What is the difference between Javascript and Adobe Javascript?

Question

Noticed when browsing for script files in Photoshop you can select standard Javascript (js) files and Adobe Javascript files (jsx). What's the difference?

• lhan: I'ved used Adobe InDesign, which utilizes the same .jsx files. As far as I know, it's standard javascript syntax - running on Adobe's javascript engine with Photoshop/InDesign's SDK so you can reference specific objects related to PS/ID. It should all be built in - assuming your using ExtendScript Tool Kit?

Answer 1

According to http://www.adobe.com/content/dam/Adobe/en/devnet/acrobat/pdfs/Acro6JSGuide.pdf

Acrobat JavaScript is based on the core of JavaScript version 1.5 of ISO-16262, formerly known as ECMAScript. Acrobat JavaScript implements extensions, in the form of new objects and their accompanying methods and properties, to the JavaScript programming language. These Acrobat-specific objects enable a developer to manipulate a PDF file, allowing the PDF file to communicate with a database, modify its appearance, and so on. Because the Acrobat-specific objects are added on top of core JavaScript, you still have access to standard classes like Math, String, Date, Array, and RegExp.

Answer 2

JavaScript is the trade name for the ECMA-262 standard. Vendors are free to make changes to it and support or not support specific features.

For specifics on Adobe JavaScript see: http://wwwimages.adobe.com/www.adobe.com/content/dam/Adobe/en/devnet/photoshop/pdfs/photoshop_cs5_javascript_ref.pdf

While Mozilla (Netscape) created JavaScript they made it a standard for anyone to use. In the interest of not re-inventing the wheel vendors incorporate JavaScript into various software products. In Adobe's case this means specific functions for their product that is not needed for browser based implementations.