Adobe Indesign automation using Javascript

A little bit about me

I have been using Javascript to automate Indesign for a couple of years now, and I feel like I’m finally overcoming the initial hurdles of learning basic programming concepts, how to think logically about a computing problem, and how to express the solution through code.

I don't have a programming background so trying to find online resources that are easy to understand and digest is quite hard and frustrating. Often, there is technical jargon and assumed knowledge that most coding related websites use, even the ones aimed at people like me, who are new to programming.

Since the pain and frustration is still fresh in my memory, I’m going to use this blog as a way to document what I have learned so far and hopefully help anyone else who is just starting out in programming.

I’m still using Indesign CS4/6 but from what I have read, not much has changed in regards to scripting in the current version of Indesign. I primarily do my work on a Win7 computer, but I have access to a Mac, so I hope to cover both platforms and highlight their differences.
I aim to give short tutorials on how to perform specific tasks via scripting, I'll start with creating a simple Indesign document with a few pages of formatted text and perhaps go all the way up to creating a whole book, with styles, master pages, templates. Along the way, maybe cover how to automate repetitive tasks such as find/change, inserting new content and formatting text.

Please leave a comment if I cover something that is now out of date or incorrect and I’ll make amends.

Thanks.
johnt