Links GREP Relink
Script for Adobe InDesign
Use GREP (regular expressions) to match file names of existing links, change to new file names, then search a specified folder and relink each replacement file name found.
To rename links, see Links GREP Rename.
- Replace links using GREP pattern replacement
- Option to ignore letter case
- Specify folder to search for links
- Adapt open source to customize or create other scripts
Links GREP Relink
How-to Video
How to use the script
The interface has two sections: Link file name and Search for links in folder. Set the GREP pattern and replacement, choose the Links folder, then click the OK button to begin. A progress bar is displayed as links are processed.
Section 1: Link file name
Find what — the GREP pattern to match. Works the same as when using the InDesign Find/Change dialog. For each link in the document, the full file name, including extension, is tested against the pattern. By including extension, GREP patterns may change the file type to which a graphic is linked. This could be desired behavior, or possibly not. Just be aware that patterns are tested against the full file name including extension.
Change to — the GREP replacement to use when the pattern above is matched. Works the same as when using the InDesign Find/Change dialog. For each link that matches the find pattern, a new file name is computed using the change value, the script searches the specified Links folder for a file that matches, and then the file is relinked.
Ignore letter case — adds the “i” switch to the regular expression, making it case-insensitive.
Section 2: Search for links in folder
Click the Folder... button to select the folder where replacement links are located. Note this path defaults to the current location of the document’s links by examining the first link for its current path, and assumes the rest are in the same folder. Click the button to choose any other location.
Source code
(download button below)
/*
Links GREP Relink
Copyright 2023 William Campbell
All Rights Reserved
https://www.marspremedia.com/contact
Permission to use, copy, modify, and/or distribute this software
for any purpose with or without fee is hereby granted.
THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" AND THE AUTHOR DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES
WITH REGARD TO THIS SOFTWARE INCLUDING ALL IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF
MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHOR BE LIABLE FOR
ANY SPECIAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES OR ANY DAMAGES
WHATSOEVER RESULTING FROM LOSS OF USE, DATA OR PROFITS, WHETHER IN AN
ACTION OF CONTRACT, NEGLIGENCE OR OTHER TORTIOUS ACTION, ARISING OUT OF
OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE USE OR PERFORMANCE OF THIS SOFTWARE.
*/
(function () {
var title = "Links GREP Relink";
if (!/indesign/i.test(app.name)) {
alert("Script for InDesign", title, false);
return;
}
var count;
var doc; // Document
var doneMessage;
var error; // Error
var folderLinks; // Folder
var progress;
// Reusable UI variables.
var g; // group
var gc1; // group (column)
var gc2; // group (column)
var p; // panel
var w; // window
// Permanent UI variables.
var btnCancel;
var btnFolderLinks;
var btnOk;
var cbIgnoreCase;
var inpChange;
var inpFind;
var txtFolderLinks;
// SETUP
// Script requires open document.
if (!app.documents.length) {
alert("Open a document", title, false);
return;
}
doc = app.activeDocument;
// CREATE PROGRESS WINDOW
progress = new Window("palette", "Progress", undefined, {
"closeButton": false
});
progress.t = progress.add("statictext");
progress.t.preferredSize.width = 450;
progress.b = progress.add("progressbar");
progress.b.preferredSize.width = 450;
progress.display = function (message) {
message && (this.t.text = message);
this.show();
this.update();
};
progress.increment = function () {
this.b.value++;
};
progress.set = function (steps) {
this.b.value = 0;
this.b.minvalue = 0;
this.b.maxvalue = steps;
};
// CREATE USER INTERFACE
w = new Window("dialog", title);
w.alignChildren = "fill";
// Panel 'Link file name'.
p = w.add("panel", undefined, "Link file name");
p.alignChildren = "left";
p.margins = [24, 24, 24, 18];
p.spacing = 24;
// Group of 2 columns.
g = p.add("group");
// Groups, columns 1 and 2.
gc1 = g.add("group");
gc1.orientation = "column";
gc1.alignChildren = "left";
gc2 = g.add("group");
gc2.orientation = "column";
gc2.alignChildren = "left";
// Rows.
gc1.add("statictext", undefined, "Find what:").preferredSize.height = 23;
inpFind = gc2.add("edittext");
inpFind.preferredSize = [360, 23];
gc1.add("statictext", undefined, "Change to:").preferredSize.height = 23;
inpChange = gc2.add("edittext");
inpChange.preferredSize = [360, 23];
// Checkbox ignore case.
cbIgnoreCase = p.add("checkbox", undefined, "Ignore letter case");
// Panel 'Search for links in folder'.
p = w.add("panel", undefined, "Search for links in folder");
p.alignChildren = "left";
p.margins = [24, 24, 24, 18];
g = p.add("group");
btnFolderLinks = g.add("button", undefined, "Folder...");
txtFolderLinks = g.add("statictext", undefined, "", {
truncate: "middle"
});
txtFolderLinks.preferredSize.width = 350;
// Action Buttons
g = w.add("group");
g.alignment = "center";
btnOk = g.add("button", undefined, "OK");
btnCancel = g.add("button", undefined, "Cancel");
// Panel Copyright
p = w.add("panel");
p.add("statictext", undefined, "Copyright 2023 William Campbell");
// SET UI VALUES
// Links folder set to location of first document link (if any).
if (doc.links.length) {
txtFolderLinks.text = Folder.decode(new File(doc.links[0].filePath).path);
folderLinks = new Folder(txtFolderLinks.text);
}
// UI ELEMENT EVENT HANDLERS
btnFolderLinks.onClick = function () {
var f = Folder.selectDialog("Select Links folder", txtFolderLinks.text);
if (f) {
txtFolderLinks.text = Folder.decode(f.fullName);
}
};
btnOk.onClick = function () {
if (!inpFind.text) {
alert("Enter a value for 'Find what'");
return;
}
folderLinks = new Folder(txtFolderLinks.text);
if (!(folderLinks && folderLinks.exists)) {
alert("Select Links folder", " ", false);
return;
}
w.close(1);
};
btnCancel.onClick = function () {
w.close(0);
};
// DISPLAY THE DIALOG
if (w.show() == 1) {
doneMessage = "";
try {
app.doScript(process, ScriptLanguage.JAVASCRIPT, undefined, UndoModes.ENTIRE_SCRIPT, title);
doneMessage = count + " links relinked";
} catch (e) {
error = error || e;
doneMessage = "An error has occurred.\nLine " + error.line + ": " + error.message;
}
progress.close();
doneMessage && alert(doneMessage, title, error);
}
//====================================================================
// END PROGRAM EXECUTION, BEGIN FUNCTIONS
//====================================================================
function process() {
var file;
var i;
var link;
var nameNew;
var pattern;
progress.display("Initializing...");
count = 0;
try {
pattern = new RegExp(inpFind.text, "g" + (cbIgnoreCase.value ? "i" : ""));
progress.set(doc.links.length);
for (i = 0; i < doc.links.length; i++) {
progress.increment();
link = doc.links[i];
if (inpFind.text) {
nameNew = link.name.replace(pattern, inpChange.text);
progress.display(link.name + " -> " + nameNew);
file = new File(folderLinks.fullName + "/" + nameNew);
} else {
// 'Find what' is empty.
// Relink same name in specified folder.
progress.display(link.name);
file = new File(folderLinks.fullName + "/" + link.name);
}
if (file.exists) {
link.relink(file);
link.update();
count++;
}
}
} catch (e) {
error = e;
throw e;
}
}
})();Links GREP Relink
For help installing scripts, see How to Install and Use Scripts in Adobe Creative Cloud Applications.
IMPORTANT: scripts are developed for the latest Adobe Creative Cloud applications. Many scripts work in CC 2018 and later, even some as far back as CS6, but may not perform as expected, or run at all, when used in versions prior to 2018. Photoshop features Select Subject and Preserve Details 2.0 definitely fail prior to CC 2018 (version 19) as the features do not exist in earlier versions. For best results use the latest versions of Adobe Creative Cloud applications.
IMPORTANT: by downloading any of the scripts on this page you agree that the software is provided without any warranty, express or implied. USE AT YOUR OWN RISK. Always make backups of important data.
IMPORTANT: fees paid for software products are the purchase of a non-exclusive license to use the software product and do not grant the purchaser any degree of ownership of the software code. Author of the intellectual property and copyright holder William Campbell retains 100% ownership of all code used in all software products regardless of the inspiration for the software product design or functionality.
