Adobe InDesign API Navigator

Follow these steps to get started with the InDesign API Navigator:

1. Make sure that your installation environment is appropriate. You must have either Xcode 3.1.3 (Mac) or Visual Studio 2008 (Windows).
2. Download the Adobe InDesign API Navigator
3. Decompress the API Navigator package. Copy the API Navigator directory to your InDesign SDK or any other permanent directory.
4. Install API Navigator:
   • On Mac: Run the install.sh file on a command line.
   • On Windows: Double click the install32.cmd or intall64.cmd file.
5. Start or restart Xcode or Visual Studio.
6. Ask questions and share your feedback in the InDesign API Navigator forum

Please note that your submission of comments, ideas, feature requests and techniques on this and other Adobe maintained forums, as well as Adobe's right to use such materials, is governed by the Terms of Use.

Below you'll find references and links to help you participate in the InDesign API Navigator community.

Online Forum

Ask questions and discuss ideas with other InDesign API Navigator users in the Labs forums.

• Visit the InDesign API Navigator forum

Please note that your submission of comments, ideas, feature requests and techniques on this and other Adobe maintained forums, as well as Adobe's right to use such materials, is governed by the Terms of Use.

Resources

If you want to learn more about releases on Labs as well as other Adobe technologies, visiting a user group or connecting with an Adobe Community Expert is a great place to start.

• Find a user group
• Find an Adobe Community Expert

• FAQ
• System Requirements
• Release Notes

FAQ

What is the InDesign API Navigator?

The InDesign APINavigator is a tool for InDesign C++ Plug-in developers. It works as an add-in for Visual Studio on Windows and as a plug-in for Xcode on Mac OS X. It helps developers get API information within the IDE directly, including Boss definitions, aggregating Bosses for interfaces, and ODFRC type definitions. It also adds syntax coloring for ODFRC files (.fr and .fh). It extends the debugger expression evaluator to understand some InDesign types, which allows the debugger to format some InDesign types nicely in the variables pane (Xcode) or watch window (Visual Studio) while debugging. In Visual Studio, it enables the IDE to browse InDesign C++ APIs.

Why should I use the InDesign API Navigator?

When programmers develop normal C++ programs, they can get an API's definition without leaving the IDE. However, InDesign plug-in developers can’t do this. When they need to look up a Boss definition and aggregating Bosses for a specific interface, they have to switch from the IDE to the InDesign reference guide (index.chm). The switch is so frequent that developers' work on IDE is interrupted repeatedly. The InDesign API Navigator solves the problem by enhancing the user experience in the following ways:

• Integrates with the C++ IDEs
• Improves the productivity of InDesign plug-in developers with its convenient features
• Provides the ability to browse the API reference without leaving the IDE
• While debugging, provides a meaningful summary of data for some InDesign types, such as WideString, PMString, and others

How do I use the InDesign API Navigator?

In the editor for an open InDesign plug-in project, right click on an identifier. If it is a valid Boss, Interface, IID, or ODFRC type defined in the InDesign API, the InDesign API Navigator adds a new menu item at the top of the context menu. Click the context menu item to see the API definition. You can get meaningful summary data in the variables pane (Xcode) or watch window (Visual Studio) while debugging for such types:

• Literal type name and prefix name for ClassID, ImplementationID, PMIID, and PluginID
• Prefix name for WidgetID, ActionID, and ScriptID
• String data for PMString and WideString

Notes:

1. APINavigator looks only for identifiers defined in the InDesign API. It does not parse user-defined types.
2. In Xcode, APINavigator cannot provide the summary string for reference variables.

How do I uninstall the InDesign API Navigator?

On Mac, run uninstall.sh on a command line, then delete the InDesign API Navigator directory. On Windows, double-click uninstall.cmd file on Windows, then delete the InDesign API Navigator directory.

System Requirements

Windows

• OS: Microsoft Windows XP with service pack 2 or higher, or Microsoft Windows Vista with service pack 1 or higher
• IDE: Microsoft Visual Studio 2008 English version

Macintosh

• OS: Mac OS X 10.5
• IDE: XCode 3.1.3 English version

Release Notes

This release of the InDesign API Navigator is prerelease software and is designed for evaluation purposes only. The software contained within the installer is not final; but, many portions of the technology are fully implemented and ready for you to try and discuss.