Indesign - merge duplicate swatches

Scripting Forums AppleScript | Mac OS X
#1

Is there a way to find and merge duplicate swatches in Indesign?

#2

That’s precisely what the merge command does.

#3

So if I have a document with the swatch “D4” and there are duplicate versions of it (say “D4 2”, D4 3", “D4 7”), to merge those duplicates so that only D4 appears I would use say:


tell application "Adobe InDesign CS6"
	activate
	tell front document
try
merge "D4" with {"D4 1", "D4 2", "D4 3", "D4 4", "D4 5", "D4 6", "D4 7", "D4 8", "D4 9", "D4 10"}
end try
end tell
#4

Did you try it?

#5

Yeah, doesn’t work.
Am I going in the right direction?

#6

You cannot use the merge command with just a literal string.
Normally these commands need object parameter

From the Indesign (CS3) dictionary:

direct parameter required reference Supported by the following objects: mixed ink, mixed ink group, gradient, swatch, color, tint.
with required anything The swatches to merge. Can accept: list of swatches, swatch or string.

PS: While searching for the right syntax, comment out any try block to get at least a significant error message

#7

thanks guys.
I’m a little confused but I guess you’re saying the code needs to read:
merge color with value {80, 0, 0, 0} with “D4”

Obviously not the right scripting code, but will that format work?

#8

No – something like:

merge color "D4" of document 1 with {color "D4 1" of document 1, ...}

Use colour/swatch/etc as appropriate.

#9

Hi. What Stefan pointed out was just that the list items need to refer to something, such as a swatch, otherwise, InDesign has no idea of what “D4 1” et al. might consist. I prefer this form to Shane’s, as you don’t have to keep retyping the object class and document reference for every swatch.

tell application "Adobe InDesign CS6"'s document 1 to merge swatch "D4" with (swatches whose name is in {"D4 1", "D4 2", "D4 3", "D4 4", "D4 5", "D4 6", "D4 7", "D4 8", "D4 9", "D4 10"})
#10

Yes, that’s much simpler. I haven’t tried it, but the dictionary implies using just strings will also work for the with parameter.

#11

Oh ok, got you.
Thank you very much guys. As you can tell I’m learning a lot as I go.
Appreciate the help