How to determine whether the content in text frame of in design document changed through java script or action script?

Question

I got an requirement to find out if content in text frame got changed or not through action script. Till now i am comparing with my server side data to check content from indesign document text frame, but now i would like to check if any default flag there to avoid server side call.

Answer 1

Track changes seems the way to go indeed. An alternative might be to use idle events to monitor stories changes. Basically what Josh just suggested.

#targetengine "storiesChanges"
main();
function main()
{
	var db = {};
	
	var myIdleTask = app.idleTasks.item("checkStories");
	if ( !myIdleTask.isValid ) {
		myIdleTask = app.idleTasks.add({name:"checkStories", sleep:100});
		myIdleTask.addEventListener(IdleEvent.ON_IDLE,onIdleEventHandler, false);
	}

	function onIdleEventHandler(myIdleEvent)
	{
		var doc = app.properties.activeDocument;
		if ( !doc ) {
			db = {}
			return;
		}
		
		var sts = doc.stories, st, id;
		var n = sts.length;
		
		while ( n-- ) {
			st = sts[n];
			id = st.id;
			
			if ( !db[id] ) {
				$.writeln ("Storing "+id );
				db[id] = st.contents;
			}
			else if ( db[id]!=st.contents ) {
				$.writeln ( "Some changes were made on story "+id+" at "+(new Date()) );
				db[id] = st.contents;
			}
			else {
				$.writeln ( "No changes were made for story "+id );
			}
		}
	}
}