Illustrator script to execute ExtendScript saved in cloud document. Proof-of-concept

executeCloudScript.jsx

/**
  * @file Illustrator script to execute ExtendScript saved in cloud document. Proof-of-concept. 
  * Assuming json2.jsx is in the same folder as this script
  * @version 1.0.0
  * @author sttk3.com
  * @copyright © 2025 sttk3.com
*/

//@target 'illustrator'
//@include 'json2.jsx'
$.localize = true ;

(function() {
  // exit if cloud document is disabled
  if(!cloudAvailable()) {
    var errorMessage = {
      ja: 'このスクリプトはIllustrator 2020かそれ以降が必要です。', 
      en: 'This script requires Illustrator 2020 or later.'
    } ;
    alert(errorMessage) ;
    return ;
  }

  try {
    // this script depends on XMPMeta from AdobeXMPScript, so exit if it is disabled
    var xmpEnabled = loadXMPLibrary() ;
    if(!xmpEnabled) {
      var errorMessage = {
        ja: 'AdobeXMPScriptが利用可能なIllustratorで実行してください。', 
        en: 'Please execute in Illustrator with AdobeXMPScript available.'
      } ;
      alert(errorMessage) ;
      return ;
    }

    // open cloud document for data store
    var storePath = 'application_support/com.sttk3.ai.script/store.aic' ;
    var doc = openStoreDocument(storePath) ;
    if(doc == null) {return ;}
  
    // register scripts
    var objectStore = [
      {name: 'alert.jsx', code: 'alert("Message from cloud");'}
    ] ;
    var jsonString = JSON.stringify(objectStore) ;
    setScripts(doc, jsonString) ;

    // save cloud document
    doc.save() ;

    // close the document once to indicate that the scripts will be taken from the cloud
    doc.close() ;

    // get scripts from metadata of the document
    doc = openStoreDocument(storePath) ;
    var jsonString = getScripts(doc) ;
    if(jsonString === '') {
      var errorMessage = {
        ja: 'スクリプトが取得できませんでした。', 
        en: 'Scripts could not get.'
      } ;
      alert(errorMessage) ;
      return ;
    }
    var scripts = JSON.parse(jsonString) ;

    // execute ExtendScript
    execute(scripts[0]) ;

    doc.close() ;
  } catch(e) {
    alert(e) ;
  } finally {
    unloadXMPLibrary() ;
  }
})() ;

/**
  * determine if cloud document functions such as openCloudDocument can be supported
  * @returns {boolean} available when true
*/
function cloudAvailable() {
  return ('openCloudDocument' in app) ;
}

/**
  * open cloud document. create it if not exists
  * @param {string} cloudPath cloud document path
  * @returns {Document|undefined}
*/
function openStoreDocument(cloudPath) {
  var res ;

  var originalUserInteractionLevel = app.userInteractionLevel ;
  try {
    // supress error dialog
    // https://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/908050-illustrator-desktop-sdk-scripting-issues/suggestions/49321550-script-cannot-detect-that-app-openclouddocument-fa
    app.userInteractionLevel = UserInteractionLevel.DONTDISPLAYALERTS ;
    var doc = app.openCloudDocument(cloudPath) ;

    // error trap. the error happens here when the file cannot be opened
    doc.name ;

    res = doc ;
  } catch(e) {
    var doc = app.documents.add() ;
    doc.saveToCloud(cloudPath) ;
    res = doc ;
    app.userInteractionLevel = originalUserInteractionLevel ;
  }

  return res ;
}

/**
  * enable AdobeXMPScript
  * @returns {boolean} weather successed or not
*/
function loadXMPLibrary() {
  var res = false ;
  if(!ExternalObject.AdobeXMPScript) {
    try{
      ExternalObject.AdobeXMPScript = new ExternalObject('lib:AdobeXMPScript') ;
      res = true ;
    } catch(e) {
      // skip
    }
  }
  return res ;
}

/**
  * disable AdobeXMPScript
*/
function unloadXMPLibrary() {
  if(ExternalObject.AdobeXMPScript) {
    try{
      ExternalObject.AdobeXMPScript.unload() ;
      ExternalObject.AdobeXMPScript = undefined ;
    } catch(e) {
      // skip
    }
  }
}

/**
  * save the script information in the metadata description of the target Illustrator document
  * @param {Document} doc target Illustrator document
  * @param {string} dstText string to write
*/
function setScripts(doc, dstText) {
  // get XMPString from Illustrator document
  var xmpPackets = doc.XMPString ;

  // create new XMPString using AdobeXMPScript
  var xmpMetaObj = new XMPMeta(xmpPackets) ;
  if(xmpMetaObj) {
    xmpMetaObj.setArrayItem(XMPConst.NS_DC, 'description', 1, dstText) ;
  }
  var newXMPString = xmpMetaObj.serialize() ;

  // set XMPString to Illustrator document
  doc.XMPString = newXMPString ;
}

/**
  * get the script information in the metadata description of the target Illustrator document
  * @param {Document} doc target Illustrator document
  * @returns {string} '' if not exists
*/
function getScripts(doc) {
  var res = '' ;

  // get XMPString from Illustrator document
  var xmpPackets = doc.XMPString ;

  // get only the necessary info using AdobeXMPScript
  var xmpMetaObj = new XMPMeta(xmpPackets) ;
  if(xmpMetaObj) {
    var nsdc = XMPConst.NS_DC ;
    var propName = 'description' ;
    var arrayCount = xmpMetaObj.countArrayItems(nsdc, propName) ;
    if(arrayCount > 0) {
      res = xmpMetaObj.getArrayItem(nsdc, propName, 1).value ;
    }
  }

  return res ;
}

/**
  * execute ExtendScript via $.evalFile based on script name and source code
  * @param { {name: string, code: string} } scriptItem script info
*/
function execute(scriptItem) {
  var tempPath = Folder.temp.fullName ;
  var tempScriptFile = new File(tempPath + '/' + scriptItem.name) ;

  try {
    writeText(scriptItem.code, tempScriptFile) ;
    $.evalFile(tempScriptFile) ;
  } catch(e) {
    alert(e) ;
  } finally {
    if(tempScriptFile.exists) {
      tempScriptFile.remove() ;
    }
  }
}

/**
  * save text as a file
  * @param  {string} str string to write
  * @param  {File} fileObj destination file object
  * @param  {string?} encoding text encoding (optional) utf-8 by default
  * @return {File}
*/
function writeText(str, fileObj, encoding) {
  if(!encoding) {encoding = 'utf-8' ;}
  try {
    fileObj.encoding = encoding ;
    fileObj.open('w') ;
    fileObj.write(str) ;
  } finally {
    fileObj.close() ;
  }
  return fileObj ;
}

/**
  * read text from a file
  * @param {File} fileObj source file object
  * @param {string?} encoding text encoding (optional) utf-8 by default
  * @return {string}
*/
function readText(fileObj, encoding) {
  if(!encoding) {encoding = 'utf-8' ;}
  var str = '' ;
  try {
    fileObj.encoding = encoding ;
    fileObj.open('r') ;
    str = fileObj.read() ;
  } finally {
    fileObj.close() ;
  }
  return str ;
}