How to avoid empty space in the inside of the equations

Hi @kanagakumar and others, really you guys have worked out the hard parts already. So I've written a script that uses your insights, and hopefully this will do what you want.

I have assumed that the equations are all eps graphics that are anchored in text. I've included options to set a uniform scale for the equations, and also to fit the frame to the content—this is critical, otherwise the baseline might not be correct.

Give it a try and let me know how you go.

- Mark

Example, using scalePercent: 120:

/**
 * Aligns all anchored EPS math equation graphics to their baseline
 * by using the `Baseline` value in the eps markup.
 *
 * Options:
 *   - apply an object style to each equation's frame
 *   - apply a separate object style for "display" equation's frames
 *   - scale the equation graphic
 *   - fit content to frame (NOTE: turning this off may result in baseline misalignments.)
 *   - adjusts equations cropping on left and right sides.
 *
 * Notes:
 *   - "Display" equations start a line, are displayed on the line by themselves
 *      and do not have baseline adjustments.
 * @author m1b
 * @discussion https://community.adobe.com/t5/indesign-discussions/how-to-avoid-empty-space-in-the-inside-of-the-equations/m-p/14460828
 */
function main() {

    var settings = {
        equationInlineStyleName: 'Equation Inline',
        equationDisplayStyleName: 'EQ-text Wrap',
        scalePercent: 100,
        leftSideBearing: -1,
        rightSidebearing: -1,
        fitFrameToContent: true,
    };

    app.scriptPreferences.measurementUnit = MeasurementUnits.POINTS;

    var counter = 0,
        doc = app.activeDocument,
        inlineEquationStyle = getThing(doc.allObjectStyles, 'name', settings.equationInlineStyleName),
        displayEquationStyle = getThing(doc.allObjectStyles, 'name', settings.equationDisplayStyleName),
        graphics = doc.allGraphics;

    for (var i = 0, eps, baseline, newYOffset, isDisplay; i < graphics.length; i++) {

        if (
            'EPS' !== graphics[i].constructor.name
            || undefined == graphics[i].parent.anchoredObjectSettings
        )
            // ignore non-eps and non-anchored graphics
            continue;

        eps = graphics[i];

        // get the baseline from the eps file
        baseline = getBaselineOfEPS(eps);

        if (undefined == baseline)
            // didn't get baseline
            continue;

        // "display" equations are handled differently
        isDisplay = true === isDisplayEquation(eps);

        // apply object style
        if (isDisplay && displayEquationStyle)
            eps.parent.appliedObjectStyle = displayEquationStyle;

        else if (inlineEquationStyle)
            eps.parent.appliedObjectStyle = inlineEquationStyle;

        // scale
        if (settings.scalePercent)
            eps.properties = {
                verticalScale: settings.scalePercent,
                horizontalScale: settings.scalePercent,
            };

        // adjust the frame
        crop(eps, [0, settings.leftSideBearing, 0, settings.rightSidebearing], settings.fitFrameToContent);

        // the anchored object Y offset value
        newYOffset = -baseline * (eps.verticalScale / 100);

        if (!isDisplay)
            // adjust the anchored position
            eps.parent.anchoredObjectSettings.anchorYoffset = newYOffset;

        counter++;

    }

    alert('Adjusted ' + counter + ' anchored eps graphics.');

};
app.doScript(main, ScriptLanguage.JAVASCRIPT, undefined, UndoModes.ENTIRE_SCRIPT, 'Align Anchored Equations');

/**
 * Returns the `baseline` value
 * from the EPS file.
 * @author Peter Kahrel
 * @author Rob Day
 * @author m1b
 * @version 2024-03-09
 * @param {EPS} graphic - an EPS graphic.
 * @returns {Number} - the baseline extracted from the file.
 */
function getBaselineOfEPS(graphic) {

    var f = File(graphic.itemLink.filePath);

    if (!f.exists)
        return;

    f.encoding = 'BINARY';
    f.open('r');
    var str = f.read();
    f.close();

    return Number(str.match(/%%Baseline:\s(\d+)/)[1] || 0);

};

/**
 * Returns a thing with matching property.
 * @param {Array|collection} things - the things to look through, eg. PageItems.
 * @param {String} key - the property name, eg. 'name'.
 * @param {*} value - the value to match.
 * @returns {*} - the thing.
 */
function getThing(things, key, value) {

    for (var i = 0; i < things.length; i++)
        if (things[i][key] == value)
            return things[i];

};

/**
 * Adjust a graphic's container's bounds,
 * either relative to the graphic, or
 * relative to the graphic's container.
 *
 * Example:
 *   crop(myGraphic,[0,0,0,0]); // equivalent to fit frame to content
 *
 * Example:
 *   copy(mygraphic, [-1,-1,-1,-1], false); // reduce frame by 1 point all around
 *
 * @author m1b
 * @version 2024-03-12
 * @param {contained object} graphic - the target graphic, eg. PDF.
 * @param {Array<Number>} offset - the adjustment to make, in points, in current units to [top, left, bottom, right].
 * @param {Boolean} adjustRelativeToGraphic - whether the adjustment is relative to graphic object; otherwise will be relative to graphic's parentframe (default: true).
 */
function crop(graphic, offset, adjustRelativeToGraphic) {

    var frame = graphic.parent,
        bounds = false !== adjustRelativeToGraphic
            ? graphic.geometricBounds
            : frame.geometricBounds;

    if (undefined == bounds)
        return;

    frame.geometricBounds = [
        bounds[0] - offset[0],
        bounds[1] - offset[1],
        bounds[2] + offset[2],
        bounds[3] + offset[3],
    ];

};

/**
 * Returns true when the supplied EPS
 * is a "Display" equation.
 * @param {EPS} eps - an Indesign EPS graphic.
 * @returns {Boolean}
 */
function isDisplayEquation(eps) {

    return {
        'EQ': true,
        'EQ-I': true,
    }[eps.parent.parent.appliedParagraphStyle.name];

};

Edit 2024-03-12: Added the crop function and added "sidebearings" to the settings object so that the equation graphic's frames can be adjusted on the left and right.

Edit 2024-03-12: Added handling of "display" equations as per OP's comments.

Edit 2024-03-12: Changed isDisplayEquation function as per OP's comments.