TypeScript throws error when trying to use setValue on text layer

[samuraicow]

var newTextLayer: TextLayer = app.project.activeItem.layers.addText("Hello, world.");
newTextLayer.property("Position").setValue([0,0]);

TypeScript throws the following error:

Property 'setValue' does not exist on type '_PropertyClasses'.
Property 'setValue' does not exist on type 'PropertyGroup'.

Is there a better way to set properties on text layers?

[Dan Ebberts]

I think you just need to change the first line:

var newTextLayer = app.project.activeItem.layers.addText("Hello, world.");
newTextLayer.property("Position").setValue([0,0]);

[samuraicow]

That's how I had it initially when I first got the error. I was hoping specifically setting the variable type to TextLayer might address the issue, but it didn't.

[Dan Ebberts]

It works fine for me. I've never seen that error message--I'm not sure how you would get that.

[samuraicow]

Figured it out if anyone else runs into this issue:

property("Position") returns a _PropertyClasses

_PropertyClasses is an alias for: Property | PropertyGroup | MaskPropertyGroup

But setValue() is only valid for Property. It does not exist for PropertyGroup or MaskPropertyGroup

For valid TypeScript, you have to first confirm that property("Position") is specifically a Property before attempting to call setValue(). There are many ways to accomplish this (https://www.typescriptlang.org/docs/handbook/2/narrowing.html), but here was my solution:

var textPos = newTextLayer.property("Position") as Property;
textPos.setValue([0,0]);

[Dan Ebberts]

Sorry, I totally missed the TypeScript reference. Glad you got it sorted!