Wonderful! But…

[valaxedoprepress]

Hello!
I'll beforehand would like to thank you for this very great script! What a huge work indeed!
It's very useful. But as I'm not very familiar with the scripting matter, I was wondering how to amend it.
I'll like to add an input folder for batch processing and a renaming filename, which would allow us to add a prefix too.
Any thought would be very, very inspiring.
Thank again.
Best!

[pchiorean]

Which particular script are you referring to?

[valaxedoprepress]

Quick answer! It's the QuickExport, so far.

[pchiorean]

The batch processing mode is activated when you run the script without open documents – then you can select an input folder as source.

The script only adds suffixes, because that's necessary to differentiate PDFs by export type. Why you need prefixes? Please explain more clearly what you need.

[valaxedoprepress]

Good to know. I'll give a try.

The suffix is intented to batch rename PDF with dedicated internal naming convention.

[pchiorean]

P.S. For advanced renaming I prefer to use specialized applications like A Better Finder Rename or the batch renaming commands from ForkLift or PathFinder. I mean, I prefer to keep my scripts as simple as necessary.

[valaxedoprepress]

I partially agree depending on the manner you have to work.
On my side, if it's partially automated at the same place, it's easier.

But of course, I understand your own concern. :-)

[pchiorean]

I understand; while I haven't required export prefixes so far, that's an interesting case. I'm open to adding prefix support, but I'll need more specific details about your requirements.

The complexity of the implementation will influence the timeline, particularly if it involves UI changes, which can be time-consuming (I juggle this project with my work commitments).

[valaxedoprepress]

Sure.
I'm investigating several options, so far.
I often have a huge amount of InDesign files, which should be written with a very specific naming convention, like codename_jobname_kind_date. But they are not originally shared with it. So, I began to try to build a JavaScript, which would allow to completely rename the open file. I also think of a CSV link like I already saw for batch linked images renamed. And finally, I'm wondering if I could just rename the PDF when it comes time to export it. That's why I saw your QuickExport.

[pchiorean]

I'm trying to understand if

• you just want to add a predefined prefix ('codename_jobname_kind_date') to all files exported from the same batch,
• or those are variables that are changing depending on some conditions and/or the contents of the files.

[valaxedoprepress]

I'm looking for a predefined prefix, which is different for each file.
The former file comes from templates and the new filename must include a specific item number.

[pchiorean]

I imagine that you generate from a template several INDDs with the required names and export those, but I may be wrong.

I'm sorry, the information you give is rather vague. I'd rather you explain what you want me to do instead of me asking a ton of questions. 🙂

[valaxedoprepress]

I apologize if I'm vague. It's not my purpose. In a few words, I have to concatenate several already named template InDesign files and rename them by adding accordingly to a mandatory internal name for a submission tool form.
So, by example, I have a template sheet called Xbox_OWP_Inside_Template_8.2.pdf which needs to become 900+[6 specific numbers according to this item]_Xbox_GameName_Inlay_UK.pdf.

[pchiorean]

Your example does not involve InDesign at all, you go from template.pdf to renamed_output.pdf. 🙂 If you intended to say template.indd instead, you'll have to use a list to match old and new names, anyway. Renaming the files with a batch rename tool that can use a CSV or TSV list seems a more straightforward path to me.

Anyway, after you start using an advanced renaming tool with multiple steps and good regular expression support, you can never go back. 😉

[pchiorean]

P.S. Also, see this.

[valaxedoprepress]

You're totally right. I would prefer to modify the Indesign filename but, as I'm not the only one involved in the process, I know, by experience, thats difficult for everyone to follow the same rules. And because I'm not the owner of all production, that's why I'm also looking for a solution with PDF export. In such way, whatever the original filename is, the final PDF would be always renamed equally with, at, least, a, variable in the prefix, for the internal code name. So, for example, an INDD Xbox-owc-ukv.indd could be exported as 900+6internal digits-Xbox-Inlay-UK.pdf Does it make more sense to you? Le 21 janvier 2025 18:09:59 GMT+01:00, Paul Chiorean ***@***.***> a écrit :

…

Your example does not involve InDesign at all, you go from **template.pdf** to **renamed_output.pdf**. 🙂 If you intended to say **template.indd** instead, you'll have to use a list to match old and new names, anyway. Renaming the files with a batch rename tool that can use a CSV or TSV list seems a more straightforward path to me. Anyway, after you start using an advanced renaming tool with multiple steps and good regular expression support, you can never go back. 😉 -- Reply to this email directly or view it on GitHub: #143 (reply in thread) You are receiving this because you authored the thread. Message ID: ***@***.***>

[pchiorean]

You were telling me that you have large amounts of InDesign files that you export – if you batch export a folder with hundreds of files that will each have to have different names, how does the script know how to do that? You have to use some table, right?

[valaxedoprepress]

Yes. And I think they are two, different approaches. I could do it step by step, file per file. It's time consuming but it would only come when myself, or the team I work with, export to a PDF. In such a way, what, you built might be very useful, the lack of prefix except. In another hand, I also could plan to firstly batch all the native files with a CSV. But this work should be done only by one person who, then, shared the "new" templates to the team. It's also time consuming but, this time, only for one guy. Le 21 janvier 2025 21:32:45 GMT+01:00, Paul Chiorean ***@***.***> a écrit :

…

You were telling me that you have large amounts of InDesign files that you export – if you batch export a folder with hundreds of files that will each have to have different names, how does the script know how to do that? You have to use some table, right? -- Reply to this email directly or view it on GitHub: #143 (reply in thread) You are receiving this because you authored the thread. Message ID: ***@***.***>

[pchiorean]

I'll think of something and get back to you. It might take a while, though, I'm kind of busy right now.

[pchiorean]

Hi, sorry for this delay – I've been pretty busy at work. I've added a field for the prefix and made the suffix field editable as well. I know that this doesn't allow full renaming of the exported file, but I hope it helps somehow.

A workaround for full file renaming involves a table that the script has to parse to match a new name; it can be done but I think that's a user-case that is beyond the scope of this script.

QuickExport-25.3.2.zip

[valaxedoprepress]

Hi!
Thank's for this new version but unfortunately, it doesn't work for me so far.

When opened, it returns an error: log is not a function on line 29 AKA:
app.doScript(QuickExport, ScriptLanguage.JAVASCRIPT, undefined, UndoModes.ENTIRE_SCRIPT, 'QuickExport');

For your record, I tested it on MacOS Sonoma 14.7.4 with InDesign 20.2.

Best!

[pchiorean]

Lol, sorry, I forgot to delete some debugging stuff! Attached a fixed version.
QuickExport-25.3.2fixed.zip

[valaxedoprepress]

Thankks! IT works fine. :)
I tried on my own to also create one simple JScript which is more basic but with regular expressions to avoid/force certain characters.
In the mean time, I added some dialog boxes with rollers to choose the proper items.
These functions with yours will fit perfectly and will be awesome.

[valaxedoprepress]

naming_convention.zip