comet.prefs

The comet.prefs module provides functions for setting global preferences for the current session

Methods

comet.prefs.getAddW2MLToTemplates()

Fetch whether to add w2ml to templates.

Returns:

Whether the option is turned on

Return type:

bool

Raises:

CometError – On internal error

Available:

InDesign® comet_pdf®

See also:

setAddW2MLToTemplates()

CScript:

prefs::add_w2ml_to_templates

comet.prefs.setAddW2MLToTemplates(enable)

Save an W2ML version of every template after creating or changing the templates data file. Using XML or SOAP, simply an W2ML version of the template is generated in the same folder like the template (pageitems/data/NNN.w2ml in most cases). SQL connections using the panelstatement 137 to save the w2ml data. If this statement is empty or missing, update pageitems set dataW2ML = where id = ? is used automatically.

The option is turned off automatically at logout time.

Normally you use your login script (panelstatement 92) to turn on the option.

Parameters:

enable (bool) – Enable the option?

Return type:

None

Raises:
Available:

InDesign® comet_pdf®

See also:

getAddW2MLToTemplates()

CScript:

prefs::add_w2ml_to_templates

comet.prefs.getAddW2MLToSnippets()

Fetch whether to add w2ml to snippets.

Returns:

Whether the option is turned on

Return type:

bool

Raises:

CometError – On internal error.

Available:

InDesign® comet_pdf®

See also:

setAddW2MLToSnippets()

CScript:

prefs::add_w2ml_to_snippets

comet.prefs.setAddW2MLToSnippets(enable)

Save a W2ML version of every snippet after creating or changing the snippets.

The option is turned off automatically at logout time.

Normally you use your login script (panelstatement 92) to turn on the option.

Parameters:

enable (bool) – Enable the option?

Return type:

None

Raises:
Available:

InDesign® comet_pdf®

See also:

getAddW2MLToSnippets()

CScript:

prefs::add_w2ml_to_snippets

comet.prefs.getAddMetaDataToTemplates()

Fetch whether to metadata to templates.

Returns:

Whether the option is turned on.

Return type:

bool

Raises:

CometError – On internal error.

Available:

InDesign® comet_pdf®

See also:

setAddMetaDataToTemplates()

CScript:

prefs::add_metadata_to_templates

comet.prefs.setAddMetaDataToTemplates(enable)

Save Metadata of every template after creating or changing the templates data file. Using XML or SOAP, a zipped folder of the template metadata with file extension meta.zip is generated in the same folder like the template (pageitems/data/NNN.w2ml in most cases).

SQL connections use the panelstatement 146 to save the metadata.

If this statement is empty or missing, update pageitems set metadata = where id = ? is used automatically. For page templates, the statement update pagetemplates set metadata = where id = ? is used

The option is turned off automatically at logout time.

Normally you use your login script (panelstatement 92) to turn on the option.

Parameters:

enable (bool) – Enable the option?

Return type:

None

Raises:
See also:

getAddMetaDataToTemplates()

Available:

InDesign® comet_pdf®

CScript:

prefs::add_metadata_to_templates

comet.prefs.getTagsReadable()

Get whether Comet placeholders should be read and automatically created when importing TaggedText.

Returns:

The value.

Return type:

bool

Raises:

CometError – On internal error.

Available:

InDesign® comet_pdf®

See also:

setTagsReadable()

CScript:

prefs::get_tags_readable

comet.prefs.setTagsReadable(enable)

Set whether Comet placeholders should be read and automatically created when importing TaggedText.

Parameters:

enable (bool) – The new value.

Returns:

The old value.

Return type:

bool

Raises:
Available:

InDesign® comet_pdf®

See also:

getTagsReadable()

CScript:

prefs::set_tags_readable

comet.prefs.getTagsWriteable()

Fetch whether write Comet placeholders to tagged text.

Returns:

Whether the option is turned on.

Return type:

bool

Raises:

CometError – On internal error.

Available:

InDesign® comet_pdf®

See also:

setTagsWriteable()

CScript:

prefs::get_tags_writeable

comet.prefs.setTagsWriteable(enable)

Set whether to write Comet place holders to tagged text or not.

InDesign® Ignored while generating constants.kExportTT (contains no place holders) and constants.kExportW2 (contains place holders).

Parameters:

enable (bool) – Enable the option?

Return type:

None

Raises:
See also:

getTagsWriteable()

Available:

InDesign® comet_pdf®

CScript:

prefs::set_tags_writeable

comet.prefs.setPanelEnabled(panelID, enabled, message='')

Deprecated since version 5.0: Use panel.setEnabled() instead.

comet.prefs.getCScriptBuffer()

Get the current size of the CScript buffer in kB.

Returns:

The buffer size.

Return type:

int

Available:

InDesign® comet_pdf®

CScript:

prefs::get_script_buffer

comet.prefs.setCScriptBuffer(buffer)

Set the size of the CScript buffer. The changes will take effect from the next script onward. The buffer size is provided in kB and is automatically truncated to the range 1024 - 16384 (1-16 MB).

Parameters:

buffer (int) – The buffer size in kB.

Returns:

The new actual buffer size in kB.

Return type:

int

Raises:

TypeError – When parameter types are invalid.

Available:

InDesign® comet_pdf®

CScript:

prefs::set_script_buffer

comet.prefs.getWebImageTimeout(what=0)

Get the timeout for connection to a URL of a web image.

Parameters:

what (int) –

Which timeout to get.

  • 0: Connection timeout

  • 1: Header timeout

  • 2: Download timeout

Returns:

The timeout in seconds

Return type:

float

Raises:

  • TypeError – When parameter types are invalid.

  • ValueError – When parameter what has invalid value.

Available:

InDesign® comet_pdf® Illustrator®

See also:

setWebImageTimeout()

CScript:
comet.prefs.setWebImageTimeout(value, what=0)

Set the timeout for downloading an URL of a web image.

The internal work for Web Images is done by a software called CURL. There is a default timeout for establishing the connection of 300 seconds. This is a bit long for checking and updating Web Images. We therefore set a default timeout of 3 seconds, which you can be changed using this function.

Alternatively, the timeout for the connection can also be defined by request-timeout in your soapflags.ini.

Parameters:

  • value (float) –

    The new value in seconds.

    • <= 0.0: Use the default of 3.0 seconds

  • what (int) –

    Which timeout to set.

    • 0: Connection timeout

    • 1: Header timeout

    • 2: Download timeout

Return type:

None

Raises:
Available:

InDesign® comet_pdf® Illustrator®

See also:

getWebImageTimeout()

CScript:
comet.prefs.getWebImageFolder()

Get the currently set fallback folder for Web Image downloads.

Returns:

The fallback folder.

Return type:

str

Available:

InDesign® comet_pdf® Illustrator®

See also:

setWebImageFolder()

CScript:

prefs::get_urllink_folder

comet.prefs.setWebImageFolder(path)

Set the fallback folder for Web Image downloads.

The path set by this function is only used if panelstatement 141 is empty and is reset at logout time.

Parameters:

path (str) – New fallback path for Web Image downloads.

Return type:

None

Raises:

TypeError – When parameter types are invalid.

Available:

InDesign® comet_pdf® Illustrator®

See also:

getWebImageFolder()

CScript:

prefs::set_urllink_folder

comet.prefs.getWebImageProxy(what=0)

Get the current (or soapflags.ini) Proxy settings for web images.

Parameters:

what (int) –

What proxy data to get.

  • 0: Current proxy settings.

  • 1: Data from soapflags.ini.

Returns:

A dictionary containing the proxy configuration.

The dictionary contains the following entries:

’activated’:

  • Value type: bool

  • Value: Whether the proxy is activated.

’useSoapFlags’:

  • Value type: bool

  • Value: Whether the proxy is using data from soapflags.ini.

’address’:

  • Value type: str

  • Value: Proxy address.

’port’:

  • Value type: int

  • Value: Proxy port.

’user’:

  • Value type: str

  • Value: Proxy user.

’password’:

  • Value type: str

  • Value: Proxy password.

’exceptions’:

  • Value type: list [str]

  • Value: Proxy exceptions.

Return type:

dict[str, int | bool | str | list[str]]

Raises:

TypeError – When parameter types are invalid.

Available:

InDesign® comet_pdf® Illustrator®

See also:

setWebImageProxy()

CScript:

prefs::webimage_get_proxy

comet.prefs.setWebImageProxy(address='off', port=-1, user='', password='', exceptions=[])

Set the proxy for web images.

Parameters:

  • address (str) –

    Proxy-Address (URL or IP).

    • ’default’ or ‘soapflags’

      Use settings from soapflags.ini.

      Please note that soapflags.ini is read at program start and later changes to the file are ignored!

    • ’off’

      Deactivate proxy.

    • else:

      Proxy-Address (URL or IP).

  • port (int) –

    Port for the proxy.

    • <=0: Don’t explicitly use a port.

  • user (str) –

    Username for the proxy.

    • Empty str: Login not necessary.

  • password (str) –

    Unencrypted password for the proxy.

    • Empty str: Login not necessary.

  • exceptions (list[str]) –

    List of exceptions for the proxy.

    See here .

Return type:

None

Raises:

TypeError – When parameter types are invalid.

Available:

InDesign® comet_pdf® Illustrator®

See also:

getWebImageProxy()

CScript:

prefs::webimage_set_proxy

comet.prefs.getUpdateType()

Get the placeholder update behavior.

Returns:

The current update behavior.

Return type:

int

Available:

InDesign® comet_pdf®

See also:

setUpdateType()

CScript:

prefs::get_updatetype

comet.prefs.setUpdateType(type)

Specify the bevahior for handling or determining placeholder content.

Parameters:

type (int) –

  • 0: Default behavior. Placeholders are loaded using the current data pool.

  • 1: Store data. Placeholders are loaded using the current data pool.

    After the data has been inserted into the document, the data is additionally stored in the current data folder:

    • If the placeholder is a script, the content of the variable gExportValue is used.

    • On Direct statements (select, get, …) the content of the first column of the first result row is stored.

  • 2: Use update folder.

Please note: The data folder does not have to contain data for all placeholders. But if it contains data for one placeholder, data for all products must be there.

Return type:

None

Raises:

  • TypeError – When parameter types are invalid.

  • ValueError – When parameter type has invalid value.

Available:

InDesign® comet_pdf®

See also:

getUpdateType()

CScript:

prefs::set_updatetype

comet.prefs.getUpdatePath()

Get the current folder for loading locally stored placeholder content.

Returns:

The full path to the update folder.

Return type:

str

Available:

InDesign® comet_pdf®

See also:

setUpdatePath()

CScript:

prefs::get_updatepath

comet.prefs.setUpdatePath(path)

Set the folder for loading stored placeholder content from.

The folder is only used when update type 2 (‘Use data’) is active.

Parameters:

path (str) – The full path to the update folder.

Return type:

None

Raises:

TypeError – When parameter types are invalid.

Available:

InDesign® comet_pdf®

See also:

getUpdatePath()

CScript:

prefs::set_updatepath

comet.prefs.getDocWatch()

Fetch the current document watch state.

Returns:

The document watch state.

Return type:

bool

Available:

InDesign® comet_pdf® Illustrator®

See also:

setDocWatch()

CScript:

system::get_docwatch

comet.prefs.setDocWatch(state)

Enable/disable the document watch. When document watch is enabled, the system attempts to load and execute the document watch panel statements.

Document watch is automatically disabled when the data connection is disconnected (database logout, SOAP logout, change XML folder).

The call should be made in the login script of the data connection.

Parameters:

state (bool) –

The new document watch state.

Return type:

None

Raises:

TypeError – When parameter types are invalid.

Available:

InDesign® comet_pdf® Illustrator®

See also:

getDocWatch()

CScript:

system::set_docwatch

comet.prefs.getMagnetState()

Ascertain for which situations magnets are currently activated.

Returns:

The active situations as bit flags.

Sum of Magnet situations

Return type:

int

Available:

InDesign® comet_pdf®

See also:

setMagnetState()

CScript:

prefs::enable_magnets

comet.prefs.setMagnetState(situation, state)

Disable or enable magnets for certain situations. On program start all situations are enabled.

Disabling individual situations should only ever be used for a short time and should be reversed as soon as possible.

Parameters:
Return type:

None

Raises:

  • TypeError – When parameter types are invalid.

  • ValueError – When parameter state has invalid value.

Available:

InDesign® comet_pdf®

See also:

getMagnetState()

CScript:

prefs::enable_magnets

comet.prefs.getLayoutRulesState()

Ascertain the state of the currently active layout rule situations.

Returns:

A bit flag value indicating which situations are active.

Can be bitwise checked against values of Layout rule situations

Return type:

int

Available:

InDesign® comet_pdf®

See also:

setLayoutRulesState()

CScript:

system::suppress_layout_rules

comet.prefs.setLayoutRulesState(situation, state)

Enable/disable certain layout rule situations.

This setting is global and is active until the next call to this function or until the currently active data connection is changed.

You should take strict care to turn layout rules that you have turned off back on. Otherwise, the building and updating of your documents may no longer be executed correctly.

Parameters:
Return type:

None

Raises:

TypeError – When parameter types are invalid.

Available:

InDesign® comet_pdf®

See also:

getLayoutRulesState()

CScript:

system::suppress_layout_rules

comet.prefs.getLayoutRuleState(ruleID)

Determine whether a single layout rule is suppressed from execution.

Parameters:

ruleID (int) –

The ID of the rule to query.

The default layout rule IDs can be found here:

Returns:

Whether the rule is active (True) or suppressed (False)

Return type:

bool

Raises:

TypeError – When parameter types are invalid.

Available:

InDesign® comet_pdf® Illustrator®

See also:

setLayoutRulesState()

CScript:

system::suppress_layout_rule

comet.prefs.setLayoutRuleState(ruleID, state)

Set whether a single layout rule should be suppressed from execution.

Parameters:

  • ruleID (int) –

    The ID of the rule.

    The default layout rule IDs can be found here:

  • state (bool) –

    Whether to suppress the rule

    • True: Do not suppress the rule

    • False: Suppress the rule

Return type:

None

Raises:

TypeError – When parameter types are invalid.

Available:

InDesign® comet_pdf® Illustrator®

See also:

setLayoutRulesState()

CScript:

system::suppress_layout_rule

comet.prefs.getSnippetMatch()

Get the standard snippet match criteria.

The value is reset automatically at logout time.

Usually, this value is set in a login script (panelstatement 92).

Returns:

Arbitrary combination of snippet match criteria.

Sum of Snippet match settings

Return type:

int

Available:

InDesign® comet_pdf®

See also:

setSnippetMatch()

CScript:

prefs::snippet_match

comet.prefs.setSnippetMatch(value)

Get the standard snippet match criteria.

The value is reset automatically at logout time.

Usually, this value is set in a login script (panelstatement 92).

Parameters:

value (int) –

Arbitrary combination of snippet match criteria.

Sum of Snippet match settings

Return type:

None

Raises:
Available:

InDesign® comet_pdf®

See also:

getSnippetMatch()

CScript:

prefs::snippet_match

comet.prefs.getLogState(what=1)

Get the state of writing additional log information.

Parameters:

what (int) –

Which additional log information state to query.

  • 1: Get state for log information about inserting TaggedText

  • 2: Single steps of frame fitting

Returns:

The logging state.

  • what == 1:

    • 0: Disabled

    • 1: Enabled

    • 2: Write line delimiters as \n and \r

  • what == 2:

    • 0: Disabled

    • 1: Enabled

Return type:

int

Raises:

  • TypeError – When parameter types are invalid.

  • ValueError – When parameter what has invalid value.

Available:

InDesign® comet_pdf®

See also:

setLogState()

CScript:

prefs::set_logstate

comet.prefs.setLogState(what=1, how=1)

Set the state of writing additional log information.

InDesign® With the menu command Plug-Ins -> Comet -> More Log Output you can switch on and off all additional log outputs.

Additional log messages should only be activated for a short time. Writing the messages can take a long time and significantly reduce performance. Very large log files may be involved.

If additional log messages are written, confidential customer data can be written to the log file!

The additional log messages are automatically switched off again after restarting the host application.

Parameters:

  • what (int) –

    Which additional log information state to set.

    • 1: Log information about inserting TaggedText

    • 2: Single steps of frame fitting

  • how (int) –

    The logging state.

    • what == 1:

      • 0: Disabled

      • 1: Enabled

      • 2: Write line delimiters as \n and \r

    • what == 2:

      • 0: Disabled

      • 1: Enabled

Return type:

None

Raises:

  • TypeError – When parameter types are invalid.

  • ValueError –

    • When parameter what has invalid value.

    • When parameter how has invalid value.

Available:

InDesign® comet_pdf®

See also:

getLogState()

CScript:

prefs::set_logstate

comet.prefs.getShowURLProgress()

Determine whether a progress bar should be shown for Web image downloads.

The setting has no meaning for the manual creation and updating of web images via the Web Images panel or the Web Images context menu.

Returns:

Whether the progress bar is shown on download.

Return type:

bool

Available:

InDesign®

CScript:

prefs::show_url_progress

comet.prefs.setShowURLProgress(value)

Set whether a progress bar should be shown for Web image downloads.

Parameters:

value (bool) – Whether the progress bar should be shown on download.

Return type:

None

Raises:

TypeError – When parameter types are invalid.

Available:

InDesign®

CScript:

prefs::show_url_progress