Getting a PDF selection link via AppleScript

[Silverstone]

As far as I know, there are no way to get this new kind of link via AppleScript, only via GUI. So, I tried to compile without GUI

1. base link - no problem
2. page number is a current page property of window
3. search string you can make using escapeURL command from Satimage scripting addition, or using AppleScript ObjC
4. length is the characters value of selected text property
5. The only thing I don’t know - is how to get the start value, as the number of the first selection char from the beginning of the document?
   @cgrunenberg?

[pete31]

@Silverstone

The only thing I don’t know - is how to get the start value, as the number of the first selection char from the beginning of the document?

See

@cgrunenberg

This parameter is actually relative to beginning of the page. However, it’s possible to create selection links without having to use start/length parameters.

The page and search parameters are sufficient if the search parameter contains the escaped content of the selected text.

[BLUEFROG]

You don’t need the Satimage or ASOC to percent encode text.

tell application id "DNtp" to do JavaScript "encodeURIComponent(\"jim is cool\")" in think window 1
--> "jim%20is%20cool"

[Silverstone]

It is good that you can use just “page and search”, but “start and length” solution is more stable because the search phrase may not be unique for this page.

So, is there a way to get the start char number?
Or waiting for “selection link” AppleScript function in the next release? )

[cgrunenberg]

@Silverstone

Or waiting for “selection link” AppleScript function in the next release? )

Actually it will be a reference URL property for tabs/windows

[cgrunenberg]

Using this tip…

JXA Script to Add any Group to the "Recent Destinations" List

For those who may be interested - this post illustrates two methods for the reverse i.e. how to run JXA from inside an Applescript

…this is another possibility:

encodeURIComponent("Just a test")

on encodeURIComponent(uri as text)
	run script "encodeURIComponent(" & (the quoted form of uri) & ");" in "JavaScript"
end encodeURIComponent