Core JavaScriptExtendScript only
InDesign2026 InDesign Server2025 Illustrator29 PhotoshopCC 2015.5 Bridge2021 Core JavaScriptExtendScript only ScriptUIExtendScript only
Object

$

The $ object provides a number of debugging facilities and informational methods.

Properties

NameType AccessDescription
static String readonly The ExtendScript build information.
static Date readonly The ExtendScript build date.
static String read/write The character used as the decimal point character in formatted numeric output.
static String readonly The name of the current ExtendScript engine, if set.
static Error read/write The most recent run-time error information.
static String readonly The file name of the current script.
static Number read/write Gets or sets low-level debug output flags.
static Object readonly A reference to the global object, which contains the JavaScript global namespace.
static Number readonly A high-resolution timer, measuring the time in microseconds. The timer starts when ExtendScript is initialized during the application startup sequence. Every read access resets the timer to Zero.
static String readonly The path for include files for the current script.
static Number read/write The current debugging level, which enables or disables the JavaScript debugger.
static Number readonly The current line number of the currently executing script.
static String read/write Gets or sets the current locale.
static Boolean read/write Set to true to enable the extended localization features of the built-in toString() method.
static Number read/write The ExtendScript memory cache size, in bytes.
static String readonly The current operating system version information.
static Object[] readonly An array of objects containing information about the display screens attached to your computer.
static String readonly The current stack trace.
static Varies read/write Sets or clears strict mode for object modification.
static String readonly The version number of the ExtendScript engine.

Methods

→ String

Shows an About box for the ExtendScript component, and returns the text for the box.

→ void

Breaks execution at the current position.

condition? Varies A string containing a JavaScript statement to be used as a condition. If the statement evaluates to true or nonzero when this point is reached, execution stops.
→ Number

Invokes the platform-specific color selection dialog, and returns the selected color.

color Number The color to be preselected in the dialog, as 0xRRGGBB, or -1 for the platform default.
→ Varies

Loads and evaluates a file.

file File The file to load.
timeout? Number An optional timeout in milliseconds.
→ void

Initiates garbage collection in the ExtendScript engine.

→ String

Retrieves the value of an environment variable.

name String The name of the variable.
→ void

Sets the value of an environment variable.

name String The name of the variable.
value String The value of the variable.
→ void

Suspends the calling thread for a number of milliseconds.

msecs Number Number of milliseconds to sleep.
→ String

Converts this object to a string.

→ void

Prints text to the Console.

text Varies The text to print. All arguments are concatenated.
→ void

Prints text to the Console, and adds a newline character.

text Varies The text to print. All arguments are concatenated.