To define a script:
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Open the file for which you want to define a script and choose Scripts > ScriptMaker (Figure 6).
Figure 6 To define a script, choose Scripts > ScriptMaker. -
When the Define Scripts dialog box appears, type in a name for your new script and click Create (Figure 4).
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When the Script Definition dialog box appears, any pre-script settings will be listed in the right-side window (Figure 5). (For details see To create a file's pre-script settings.) Delete any settings you don't need for the script by highlighting each and then clicking Clear (Figure 7).
Figure 7 Get rid of settings you don't need for the script by highlighting
each and clicking Clear. -
Look in the dialog box's left-hand list of script steps, click to highlight the first step you want to add, and click Move (Figure 8). The step will be added to the script's steps in the right-hand list (Figure 9).
Figure 8 Highlight steps you want to add to the script and click
Move.
Figure 9 After you click Move, the steps will be added to those
listed in the right-hand window.If there are any, set the added step's options in the lower-right Options panel (Figure 10). For a complete list of script steps and their uses, see Script Commands.
Figure 10 If an available step has options, use the Options panel's
checkboxes to make your choices. -
Repeat step 4 until you've added all the scripting steps you need.
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If you need to reorder the steps in the right-side list, highlight a step and use the double-arrow next to the script name to drag it to another spot in the list (Figure 13.11).
Figure 11 To reorder the steps in a script, click the double-arrow
next to the script name and drag it up or down. -
When you're done working in the Script Definition dialog box, click OK.
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If you included any pre-script settings in your script--and have since changed those settings--a dialog box will appear asking whether you want to keep the original settings or replace them with the settings now in use (Figure 12). Make your choice among the radio buttons and click OK.
Figure 12 If your script changes predefined settings, a dialog
box will ask whether to keep or replace them. -
The script is now listed in the Define Scripts dialog box. If you want to test whether your new script runs correctly, click Perform to see if the scripting actions play out as you desire (Figure 13).
Figure 13 To test whether your new script works correctly, click
Perform in the Define Scripts dialog box. -
If you're happy with the script, click Done. If your script needs more work, click Edit and see To change a script. After you click Done, your new script is available under the Scripts menu (Figure 14). To run the script just select it with your cursor.
Figure 14 After you've finished building a script, it appears under
the Scripts menu.
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Tip
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To make it easier to find the script step you want to use in the Script Definition dialog box (Figure 5), use the View pop-up menu to show only a specific category of scripts (Figure 15).
Figure 15
To reduce the clutter in the Script Definition dialog box (left), use the
View pop-up menu to select a specific category of script steps (right).