Links Report
Script for Adobe InDesign
Latest update 1/29/2024, version 4.9
The script produces a report of details for all graphics placed in an open InDesign document, a selected InDesign book, or a folder of InDesign documents.
- Option to include documents in subfolders
- Include color space (RGB, CMYK, Gray, 1-bit B&W)
- Include effective PPI and pixel dimensions
- Include Alt Text
- Detects files of same name linked to different paths
- Generate comma-separated values or tab-delimited text
- Options to output JSON or XML
- Open CSV in popular spreadsheet applications
- User-configurable localization
Links Report
The script was created to improve on the inadequacies of standard tools that omit certain details and output to formats that are awkward to further process. CSV and TXT open in spreadsheet applications where details may be sorted by column to focus on specifics such as color space, effective resolution, and full path to detect if any images are linked outside the job folder. Also, a warning is added to the status column if a link of the same name is placed more than once and linked to different paths. The script includes graphics on all document pages, parent pages, and the pasteboard. Pasted graphics are also included, but the script cannot provide details beyond document name and page number on which they appear.
How-to Video
NOTE: the script is updated since the video was produced. A button is added to select book or folder; the include section is reordered and some options renamed; option is added to set the report output location and file name. Details of changes are described in the next section.
How to use the script
The interface has three sections: Process, Include, and Output. Set options as desired and click the OK button to begin. If a report file of the same name already exists, the user may choose to replace it. When processing is complete, the user is notified and presented with a button to open the report.
Section 1: Process
Active Document — report of graphics placed in the document that is currently open and the top-most window if multiple documents are open.
Book — report of graphics placed in all documents of a selected InDesign book file.
Folder — report of graphics placed in all InDesign documents found in the selected folder.
Book/Folder — the button label changes based on the choice above. For Book, click the button and navigate to the desired InDesign book file. For Folder, click the button and navigate to the desired folder of InDesign documents.
Include subfolders — active when the choice Folder is selected. If enabled, InDesign documents in all folders below the selected folder are also processed.
Section 2: Include
Each choice represents a column to include in the report. The order of columns in the report match the order shown on screen (order is across first, then down). Any choice unchecked is not included, and a column for it is omitted from the report.
File name — the name of the linked file as it appears in the InDesign Links panel, and as it appears in the file system. For graphics without a link, the column lists “pasted graphic”.
Base name — the file name without extension.
Extension — the file extension. This is useful to sort links by file type.
Status — the status of the link, reported as OK, missing, modified, inaccessible, or embedded for pasted graphics. Also, when any graphic is placed more than once, and any instances are linked to a path that differs from the others, a warning is added to the status column of every instance of the link: “instances use different paths”. This circumstance is unusual and could indicate a mistake that produces undesired results when the document is output.
Effective PPI — applies to raster images. The ultimate resolution considering the degree to which the image is scaled, the resolution value of importance for final output. For vector graphics this column is blank.
Color space — common examples include RGB, CMYK, Gray, and 1-bit B&W.
Page — the page on which the linked file is placed in the document. Note this is the page’s label as it appears in the layout, not its absolute number in the document sequence. When sections and/or alternate layouts are used, the reported page number may vary from its absolute number. Graphics on the pasteboard report page label as “PB”.
Document — the name of the InDesign document in which the linked file is placed.
Instances — the number of times the graphic has been placed in the document, or throughout all documents when processing a book or folder.
Pixels wide — applies to raster images. The number of pixels the image is wide. For vector graphics the column is blank.
Pixels high — applies to raster images. The number of pixels the image is high. For vector graphics the column is blank.
Frame width — the width of the frame containing the graphic in units selected to the right.
Frame height — the height of the frame containing the graphic in units selected to the right.
Units — the measurement units of frame width and height.
Alt Text — alternate text applied to placed graphics in the InDesign Object Export Options dialog.
Full path — the file name of the link preceded by the platform-specific path of where the file exists in the computer’s file system.
Section 3: Output
CSV — report is output as comma separated values. To view as a spreadsheet, associate the CSV format with your preferred spreadsheet application, or use “Open with...” and select the application.
TXT — report is output as tab-delimited text.
JSON — report is output as JavaScript Object Notation.
XML — report is output as eXtensible Markup Language.
File — click the button to change the location and/or name of the report file. For a document or book file, the default location is the containing folder. When processing a folder of InDesign documents, the default location is the parent folder. The default report file name is the document, book, or folder name, plus “_Images Report” and the extension for the chosen output format.
Combine instances of same link into single row — normally each link, whether unique or multiple instances of the same file, is listed as a unique row of the report. When this option is enabled, instances of the same file placed more than once are combined into a single row. The values for Effective PPI, Pages, and Document (if any are enabled to include) are each concatenated with commas when the values vary among multiple instances of a single link. In the rare case the full path differs among multiple instances of a single link, the repeated instances of that link are not combined into a single row. This is to alert the user of the unusual condition, and prevent the full path column from becoming unwieldy. As well, when this condition is detected, a warning is added to the status column of each link affected.
Language
By default the script language is US English, which does not require further download or configuration. To have the script interface display other languages, choose from the available languages below. Download and copy the .i18n file to the script folder alongside the script. When launched, the script detects the language file and displays interface text in that language. If your language is not listed, download the English file and translate it. The file is plain text formatted as JSON, containing interface text in English, and a second value for its translation, which for the English file is the identical text. Copy the file and rename it to replace “en” with the relevant code for your language, then edit the file to change each line’s second value to the translation in your language. For more detailed instructions of how to edit and install i18n files, see How to Localize Scripts.
English: links-report-en-i18n.zip
NOTE: formats other than XML write column heads/data keys using translated text. Regardless of language, XML tags remain US English kebab-case (dash case). For all formats, data values are the unaltered values from the InDesign documents.
Links Report
Change log: links-report.txt
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.
