LayoutBridge Light for Adobe InDesign®

Add an index entry (Registereintrag): topic as a path of 1 to 4 levels (missing levels are created), sort_as (sort key per level). Where it points: a text range of a story (frame_id with start_index and optional end_index, indices as get_frame_text) or find_text – every occurrence in the document or, with frame_id, in that story (case_sensitive, whole_word, max_matches default 100; text of tables of contents and indexes is skipped). page_reference_type current_page (default), to_next_style_change, to_next_use_of_style (limit_paragraph_style), to_end_of_story, to_end_of_section, to_end_of_document, for_next_paragraphs or for_next_pages (limit_count), suppress_page_numbers; page_number_style overrides the character style of the page number. cross_reference {type see (default) | see_also | see_or_see_also | see_herein | see_also_herein | custom | custom_before | custom_after, topic (path, created if missing), custom_text} adds a "see" reference instead of or besides the page reference. A page reference inserts an invisible marker character before its source, so story indices behind it shift by one. Stories that are locked by an editorial workflow (lock_state) are refused (story_locked) or, with find_text, skipped (skipped_locked). Returns topic, index_created, created_topics[] (paths), page_references[] {page_reference_id, type, page_id, page_name, frame_id, story_id, index, in_overset}, page_reference_count, matches_found, skipped_locked, cross_reference. Then generate_index.

Add a page at "start", at "end" (default) or relative to a page: { after_page_id } or { before_page_id } – not position or at_index. Returns page_id, index, name and spread_page_count of the spread (Druckbogen) the page landed on, with a warning when that spread now has more than two pages (with "allow pages to shuffle" off InDesign appends to the existing spread). New pages do not inherit a master page – call apply_parent_to_page. The layout window keeps its view (keep_view, default true); pass keep_view false to let InDesign show the new page.

Anchor a frame, picture, line or group at a text position (verankertes Objekt) so it moves with the text on reflow: target_frame_id names a frame of the story, index the character position (default: end of the story), position inline (on the baseline), above_line, or custom with offset_mm {x, y}, anchor_point, horizontal_reference (anchor_location, column_edge, text_frame, page_margins, page_edge), vertical_reference (line_baseline, line_xheight, line_ascent, cap_height, top_of_leading, embox_top, embox_middle, embox_bottom, column_edge, text_frame, page_margins, page_edge), horizontal_alignment (left, center, right, text), vertical_alignment (top, center, bottom), keep_within_frame, lock_position. For above_line, horizontal_alignment (left, center, right, text) aligns the object in the text column and space_before_mm/space_after_mm set the space before and after it (Abstand davor/danach). The object leaves its page and becomes part of the story (an U+FFFC character at index). Returns frame_id (read back; a new id is warned), story_id, index, story_length, settings (for above_line with space_before_mm, space_after_mm), bounds_mm, page_id (the page the anchored object stands on after the story is recomposed) and story_overset (warning). Fails on group members, already anchored objects, a frame of the target story, locked layers. An anchored object leaves its place on the page and follows the text on reflow – anchor deliberately (captions, marginalia, inline symbols) and leave objects that must keep their position unanchored.

Local character formatting without a style for the characters start_index (inclusive) to end_index (exclusive) of the story of a text frame: font_style (exact InDesign style name – fetch it with get_font_info_at_index first, "75 Bold" rather than "Bold"; optional font_family to switch the family), swatch_name (an existing swatch, exact name; built-ins are "Black", "Paper", "None"), superscript (true/false), tracking (Laufweite in 1/1000 em, -1000 to 10000; the server configuration can set a tolerance beyond which a warning is given), point_size (0–1296, the only way to a size without a paragraph style). At least one attribute. Never changes text. Returns applied[], point_size_applied, font_family, font_style and fill_color read back at the first character for a cross-check, plus characters_affected. Stories managed by an editorial workflow (InCopy) that are not checked out here (lock_state checked_in_story, locked_story, missing_lock_state or mixed_lock_state) are refused before anything is written: invalid_state with details.code "story_locked" (details: frame_id, story_id, lock_state, managed_file) – check the story out in the editorial system or in InCopy first.

Apply an existing character style (Zeichenformat) to the characters start_index (inclusive) to end_index (exclusive) of the story of a text frame. The style must exist (define_character_style; list_paragraph_styles lists them). Never changes text. Returns frame_id, characters_affected, style_applied and tracking {effective, character_style, paragraph_style}: a character style that carries its own tracking replaces the tracking of the paragraph style for that range (it is not added) – a paragraph style with tracking 100 plus a character style with tracking 260 gives 260, visibly wider. effective is what InDesign uses at the first character of the range; character_style is null when the style leaves tracking alone. Stories managed by an editorial workflow (InCopy) that are not checked out here (lock_state checked_in_story, locked_story, missing_lock_state or mixed_lock_state) are refused before anything is written: invalid_state with details.code "story_locked" (details: frame_id, story_id, lock_state, managed_file) – check the story out in the editorial system or in InCopy first.

Apply a paragraph style (Absatzformat) to every paragraph touched by the character range start_index (inclusive) to end_index (exclusive) of the story of a text frame. Clears paragraph overrides, character styles and local character formatting of those paragraphs; never changes text. Caveat: when start_index is the paragraph mark of the preceding paragraph, that paragraph is formatted too (warning) – start one character later. Recommended order: base style over the whole story first, then the special styles. One call is enough (it runs the clean-up twice internally). Returns frame_id, story_id, style_applied, affected_paragraphs, first_paragraph_start_index and last_paragraph_end_index. Stories managed by an editorial workflow (InCopy) that are not checked out here (lock_state checked_in_story, locked_story, missing_lock_state or mixed_lock_state) are refused before anything is written: invalid_state with details.code "story_locked" (details: frame_id, story_id, lock_state, managed_file) – check the story out in the editorial system or in InCopy first.

Apply the master spread parent_name (full name with prefix, e.g. "A-Footer") to page_id. "[None]", "none" or "Ohne" detaches the page from its master – an ad page loses header, footer line and page number in one step. Returns page_id and parent_applied as InDesign reports it afterwards.

Continue the autoflow of a story that is already in the document – no file needed: while the story overflows (Übersatz), add a page after the page of its last frame (same parent page) with a threaded frame of the size and frame options of the last frame, exactly as place_text_file with autoflow true does, until the text fits or max_pages (default 20, at most 2000) is reached. frame_id is any text frame of the story. A story that fits already is left as it is (pages_added [] and stopped "fits"). Returns frame_id, story_id, overset and autoflow {pages_added, frames_added[] {frame_id, page_id, bounds_mm, placement, frame_options_copied, frame_options_failed[], frame_options_skipped[], columns {count, gutter_mm}}, overset, stopped} – the same as place_text_file – and view_restored (keep_view, default true). A timed-out call may still have added pages – check list_pages before repeating. Stories managed by an editorial workflow (InCopy) that are not checked out here are refused before anything is written: invalid_state with details.code "story_locked".

Check an e-book before and after export_epub. Read-only. Without path it checks the document in InDesign for the given layout (reflowable, default, or fixed_layout): document_language (an EPUB needs dc:language – error when the text defaults have no language), toc_style (error when the named toc_style does not exist; warning when no TOC style is set for the EPUB), metadata (warning without title or creator in the EPUB settings), and for reflowable unanchored_objects (graphics and groups on pages that are not anchored in the text flow – their place in the EPUB follows the export order; anchor_frame_in_text), parent_page_objects (content on parent pages, left out of a reflowable EPUB – fine for running heads and page numbers) and paragraph_styles (stories with basic paragraph styles), image_resolution against min_ppi (from the call or the server configuration epub.min_ppi; skipped without a limit) and fonts (not installed – an error for fixed layout, which needs embedded fonts). With path it checks the finished .epub file without InDesign: zip_structure (mimetype first and uncompressed), container (META-INF/container.xml and the package document), opf_metadata (version, dc:title, dc:language, dc:identifier matching unique-identifier; warning without dc:creator), manifest_files (every manifest file present, spine entries in the manifest), navigation (EPUB 3 nav with a toc, EPUB 2 NCX), references (src and href in the content files point to files in the archive) and cover (warning without a cover image). Returns passed (no error), checked document | file, checks_run[], errors, findings[] {check, severity error | warning, page_id, page_name, object_id or file, hint}, findings_total and findings_truncated (max_findings, default 200); with path also epub_version, layout, title, language, creators[], identifiers[], file_count, nav_document, nav_entries, ncx, cover_image, fonts[] and fonts_obfuscated. It does not replace EPUBCheck or the e-book shop's own preview tool.

Check the interior of a book (Innenteil) against the limits of a print-on-demand service before upload. Read-only. Each limit comes from the call or, when omitted, from the server configuration (print_on_demand); a check without a limit is reported as skipped – take the values from the printer's current specification. Checks[] {check, status pass|fail|skipped, required, actual, findings[]}: page_count (min_page_count, max_page_count, page_count_multiple); inside_margin (the inside margin, Bundsteg, of every page against the tier for the page count: inside_margin_tiers [{max_pages, min_mm}], the first tier whose max_pages is not below the page count); outside_margins (outside, top and bottom margin of every page against min_outside_margin_mm); bleed (on facing pages the inside bleed must be 0 – InDesign keeps it as left/inside –, top, bottom and outside equal bleed_mm within bleed_tolerance_mm (default 0.1), and objects reaching beyond the trim need bleed at all); objects_in_margin (objects that do not bleed but come closer to the trim than the minimum margins); objects_across_spine (facing pages: objects reaching over the spine into the facing page – cut off there when the inside bleed is 0); min_font_size (every text run, also on parent pages and in overset text, against min_font_size_pt); image_resolution (effective ppi of placed pixel images against min_ppi; placed PDF/EPS are skipped); fonts (every document font installed and allowed for PDF embedding – whether the fonts are really embedded only the exported PDF shows). Returns passed (no check failed), failed_checks[], skipped_checks[], page_count, facing_pages, page_size_mm, checks[], findings_total and findings_truncated (max_findings, default 200, over all checks). Export for upload with export_pdf and use_document_bleed true.

Find violations of general typesetting rules and report them – never change anything. The rule catalogue is a data table in the package (rules/typography-rules.json): character rules run as InDesign GREP searches (double_space, space_before_punct, straight_quotes, apostrophe, hyphen_as_dash, dash_spacing, three_dots, number_unit_space, number_unit_missing_space, abbreviation_space, thousands_grouping, empty_paragraph, double_paragraph_break, tab_as_indent, trailing_space); line rules run on the composed lines of every text frame like get_frame_lines (widow – Hurenkind, error; orphan – Schusterjunge, warning; heading_at_column_end; single_word_last_line; hyphen_ladder with max_consecutive_hyphens, default 3; empty_line_at_column_start; column_first_baselines_differ, more than 0.1 mm). locale de (default), de-CH (guillemets) or en (curly quotes, closed em dash, no space before %). scope document (default), frame or story (both need frame_id). page_range limits the check to pages by printed page name like export_pdf ("6-8", "1, 3-5", "+3"): line rules read only frames on those pages, character findings elsewhere are left out (returned as page_range_used, "all" without it). Line rules read every line and take far longer than the character rules – on a long book check part of it per call with page_range; above 100 text frames in scope document without page_range a warning says so. rules[] limits to those ids, exclude_rules[] drops some; unknown ids are invalid_argument. Returns findings[] {rule_id, severity, category, message, story_id, frame_id, page_id, page_name, start_index, end_index (story indices for the *_to_range tools), snippet, suggestion (often a find_replace GREP pattern)}, counts per rule_id, rules_checked[], rules_failed[] (a GREP pattern InDesign rejected – warning, the rest runs), frames_checked, findings_dropped and truncated (max_findings caps only findings[]; every rule still runs and counts stays complete). Sources: Forssman/de Jong (Detailtypografi…

Close a document. save_changes is required and has no default, because InDesign save dialogs are suppressed. Pass path to save under a new name; it is required for a document that has never been saved when save_changes is "yes". Returns saved_to, had_unsaved_changes and the remaining document ids. Note: merely opening a document can already set had_unsaved_changes true.

Create a new document for the one-piece cover of a paperback (Umschlag: back cover, spine, front cover side by side) from the page_count of the interior, its trim size (trim_width_mm, trim_height_mm, Endformat) and the paper thickness per page as the printer states it (spine_per_page_mm or spine_per_page_in; the inch value wins when both are set): spine width = page_count × thickness, page width = 2 × trim width + spine, height = trim height. bleed_mm becomes the document bleed on all four sides (export with export_pdf and use_document_bleed true; the PDF then measures page size plus twice the bleed). safety_margin_mm sets the margins (Satzspiegel guides) on all sides. Vertical guides mark both spine folds; spine_safety_mm adds two guides inside the spine for spine text. barcode_area {width_mm, height_mm, offset_x_mm (from the spine fold), offset_y_mm (from the bottom trim)} reserves the space for the barcode on the back cover as a non-printing empty frame named barcode_area. Every value can come from the call or the server configuration (print_on_demand); take them from the printer's current specification. The new document is unsaved (save_document with path). Returns document_id, name, page_id, page_count, spine_width_mm, spine_width_in, trim_size and size_with_bleed {width/height in mm, pt and in}, bleed_mm, safety_margin_mm, back_cover_mm, spine_mm, front_cover_mm {x, width}, guides[] {guide_id, role, position_mm}, barcode_frame_id and barcode_area_mm.

Create a new document. Page size from preset (A4, Letter, Legal, Tabloid) or width_mm/height_mm, orientation portrait or landscape, pages (default 1), facing_pages (Doppelseiten, default true). margins_mm is required: { top, bottom, left, right } or { top, bottom, inside, outside } – for facing pages InDesign treats left as the inside margin (Bundsteg) and right as the outside margin. columns { count, gutter_mm } sets the column guides (Spaltenhilfslinien). Returns document_id and page_ids plus the page size InDesign actually set. The document is untitled until save_document. Note: if this call times out, the document may still have been created – check list_documents before repeating.

Create an empty graphic frame (Bildrahmen) on page_id at bounds_mm; x/y may be negative for bleed. By default fill and stroke are set to [None] and the stroke weight to 0 pt, so nothing prints around the picture (appearance_cleared true); keep_default_appearance true keeps the document defaults. The frame is set to fit a picture proportionally when place_image fills it later. Returns frame_id, bounds_mm, appearance_cleared, landed_on_page_id and landed_on_page_name; a landing on another page is a warning. If a 1 pt stroke still shows in an export, run set_frame_appearance with stroke_weight_pt 0. A timed-out call may still have created the frame – check get_page_state before repeating.

Create a master spread (Musterseite) with base_name (1–60 characters) and name_prefix (one capital letter; InDesign picks the next free one when omitted). facing defaults to the document's facing-pages setting. page_count (1–10) sets the number of pages of the master spread directly – also in a single-sided document, where facing true alone still gives one page. based_on names an existing master (full name with prefix) the new one is based on (Musterseite basiert auf); "[None]" for none. Returns name, page_ids[], page_count and based_on ("[None]" when none). InDesign switches the layout window to the new master spread when it is created; keep_view (default true) puts the previous page and zoom back afterwards (view_restored) – pass keep_view false to stay on the master.

Create a rectangle on page_id at bounds_mm (x/y may be negative) with optional fill_hex, stroke_hex, stroke_weight_pt (points), corner_radius_mm and corner_type, fill_tint_percent, stroke_tint_percent, gradient_fill_angle_deg, gradient_stroke_angle_deg, layer_name and name. Hex colours become RGB swatches named after the value ("#1A2B3C"), reused when they exist; their ids come back as swatch_ids. For print use the existing document swatches (CMYK) instead: fill_swatch_name / stroke_swatch_name take the exact name of an existing colour, tint or gradient swatch (see list_swatches); each excludes the corresponding hex parameter. Without fill_hex the fill is [None]; without stroke_hex and stroke_weight_pt the stroke is [None] with 0 pt. The rectangle inherits the document text wrap (Textumfluss) – pass text_wrap "none" to switch it off. Returns frame_id, page_id, swatch_ids, bounds_mm, fill_color, fill_kind (none, color, tint, gradient, mixed_ink), stroke_color, stroke_kind, tints, gradient angles, corner_type, corners, layer_name, landed_on_page_id and landed_on_page_name. A timed-out call may still have created the rectangle – check get_page_state before repeating.

Create a process colour swatch (Farbfeld) with the exact name (1–60 characters) from hex (RGB, "#1A2B3C") or cmyk ({c, m, y, k} in percent – for print production); exactly one of the two. on_collision: error (default), update (rewrites the values of the existing colour) or version ("Name 2"). Returns name, swatch_id, collision (none, updated, versioned), existed, space (rgb or cmyk) and values.

Create an empty text frame on page_id (document or master page) at bounds_mm {x, y, width, height}; x/y may be negative for bleed. initial_text is put in as one paragraph – "\n" becomes a forced line break, not a new paragraph; for real paragraphs create the frame empty and use set_text. The frame inherits the document text defaults, vertical justification and text wrap (Textumfluss): with wrap on, text frames underneath can be pushed into overset – pass text_wrap "none" to switch it off at creation, and vertical_justification "top" to pin the text to the top. Frame options (Textrahmenoptionen): first_baseline_offset sets the first baseline (Versatz erste Grundlinie: ascent, cap_height, leading, x_height, fixed, embox_top) with min_first_baseline_pt as the minimum in points; ignore_text_wrap true lets this frame ignore wrap of other objects (e.g. a caption over a picture with wrap); inset_mm sets the inset (Innenabstand) as one number or {top, left, bottom, right}. A one-line caption in a frame of exactly one grid line needs first_baseline_offset appropriate to the style (ascent or fixed) – otherwise it goes into overset. Returns frame_id, bounds_mm (read back, relative to the page it landed on), landed_on_page_id and landed_on_page_name (empty = pasteboard), and the frame options read back; a landing on another page is a warning, never a silent success. A timed-out call may still have created the frame – check get_page_state before repeating. Placeholders in the text become InDesign special characters (placeholders true, default): {{line_break}} (forced line break within the paragraph), {{nbsp}} (no-break space U+00A0), {{nbsp_fixed}} (fixed-width no-break space U+202F), {{thin_space}}, {{hair_space}}, {{soft_hyphen}} (discretionary hyphen), {{nb_hyphen}} (no-break hyphen), {{en_dash}}, {{em_dash}}, {{tab}}, {{column_break}}, {{frame_break}}, {{page_break}}. Unknown {{…}} stay as written with a warning; each placeholder is exactly one character in the story. Retur…

Create a text variable (Textvariable) or update the options of an existing one with the same name and type: type custom_text (text), running_header_paragraph (paragraph_style, use first|last, text_before, text_after, delete_end_punctuation), running_header_character (character_style, …), file_name (include_extension, include_path, text_before, text_after), output_date/creation_date/modification_date (date_format, text_before, text_after), last_page_number, chapter_number. remove true deletes the variable (and its instances in the text – warning). A running header from the headline style is the classic use on parent pages: create the variable, then insert_text_variable into a frame on the parent page.

Generate a table of contents (Inhaltsverzeichnis) from a TOC style (list_toc_styles, define_toc_style) into a new text frame on page_id – at position_mm (InDesign sizes the frame up to the margins) or exactly at bounds_mm. replace true updates the existing table of contents in its frame (after text or page changes) – page numbers are not live, so run it again after every change. include_overset also lists headings in overset text. Returns story_id, frame_id, frame_ids, page_id, page_name, page_ids, page_names, bounds_mm (of the first frame, relative to its page), paragraph_count, length, overset, replaced and lines[] {text, paragraph_style} (first 500 paragraphs; lines_truncated). Plus toc_style and entry_count (non-empty paragraphs except the title; null when lines_truncated). Warnings: no entries (no paragraph uses the styles), overset (enlarge or thread the frame), a second table of contents. The view of the layout window stays (keep_view, default true). Text placed with place_text_file brings no table of contents from Word – build it here.

Diagnosis only: the effective formatting at story index (default 0) of a text frame – point_size, leading_pt, applied_paragraph_style, applied_character_style (InDesign's own name, localized – "[Ohne]" in German) with character_style_is_none (true when no character style is applied, the language-independent check), fill_color, applied_font, font_style, tracking, horizontal_scale, vertical_scale, style_overridden (local formatting on top of the style), frame_scale {horizontal, vertical} of the frame and paragraph {index (0-based in the story), start_index (story index of its first character), alignment, hyphenation, keep_options, hyphenation_options, justification_options} of the paragraph holding the character. With style_name also style {found, kind, matches, duplicated, nested, groups[], definition} – whether the name occurs more than once or inside a group. The only way to see local formatting hiding behind a correct style name. Read-only.

Create a character style (Zeichenformat) with name and at least one of font_family, font_style (exact InDesign style name), point_size, fill_hex (creates an RGB swatch) or swatch_name (an existing swatch by exact name; not together with fill_hex), and tracking (Laufweite in 1/1000 em, -1000 to 10000; where the style is applied it replaces the tracking of the paragraph style – see apply_character_style_to_range). on_collision: error (default), update or version. Returns style_id, name, collision (none, updated, versioned), existed, applied[] and the definition read back (null for attributes the style leaves untouched); based_on alone is enough for a new style. based_on sets the parent style (Basierend auf), also from a group ("Group/Style" for an ambiguous name); group puts a new style into a style group (Formatgruppe), path "A/B" or ["A", "B"], creating missing groups. The answer adds based_on and group as read back, created_groups[] (paths of groups created by this call) and changes.created_group_ids. InDesign names a family with a format suffix such as "Source Sans 3 (OTF)" or "(TT)" when it knows the family in more than one format; pass the family with or without that suffix – the connector matches both and reads back the name InDesign uses.

Create a paragraph style (Absatzformat) with name and any of font_family, font_style (exact InDesign style name, e.g. "75 Bold"), size_pt, leading_pt (points or "auto"), alignment (left, center, right, justify = Blocksatz with the last line left), color_hex (creates an RGB swatch named after the hex value) or swatch_name (an existing swatch by exact name – the way to a CMYK or spot colour; not together with color_hex), space_before_pt, space_after_pt, tracking (Laufweite in 1/1000 em), hyphenation, and the option groups keep_options (Umbruchoptionen: keep_with_next, keep_first_lines, keep_last_lines, keep_lines_together, keep_all_lines_together, keep_with_previous, start_paragraph), hyphenation_options (Silbentrennungseinstellungen) and justification_options (Blocksatz-Abstände, composer). Indents in mm: left_indent_mm, first_line_indent_mm (negative for a hanging indent, never further left than the left indent), right_indent_mm, last_line_indent_mm. tab_stops[] {position_mm, alignment left|center|right|character, leader, align_on} replaces the whole tab list ([] clears it); language selects the dictionary by the name InDesign shows, its untranslated name or an ICU locale (de_DE, en_GB – the safest form). The answer reads them back under indents {left_indent_mm, first_line_indent_mm, right_indent_mm, last_line_indent_mm, tab_stops[], language {name, untranslated_name, icu_locale}}. drop_cap {lines (0 = off), characters, character_style} sets the drop cap (Initiale); an opening quotation mark counts as a character, so characters 2 drops it together with the first letter. based_on sets the parent style (Basierend auf), also from a group ("Group/Style" for an ambiguous name); group puts a new style into a style group (Formatgruppe), path "A/B" or ["A", "B"], creating missing groups. The answer adds based_on and group as read back, created_groups[] (paths of groups created by this call) and changes.created_group_ids. InDesign names a family with a format suffix such as…

Create a table of contents style (Inhaltsverzeichnisformat) or change the one with the same name: title (heading of the TOC, "" for none), title_style, entries[] in TOC order – each {paragraph_style (paragraphs with this style become entries), level (1 = top, default 1), entry_style (paragraph style for the entry), page_number_position after (default) | before | none, separator (between entry text and page number, e.g. "^t" for a tab), page_number_style, separator_style, sort_alphabetical}. entries replaces all entries of an existing style; a new style needs entries. include_hidden_layers, run_in (lowest level on one line), create_bookmarks (PDF bookmarks). Every named style must exist (not_found; create them with define_paragraph_style / define_character_style). remove true deletes the style. Returns created, updated, removed and toc_style (as list_toc_styles). Then call create_toc.

Delete a text frame, image frame, rectangle, line or group (as a whole) by frame_id. A threaded text frame (verketteter Rahmen) takes its own text portion with it; the rest of the story stays in the other frames. There is no undo. Returns frame_id, type, was_threaded, characters_removed and removed_frame_ids (group members included). characters_removed counts only the text portion taken out of a threaded chain; it is 0 for an unthreaded frame, whose story is deleted together with the frame. A frame holding a managed story (editorial workflow, also when locked) is deleted anyway, with a warning; the story file on disk stays.

Delete a page. There is no undo. Master page objects and empty frames do not block (they are reported and go with the page); frames with text or images and threaded frames (verkettete Rahmen) block – the call then fails with invalid_state and lists them, and only force true deletes anyway. The only page of a document and master pages are always protected. Objects on the pasteboard (Montagefläche) belong to the spread, not to the page: when the spread goes with the page (the page is the only one of its spread), its pasteboard objects are listed before anything happens. When InDesign regroups the spreads (facing pages with "allow pages to shuffle"), pasteboard objects stay but can end up beside other pages. on_pasteboard_items decides: "warn" (default) deletes them with the page and warns, "abort" fails with invalid_state and details.code "pasteboard_items_present" (nothing deleted), "move" first moves them to the pasteboard of the spread of pasteboard_target_page_id (same position beside the pages; right stays right). Returns page_id, name, former_index, items_deleted, boilerplate_ignored and item_summary[]; also on_pasteboard_items, pasteboard_items[] {frame_id, type, spread_index, bounds_mm (spread coordinates), link_name, link_path, text_snippet}, pasteboard_moved_ids[], pasteboard_lost_ids[] (checked after deleting; a warning names every loss) and pasteboard_relocated[] {frame_id, spread_page_ids_before, spread_page_ids, spread_page_names_before (names before deleting), spread_page_names, spread_index, bounds_mm_before, bounds_mm, on_pasteboard} for pasteboard objects that now lie beside other pages or elsewhere (a warning names them); changes.removed_page_ids. Read list_pages again afterwards.

Read or set the document's text defaults (Textvorgaben) – the font, style, size and paragraph style every new text frame inherits and that set_text writes as local formatting. Without parameters it is read-only. Each setter works on its own; a failing one lands in problems[] without aborting the others. font takes a family name as InDesign shows it or "Family\tStyle" with a tab; font_style the style name ("Bold"); point_size 0–1296; paragraph_style the style name (not style_name). Returns the values after the change: font, font_style, point_size, paragraph_style, character_style, changed_fields[] and problems[].

Export the document as an e-book (EPUB) to path (a .epub file; an existing file only with overwrite true, otherwise io_error with details.code file_exists). layout is required: reflowable (text reflows to the reader's screen and font size; for text-led books) or fixed_layout (every page keeps its layout; for picture books, comics, heavily designed pages). Options apply to this call only and are restored afterwards: epub_version 2 or 3 (reflowable; fixed layout is always EPUB 3), cover none | first_page | image (with cover_image_path, a JPEG, PNG or GIF that must exist), toc_style (an existing TOC style, see list_toc_styles and define_toc_style – it builds the EPUB navigation; without it the navigation lists only file names), image_resolution 72 | 96 | 150 | 300 ppi, image_format automatic | jpeg | png | gif, jpeg_quality low | medium | high | maximum; reflowable only: export_order layout | articles | xml, split_by_paragraph_style (start a new file at each paragraph of this style, e.g. chapter headings), embed_fonts; fixed layout only: page_range (printed page names like export_pdf), spread_control document | physical | synthetic | none, orientation portrait | landscape | auto (InDesign itself writes landscape even for upright pages, which locks reading apps to landscape; the server therefore sets the orientation in the finished file – by default from the page format – and returns orientation_set {value, previous, changed}). metadata {title, creator, publisher, description, subject, rights, date, identifier} goes into the package (an identifier such as urn:isbn:… is added next to InDesign's own unique id); the EPUB language comes from the document's default language (text defaults), not from a parameter. Returns path, bytes, overwritten, layout, settings_used (the values InDesign exported with), document_language, settings_changed_for_export and document_marked_modified – InDesign marks the document as modified whenever an export setting is set, although the setting…

Export document pages as PNG or JPEG images, one file per page (for proofs, correction mails, the website or a measuring run without PDF). Select pages with page_ids (from list_pages) or page_range like export_pdf ("6-8", "1, 3-5", "+2"; printed page names). path is the target file; with several pages the page name is inserted before the extension (Seite.png → Seite_8.png). format png (default) or jpeg, dpi 36–600 (default 150), quality low/medium/high (default)/maximum, color_space rgb (default), gray or cmyk (jpeg only), transparent_background (png), use_bleed (include the bleed), anti_alias (default true). Master pages cannot be exported. The export preferences are set for this call only and restored. Returns format, dpi, count and files[] {page_id, page_name, path, bytes}. Read the files with an image tool of the client to check a layout visually. A timed-out call may still have written files – check the folder before repeating. For an e-book use export_epub.

Export the document (or a page_range) as PDF to path (the target file path – not output_path). Preset chain: preset (without it the localized built-in "High Quality Print" preset); when the result exceeds fallback_over_bytes it is exported again with fallback_preset (without both there is no second pass); a preset that does not exist falls back to the localized "High Quality Print" preset, then to the current export preferences, each with a warning. A spread preset turns single pages into spreads – check exported_page_count. The server configuration can hold default values for the three preset parameters; a parameter in the call always wins. page_range uses the printed page names as shown in InDesign ("6-8", "1, 3-5"; "+3" is the third page regardless of its name). Returns path, exported_page_count and document_page_count (page_count equals exported_page_count), bytes, preset_used and page_range_used. Pass fallback_over_bytes 0 or fallback_preset "" to disable the second pass. use_document_bleed true exports with the document bleed (Anschnitt, see set_document_bleed) for this call only, without changing the preset – needed for print-on-demand and any bleeding image, because built-in presets such as [PDF/X-1a:2001] export without bleed; false exports without bleed; omitted = as the preset says. Also returned: document_bleed_used (true/false, null if unknown) and document_bleed_mm {top, bottom, inside_or_left, outside_or_right}. InDesign writes anywhere on the machine, also outside shared folders. Can take minutes on a full issue. For an e-book use export_epub.

Find where fonts are used in the document. fonts_used[] {family, style, status (installed, substituted, not_available), occurrences, characters} is always complete; occurrences[] {family, style, status, story_id, frame_ids[], page_id, page_name, is_master, start_index, end_index, snippet} is filtered by font_family and font_style (exact names, case-insensitive – "Futura" does not match "Futura PT"), only_missing (status other than installed) and include_master_pages (default true). Runs of the same family and style are merged; at most 500 occurrences are listed. Read-only.

Find and replace text in the document or in one frame: find, replace, mode literal or grep (default literal), scope document or frame (frame needs frame_id), include_master_pages, include_hidden_layers, include_locked_layers (all default false), case_sensitive and whole_word (default false). dry_run true only counts and lists up to 200 matches with frame_id, page_name and index – use it before any name replacement. GREP metacharacters: ~M column break, ~R frame break, ~P page break, ~S non-breaking space (a literal U+00A0 is not found in literal mode); a straight " in GREP matches every quote, including typographic ones. Returns replacements, matches_found, scope, mode and master_pages_included. Locked managed stories (editorial workflow, lock_state as in get_frame_text) are never changed: their matches are left out of replacements and matches_found (also in dry_run) and listed in skipped_locked[] {story_id, frame_id, lock_state, managed_file, matches}, with a warning; without include_locked_layers InDesign does not search them, and a warning says how many there are. changes.modified_frame_ids lists the frames with replacements. No undo.

InDesign's fitting commands (Anpassen) as one call. For a graphic frame: content_to_frame (distorts), fit_proportionally (whole picture visible, may leave space), fill_proportionally (frame filled, picture cropped), center_content, or frame_to_content (the frame takes the size of the picture, top left corner stays). For a text frame only frame_to_content: the frame shrinks or grows to its text (Rahmen an Inhalt anpassen) – InDesign fits width and height (the width to the longest line); keep_width true fits the height only and keeps the width (via auto-size height only, reference top left) – the usual choice for headlines and captions; if the layout uses a baseline grid, check the result against it. Returns frame_bounds_before_mm, frame_bounds_mm, frame_changed, and for pictures graphic_bounds_mm, fits_frame and effective_ppi (warning below min_ppi), for text overset. Fails on groups, lines, empty graphic frames and members of a group. Returns coordinate_space ("page", or "spread" on the pasteboard); when the object carries a text wrap the document is recomposed afterwards (recomposed, overset_stories_before, overset_stories_after, overset_changed).

Generate the index (Register) from the entries of add_index_entry into a new text frame on page_id – at position_mm or exactly at bounds_mm; autoflow true lets InDesign add frames and pages until it fits (pages_added). replace true updates the existing index in its frame. Options (InDesign keeps them in the document for the next run): title ("" for none), title_style, format nested (default) | run_in, include_section_headings (letters A–Z), include_empty_sections, include_hidden_layers, level_styles[] (paragraph styles for levels 1–4), section_heading_style, page_number_style, cross_reference_style, cross_reference_topic_style, separators {following_topic, between_entries, page_range, between_page_numbers, before_cross_reference, entry_end} (metacharacters allowed, e.g. "^=" en dash). Without level styles InDesign creates its own index paragraph styles (localized names). Returns story_id, frame_id, frame_ids, page_id, page_name, page_ids, page_names, bounds_mm (of the first frame, relative to its page), paragraph_count, length, overset, replaced and lines[] {text, paragraph_style} (first 500 paragraphs; lines_truncated). Plus pages_added. Text placed with place_text_file brings no index from Word – build it with add_index_entry.

Return the version string of the running InDesign application. Use it as a sign of life before anything else. Fails with app_not_available when InDesign is not running or not ready yet. Read-only.

Read the font at story index of a text frame: font_family, font_style (the exact style name to use in apply_character_format_to_range or define_paragraph_style), font_status (installed, substituted, not_available), available_styles[] of that family as installed, point_size, paragraph_style, character_style (localized name) and character_style_is_none. Read-only.