How can I obtain the maximum width of text in a column? I will set the column's minimum width it.

Hi @dublove, try this script.

- Mark

/**
 * @file Expand Overflowing Cells.js
 * 
 * Expands any overset cells in the selected table.
 *
 * @author m1b
 * @version 2025-09-07
 * @discussion https://community.adobe.com/t5/indesign-discussions/how-can-i-obtain-the-maximum-width-of-text-in-a-column-i-will-set-the-column-s-minimum-width-it/m-p/15493987
 */
function main() {

    app.scriptPreferences.measurementUnit = MeasurementUnits.POINTS;

    var doc = app.activeDocument;
    var tables = getTables(doc.selection);

    tableLoop:
    for (var t = 0; t < tables.length; t++) {

        var table = tables[t];

        cellLoop:
        for (var i = 0; i < table.cells.length; i++) {

            var cell = table.cells[i];

            if (!cell.overflows)
                continue cellLoop;

            var timeout = 5000;

            while (cell.overflows && timeout--) {
                cell.parentColumn.width += 1;
                cell.parentColumn.recompose();
            }

            if (!timeout) {
                alert('Could not expand cells.');
                continue tableLoop;
            }

        }
    }

};
app.doScript(main, ScriptLanguage.JAVASCRIPT, undefined, UndoModes.ENTIRE_SCRIPT, 'Expand Overflowing Cells');

/**
 * Get tables from object(s)
 * for Adobe Indesign
 * @author m1b
 * @version 2024-12-20
 *
 * Finds tables inside different objects,
 * eg. selection, page, text frame, story.
 * Supply a filter function to narrow down
 * the table(s) even more.
 *
 * @param {Document|Page|PageItem|TextFrame|Cell|Text} items - item, collection or array to get tables from
 * @param {Boolean} [onlyFirst] - only return the first table found
 * @param {Function} [filter] - only match tables that pass this filter function
 * @param {Array[Table]} [found] - results (private argument for recursive calls)
 * @returns {Array[Table]} - the found table(s) * if onlyFirst flag then can be {Table}
 */
function getTables(items, onlyFirst, filter, found) {

    // sanity
    if (items == undefined)
        return [];

    if (found == undefined)
        found = [];

    else if (
        onlyFirst
        && 'Table' === found.constructor.name
    )
        // immediately return the table
        return found;

    if (!items.hasOwnProperty('0'))
        // put in array to process
        items = [items];

    for (var i = 0; i < items.length; i++) {

        var item = items[i];

        if ('Table' === item.constructor.name) {

            if (
                filter == undefined
                || filter(item) === true
            ) {

                // item is a table
                if (onlyFirst)
                    return item;

                else
                    found.push(item);

            }
        }

        else if ('TextFrame' === item.constructor.name) {

            var textFrameTables = item.tables.everyItem().getElements();

            if (
                item.hasOwnProperty('textFrames')
                && item.textFrames.length > 0
            )
                // check in anchored text frames
                textFrameTables = textFrameTables.concat(getTables(item.textFrames, onlyFirst, filter));

            found = found.concat(textFrameTables);

        }

        else if (
            item.hasOwnProperty('tables')
            && item.tables.length > 0
        )
            // item contains tables
            found = found.concat(getTables(item.tables, onlyFirst, filter));

        else if (
            item.hasOwnProperty('parent')
            && 'Cell' === item.parent.constructor.name
        )
            // parent is a table cell
            found = found.concat(getTables(item.parent.parent, onlyFirst, filter));

        else if (
            item.hasOwnProperty('paragraphs')
            && item.paragraphs.length > 0
        )
            // is in a story, which may contain tables
            found = found.concat(getTables(item.paragraphs, onlyFirst, filter));

        else if (
            item.hasOwnProperty('parentTextFrames')
            && item.parentTextFrames.length > 0
        )
            // is in a story, which may contain tables
            found = found.concat(getTables(item.parentTextFrames, onlyFirst, filter));

        else if (
            item.hasOwnProperty('parentStory')
        )
            // is in a story, which may contain tables
            found = found.concat(getTables(item.parentStory, onlyFirst, filter));

        else if (
            item.hasOwnProperty('pageItems')
            && item.pageItems.length > 0
        )
            // contains page items, which may be tables
            found = found.concat(getTables(item.pageItems, onlyFirst, filter));

        else if (
            item.hasOwnProperty('parent')
            && 'Document' !== item.parent.constructor.name
            && 'Spread' !== item.parent.constructor.name
        )
            // has a parent which might be a table
            found = found.concat(getTables(item.parent, onlyFirst, filter));

    }

    if (
        onlyFirst
        && found.length > 0
    )
        return found[0]

    else
        return found;

};

 Edit 2025-09-07: replaced getTable with getTables function to allow collection of multiple tables.