Legend

Answered

Can the “Inset Spacing” setting in the object style be written in the `properties` object?

Forum|Forum|18 days ago
June 15, 2026
4 replies
46 views

Right now, I can only write it like this:

var objPath = app.documents[0].objectStyleGroups.itemByName(ObjStyleGroup).objectStyles.itemByName(myObjStyle);
objPath.textFramePreferences.insetSpacing = [2.5 * 2.834645, 0, 0, 0]

But I want to write it in the `properties` section, like this:

objPath.properties = {
textFramePreferences.insetSpacing:[2.5 * 2.834645, 0, 0, 0]

}

But that seems to be wrong.
What should I do?

Correct answer rob day

But I want to write it in the `properties` section, like this:

Also, you can’t use dot syntax inside the properties object. If I run your code with VSCode it throws an error and highlights the problems:

@Eugene Tyson ’s code should work—this works for me where I’m setting properties, and nesting the textFramePreferences properties—VSCode doesn’t throw any errors on this line:

objPath.properties = {strokeWeight:1, textFramePreferences: {insetSpacing: [2.5 * 2.834645, 0, 0, 0]}};

When a property references an object with its own methods and properties (i.e., textFramePreferences) then this might be easier to read:

//sets multiple properties of the object style object
objPath.properties = {strokeWeight:1, strokeTint:50}
//textFramePreferences is a separate object, so set its properties via objPath.textFramePreferences.properties
objPath.textFramePreferences.properties = {insetSpacing:[2.5 * 2.834645, 0, 0, 0], columnRuleBottomInset:1, columnRuleOverprintOverride: true}

rob day

Correct answer

Community Expert

But I want to write it in the `properties` section, like this:

Also, you can’t use dot syntax inside the properties object. If I run your code with VSCode it throws an error and highlights the problems:

@Eugene Tyson ’s code should work—this works for me where I’m setting properties, and nesting the textFramePreferences properties—VSCode doesn’t throw any errors on this line:

objPath.properties = {strokeWeight:1, textFramePreferences: {insetSpacing: [2.5 * 2.834645, 0, 0, 0]}};

When a property references an object with its own methods and properties (i.e., textFramePreferences) then this might be easier to read:

//sets multiple properties of the object style object
objPath.properties = {strokeWeight:1, strokeTint:50}
//textFramePreferences is a separate object, so set its properties via objPath.textFramePreferences.properties
objPath.textFramePreferences.properties = {insetSpacing:[2.5 * 2.834645, 0, 0, 0], columnRuleBottomInset:1, columnRuleOverprintOverride: true}

M

Manan Joshi

Community Expert

app.documents[0].objectStyles.itemByName("obj").textFramePreferences.properties = {insetSpacing:[10,5,10,5]}

worked for me. Even if the chain is on executing this code unchecked it and set the correct values

-Manan

dubloveAuthor

Legend

@Manan Joshi

I've used this before.
That works.
Now I want to write it inside objPath.properties{}

M

Manan Joshi

Community Expert

properties is well a property so it has to be assigned which would need a = operator

-Manan

E

Eugene Tyson

Community Expert

Yes, you can do it through properties, but textFramePreferences.insetSpacing cannot be written like that.

Here I’d use a nested object:

objPath.properties = {
    textFramePreferences: {
        insetSpacing: [2.5 * 2.834645, 0, 0, 0]
    }
};

This is probably better

Set the properties of textFramePreferences directly:

objPath.textFramePreferences.properties = {
    insetSpacing: [2.5 * 2.834645, 0, 0, 0]
};

dubloveAuthor

Legend

The first one doesn't work.
I was using the second one before, and it works.

E

Eugene Tyson

Community Expert

Told you that the 2nd one was probably better.

M

Manan Joshi

Community Expert

textFramePreferences is an object itself. So probably you can write something like

objPath.textFramePreferences.properties = {
insetSpacing:[2.5 * 2.834645, 0, 0, 0]

}

-Manan

dubloveAuthor

Legend

@Manan Joshi

I tried that, but it didn't work.

Do I need to unlock the “chain” in the middle?

All the other settings worked. Like this one:
enableTextFrameGeneralOptions: true,

E

Eugene Tyson

Community Expert

Try enabling the object-style category first, and then set the preference separately:

objPath.properties = {
    enableTextFrameGeneralOptions: true
};

objPath.textFramePreferences.properties = {
    insetSpacing: ["2.5 mm", 0, 0, 0]
};

You should not need to unlock the chain separately. The scripting DOM does not expose that chain button as a separate property. Passing four different values should set independent insets in this order:

[top, left, bottom, right]

If the four inset fields remain linked or unavailable, check whether the object style applies rounded-corner settings, as InDesign can restrict individual inset values on rounded frames.

Sign up

To post, reply, or follow discussions, please sign in with your Adobe ID.

Sign in to Adobe Community

To post, reply, or follow discussions, please sign in with your Adobe ID.

Scanning file for viruses.

This file cannot be downloaded