Update IDML with indesign script?

Question

Hello,
In an Indesign Script (javascript), after I loop through the page items and find the text frame I wish to edit, I am wondering if it is possible get the IDML from that TextFrame, and then update it, and replace its current IDML with the updated version.
I only will need to update one of the Story.xml files within the IDML package. Is this possible?
Thanks in advance!
-Lloyd

Answer 1

@Lloyd: by thinking more deeply of your task, it seems to me, that you will go the following route:
You start with an existing IDML file you want to manipulate (you stated so by choosing the title of this thread by "Update IDML"), no need to change the source:
1. Unpack the IDML file with scripting (see "unpackageUCF (ucfFile: File, destinationFolder: File)" in the documentation)
2. Do your stuff
2.1 search all story.xml files for your text string and it's parent story you want to change or by identifying your story using "idmlComponentName" on the source
2.2 do the change by reading and writing the xml-file
3. Repackage the IDML file and give it a new name (see "packageUCF (sourceFolder: File, ucfFile: File)" in the documentation)
However, if you want to place an updated snippet, you can use the place command as usual; be aware that there are additional options in preferences to export and place a snippet to confirm to its IDML-format during export and there is a "place in original location" option for placing:
DocumentPreferences: snippetImportUsesOriginalLocation
application: snippetExportFormat: SnippetExportFormats.INX_EXPANDED_FORMAT (for generating an IDML-snippet instead of an INX-snippet)
Uwe