
    2. Typography
      1. Using fonts in InDesign
      2. Kerning and tracking
      3. Scale and skew type
      4. Apply color effects to type
    3. Format text
      1. Format text
      2. Auto Style text
      3. Work with Style Packs
      4. Tabs and indents
    4. Review text
      1. Track and review changes
      2. Add editorial notes in InDesign
      3. Import PDF comments
    5. Spell check and language dictionaries
      1. Check spelling, autocorrect, and dynamic spelling
      2. Create, add, and manage dictionaries and words
      3. Change dictionary preferences
      4. Duden dictionary
    6. Add references
      1. Create a table of contents
      2. Footnotes
      3. Create an index
      4. Endnotes
      5. Captions
    7. Styles
      1. Paragraph and character styles
      2. Map, export, and manage styles
      3. Object styles
      4. Drop caps and nested styles
      5. Work with styles
      6. Leading
    8. Tables
      1. Format tables
      2. Create tables
      3. Table and Cell styles
      4. Select and edit tables
      5. Table strokes and fills
    9. Interactivity
      1. Hyperlinks
      2. Dynamic PDF documents
      3. Bookmarks
      4. Buttons
      5. Forms
      6. Animation
      7. Cross-references
      8. Structure PDFs
      9. Page transitions
      10. Movies and sounds
    10. Graphics
      1. Understand paths and shapes
      2. Draw with the Pencil tool
      3. Draw with the Pen tool
      4. Apply line (stroke) settings 
      5. Compound paths and shapes
      6. Edit paths
      7. Clipping paths
      8. Change corner appearance
      9. Frames and objects
      10. Align and distribute objects
      11. Linked and embedded graphics
      12. Integrate AEM assets
    11. Color and transparency
      1. Apply color
      2. Use colors from imported graphics
      3. Work with swatches
      4. Mix inks
      5. Tints
      6. Understand spot and process colors
      7. Blend colors
      8. Gradients
      9. Flatten transparent artwork
      10. Add transparency effects
  5. Find and replace
    1. Find and replace text
    2. Find and replace fonts
    3. Find and replace glyphs
    4. Find and replace using GREP expressions and queries
    5. Find and replace objects
    6. Find and replace colors
    7. Search options to find and replace
  6. Share
    1. Save and access cloud documents
    2. Organize, manage, and share cloud documents
    3. View and manage versions in cloud documents
    4. Common questions about InDesign cloud documents
    5. InCopy on the web (beta)
    6. Share and collaborate        
    7. Share for Review
    8. Review a shared InDesign document
    9. Manage feedback
    10. Invite to edit
  7. Export, import, and publish
    1. Place, export, and publish
      1. Publish online
      2. Publish online dashboard
      3. Place Firefly assets
      4. Copy, insert graphics
      5. Export to Adobe Express
      6. Export content for EPUB
      7. Adobe PDF options
      8. Export to HTML5
      9. Export content to HTML (Legacy)
      10. Export to Adobe PDF
      11. Export to JPEG or PNG format
      12. Import SVG files
      13. Supported File Formats
      14. Export and import User Settings
    2. Printing
      1. Print booklets
      2. Printer's marks and bleeds
      3. Print documents
      4. Inks, separation, and screen frequency
      5. Overprinting
      6. Create PostScript and EPS files
      7. Preflight files before handoff
      8. Print thumbnails and oversized documents
      9. Prepare PDFs for service providers
      10. Prepare to print separations
  8. Extend InDesign
    1. Automation
      1. Data merge
      2. Plug-ins
      3. Capture extension in InDesign
      4. Scripting
  9. Troubleshooting
    1. Fixed issues
    2. Known issues
    3. Crash on launch
    4. Improve InDesign performance
    5. Preference folder read-only issue
    6. Troubleshoot file issues
    7. Unable to export InDesign file to PDF
    8. InDesign document recovery

Learn how to automate common tasks using the scripts.

Sample Scripts

Community Scripts

Scripting is a powerful tool for performing a wide range of tasks. A script can be as simple as automating a common action or as complex as creating an entirely new feature. You can create your own scripts and run scripts created by others. For more information on scripting, see Scripting Guide, scripting requirements, and other developer resources.

Build plugins with UXP scripting

Developers can now use UXP Scripting to build plugins with extensive user-interface and more interactive components for users. Get started with building your first plugin.

Scripts panel and Script Label panel overview

InDesign includes two panels for scripting: the Scripts panel and the Script Label panel.

The Scripts panel lets you run scripts without leaving InDesign. It displays the scripts located in the Scripts folders in the InDesign application folder and your Preferences folder.

To open the Scripts panel, select Window > Utilities > Scripts. If you create or receive a script, place it in the Scripts Panel folder so it appears in the Scripts panel.

macOS

Users/[username]/Library/Preferences/Adobe InDesign/[version]/[language]/Scripts/Scripts Panel

Windows

Users\[username]\AppData\Roaming\Adobe\InDesign\[version]\[language]\Scripts\Scripts Panel
Note

To quickly locate the Scripts Panel folder, right-click (Windows) or control-click (macOS) a script in the Scripts panel, and then select Reveal in Explorer (Windows) or Reveal in Finder (macOS).

Use the Script Label panel to assign a label to a page item, such as a text frame or a shape. Labeling page items helps when writing scripts that need to identify specific objects. To open the Script Label panel, select Window > Utilities > Script Label.

For more information about adding, running, and editing scripts, see the Scripting Guide.

Sample scripts in InDesign

Run a script by double-clicking it in the Scripts panel or by using Quick Apply (press Ctrl + Enter (Windows) or command + return (macOS) to open Quick Apply dialog).

Script name

Function

AddGuides

Adds guides around the selected object or objects.

AddPoints

Adds points to the paths of the selected object or objects.

Add QR Code

Places a QR code on the placegun or directly as a page item.

AdjustPageItems

Moves content on even/odd pages by specified amounts to reposition items after master page margin change or page insertions.

AlignToPage

Aligns objects to specified positions on a page.

AnimationEncyclopedia

Creates buttons with different animation properties.

BreakFrame

Removes a selected text frame and its contents from the story.

CornerEffects

Redraws the path of selected items using different corner effects, including effects applied to specific path points.

CreateCharacterStyles

Defines a complete character style based on the selected text.

CropMarks

Adds crop and/or registration marks around the selected object or objects.

ExportAllStories

Exports all stories in a document to a series of text files.

FindChangeByList

Performs common text find/change operations by reading a tab-delimited text file.

ImageCatalog

Places all graphics in a specified folder in a contact sheet layout.

MakeGrid

Creates a grid by subdividing or duplicating the selected object or objects.

Neon

Applies a blend effect to the selected object or objects.

PathEffects

Changes path point positions on selected objects to add a creative effect.

PlaceMultipagePDF

Places all pages of a PDF.

SelectObjects

Selects objects on the active spread by their object type.

SortParagraphs

Sorts selected paragraphs alphabetically.

SplitStory

Splits the text frames in the selected story into separate, unlinked text frames.

TabUtilities

Applies tab stops and indents to the selected text.

For more information on installing and using these sample scripts, see Automation.

Community-contributed scripts

InDesign also provides more scripts that are created by the InDesign community. 

  • Unicode Injector by Kris Coppieters - Use keyboard shortcuts to easily insert one or more Unicode characters into InDesign text. For more information, see Instructions. 
  • Insert Typographer Quote by Stefan Rakete - Use keyboard shortcuts to add defined typographic quotes before and after the selected text. For more information, see Instructions. 
  • Layer Cloner by Paolo Agostinetto - This script allows you to copy one layer and its elements from one document to another. For more information, see Instructions. 
  • Get x-Height by Roland Dreger - Determine the x-height of a text passage. For more information, see Instructions.
  • Snap Margins to Text Frame by Ariel Walden - A script to modify the document's margins throughout to match the selected text frame. For more information, see Instructions.
  • Break Text Thread by Ariel Walden - An InDesign script that makes breaking the thread between text frames easy. For more information, see Instructions.
  • InCopy Note Alert by Kris Coppieters - A startup script for Adobe® InDesign® and Adobe InCopy® which alerts to the presence of notes. For more information, see Instructions.
  • Copy Paste Coordinates by Kris Coppieters - Script to copy-paste coordinates onto page items. For more information, see Instructions.
  • Chain Grep by Gregor Fellenz - Chain InDesign GREP Queries to new Scripts. For more information, see Instructions.
  • Clear Overrides by Gregor Fellenz - Clear style overrides from InDesign Text, Tables or Objects. For more information, see Instructions.
  • Invert Selection by Luis Felipe Corullón - Script to invert the selection in InDesign document. For more information, see Instructions.
  • Layer Cloner by Paolo Agostinetto - This script allows you to copy a layer and its elements from one document to another. For more information, see Instructions. 
  • End Notes to End of Book Notes by Peter Kahrel - Convert end-of-document endnotes to end-of-book endnotes. For more information, see Instructions. 
  • Renumbering Endnote References by Peter Kahrel - Script creates endnotes whose references do not update automatically when you add or remove endnotes. For more information, see Instructions. 
  • Size Thing to Page by Olav Kvern - Resizes the current selection such as an image to the size of the page. For more information, see Instructions. 
  • Size Page to Thing by Olav Kvern - Resizes the page to the size of the current selection such as an image. For more information, see Instructions.

Adobe maintains a repository of open source community scripts on GitHub. For more information about the InDesign Community Script repository, see the ReadMe file. This ReadMe file includes details about contributing a script and links to the scripters. 

More like this

Have a question or an idea?

Ask the Community

If you have a question to ask or an idea to share, come and participate in Adobe InDesign Community. We would love to hear from you and see your creations.

Adobe, Inc.

Get help faster and easier

New user?

Quick links

View all your plans Manage your plans
View quick links
Hide quick links

Legal Notices    |    Online Privacy Policy