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Naveeth_J
Participant
June 28, 2013
Question

how to get font properties like line height, ascend, descend, ideographic top etc..?

  • June 28, 2013
  • 1 reply
  • 4382 views

I would like to know if we can access font properties like line-height, ascend, descend etc. through scripting.

I have been trying to get this now by applying a font to sample text as mentioned below.

var fontLists = app.fonts.everyItem().getElements();

var applicationDocument = app.documents.add();

var appPage = applicationDocument.pages.item(0);

var appTextFrame = appPage.textFrames.add();

appTextFrame.contents = "sample";

var appParagraphText = appTextFrame.paragraphs[0];

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

     var xfont = app.fonts;

    //alert('font name '+xfont.name);

    appParagraphText.appliedFont = app.fonts.item(xfont.name);

    var line = appParagraphText.lines[0];

    var myLineheight = line.ascent + line.descent

    alert('font name '+xfont.name +' \n baselineShift -'+appParagraphText.baselineShift+' \n fontStyle - '+appParagraphText.fontStyle

    +' \n fontAscent - ' + appParagraphText.ascent+' \n descent - '+appParagraphText.descent) + ' \n line height '+myLineheight;

}  

Is there any other better way to get this?

This topic has been closed for replies.

1 reply

G
GusSoares
Inspiring
July 8, 2013

Hi,

A couple of months ago I wrote script to set type based on the cap height in mm, inches or pts – which is the way I work in signage projects.

Cap height (ref is letter 'H'), x-height (ref is letter 'x'), ascender (ref could be 'h') and descender (no sharp ref, but 'y' will do) are values defined when designing the actual font. In the font-design program they are relative to each other. So, lets say:

• the x-height is 500 units,

• the ascender height is 700,

• the descender height is -200,

• the cap height is 650.

These units don't mean much in InDesign, but you can establish proportions between them. So what you could do is:

0. use 12pts as ref

1. create a temp text frame (like you did)

2. 'type' the letter 'x' (this will give a ref to x-height)

3. set it to 12pts

3. convert to outlines

4. get the height of the outlined 'x' (var xHeight will be 'y2 - y1')

5. remove the outlined 'x'

Then do it with cap height ('H'), ascender ('h') and descender ('y'). And establish proportional relations between them. Keep in mind that xHeight has a relation to 12pts (or whatever size you define for the em-square).

The major issue is that each font has its own relationships and the design of some fonts won't give 100% sharp heights (mostly serifed fonts). So you need to run this routine every time you want values for different fonts. The script I wrote asks the user to choose a font and then it writes a completely new script with the proportions of the selected font – the new script is created in the same folder as the main one.

I am not sure whether this will work for you, but run the script and have a look on the code to see if there's something that can help you:

Best,

ps.: sorry for the long code... couldn't get my ftp working on this one...

//
// This script finds out the proportion between a font
// and its cap height. 
// The user chooses the font and a new script is created 
// considering that proportion. 
// Type can then be set for the cap height in mm, inches 
// or pts.
//
// Made with parts of other scripts.
// Many thanks to all of you who share your work.
//
// Gustavo Soares
// ttid.com.br
//
#target InDesign
var myDoc = app.documents.add(false);
myDoc.viewPreferences.horizontalMeasurementUnits = MeasurementUnits.POINTS;
myDoc.viewPreferences.verticalMeasurementUnits = MeasurementUnits.POINTS;
//get total of installed fonts
var fontCount = app.fonts.count();
//alerts if too many fonts are installed
if (fontCount > 300) {
    alert ("You have too many fonts installed (" + fontCount + "). It may take a while to compile the list.");
}
//creates the dropdown list of fonts
var fontList = new Array();
//creates the progress bar
var progress = new progressBar ("Compiling Font List");
//call function progress bar
//requirements (title)
progress.text("Processing ", fontCount);
for (i = 0; i < app.fonts.count(); i++) {
    fontList.push(app.fonts.postscriptName);
    progress.hit(app.fonts.postscriptName);
          $.sleep (0.5);
}
progress.close();
//ref to the dialog
var myDialog = app.dialogs.add({name:"Choose a font", canCancel:true});
//creates the dialog box
with(myDialog){
    with(dialogColumns.add()){
        with(borderPanels.add()){
            with(dialogColumns.add()){
                staticTexts.add({staticLabel:"Font:"});
            }
            with(dialogColumns.add()){
                var fontMenu = dropdowns.add({stringList:fontList, selectedIndex:0});
            }
        }
    }
}
//main action
//check functions for details
if(myDialog.show() == true){
    var myFontIndex = fontMenu.selectedIndex;
    var myFontName = fontList[myFontIndex];
    var myFontFamily = app.fonts[myFontIndex].fontFamily;
    var capHeightProportion;
    myDialog.destroy();
    getCapHeight(myFontIndex, myFontName);
    generateScript(myFontFamily, capHeightProportion);
}
else{
    myDialog.destroy()
}
myDoc.close(SaveOptions.NO);
app.activate();
//————————————————————————————//
//    Functions start here    //
//————————————————————————————//
//build the progress bar
function progressBar (title) {
  
          var w = new Window ("palette", title, {x:0, y:0, width:340, height:60});
          var pb = w.add ("progressbar", {x:20, y:12, width:300, height:12}, 0, 100);
          var st = w.add("statictext", {x:20, y:36, width:320, height:20}, "");
          w.center();
          w.show();
  
          this.text = function (msg, maxValue) {
                    st.text = msg;
                    pb.value = 0;
                    pb.maxvalue = maxValue;
                    w.center;
                    w.show();
          }
          this.hit = function(file) {
                    st.text = "Processing: " + file;
                    ++pb.value;
          };
  
          this.close = function() {w.close()}; 
  
}
//1. create a temp text frame of 100 x 100pts
//2. set 'H' on the chosen font at 100pts
//3. create outline
//4. get the proportion between the 100pts text frame and the outline 'H'
function getCapHeight(myFontIndex, myFontName) {
    var myPage = myDoc.pages[0];
    var myTextFrame = myPage.textFrames.add({geometricBounds:[0, 0, 100, 100]});
    myTextFrame.contents = "H";
    with (myTextFrame.characters[0]){
        pointSize = 100;
        appliedFont = app.fonts.item(myFontIndex);
    }
    myTextFrame.createOutlines();
    var myCap = myPage.pageItems[0];
    myCap.move([0, 0]);
    var capBounds = myCap.geometricBounds;
    var capHeight = capBounds[2];
    capHeightProportion = capHeight / 100;
    capHeightProportion = capHeightProportion.toFixed(3);
    alert ("The cap height ratio for " + myFontName + " is: " + capHeightProportion);
    return capHeightProportion;
}
//write a new script file for using with the chosen font/proportions
function generateScript(myFontFamily, capHeightProportion) {
    var scriptFolder = app.scriptPreferences.scriptsFolder.fsName;
    try {
        var writeTest = File (scriptFolder + "/CapHeightOnTheFly-" + myFontFamily + ".jsx");
        writeTest.open("w");
        writeTest.write(
        "\n//" +
        "\n// This script allows the user to set type based" +
        "\n// on the cap height" +
        "\n//" +
        "\n// Made with parts of many other scripts." +
        "\n// Thanks to all of you who share your work." +
        "\n//" +
        "\n// by Gustavo Soares" +
        "\n// ttid.com.br" +
        "\n//" +
        "\n#target InDesign" +
        "\n" +
        "\nif (app.documents.length != 0){" +
            "\n\tvar myDoc = app.activeDocument;" +
            "\n" +
            "\n\tmyDoc.viewPreferences.horizontalMeasurementUnits = MeasurementUnits.MILLIMETERS;" +
            "\n\tmyDoc.viewPreferences.verticalMeasurementUnits = MeasurementUnits.MILLIMETERS;" +
            "\n" +    
            "\n\t//If the selection contains more than one item, the selection is not text selected with the Type tool." +
            "\n\tif (myDoc.selection.length == 1){" +
                "\n\t\t//Evaluate the selection based on its type." +
                "\n\t\tswitch (app.selection[0].constructor.name){" +
                    "\n\t\t\tcase 'InsertionPoint':" +
                        "\n\t\t\t\tcreateDialog(1, " + capHeightProportion + ");" +
                        "\n\t\t\t\tbreak;" +
                    "\n\t\t\tcase 'Character':" +
                        "\n\t\t\t\tcreateDialog(1, " + capHeightProportion + ");" +
                        "\n\t\t\t\tbreak;" +
                    "\n\t\t\tcase 'Word':" +
                        "\n\t\t\t\tcreateDialog(1, " + capHeightProportion + ");" +
                        "\n\t\t\t\tbreak;" +
                    "\n\t\t\tcase 'TextStyleRange':" +
                        "\n\t\t\t\tcreateDialog(1, " + capHeightProportion + ");" +
                        "\n\t\t\t\tbreak;" +
                    "\n\t\t\tcase 'Line':" +
                        "\n\t\t\t\tcreateDialog(1, " + capHeightProportion + ");" +
                        "\n\t\t\t\tbreak;" +
                    "\n\t\t\tcase 'Paragraph':" +
                        "\n\t\t\t\tcreateDialog(1, " + capHeightProportion + ");" +
                        "\n\t\t\t\tbreak;" +
                    "\n\t\t\tcase 'TextColumn':" +
                        "\n\t\t\t\tcreateDialog(1, " + capHeightProportion + ");" +
                        "\n\t\t\t\tbreak;" +
                    "\n\t\t\tcase 'Text':" +
                        "\n\t\t\t\tcreateDialog(1, " + capHeightProportion + ");" +
                        "\n\t\t\t\tbreak;" +
                    "\n\t\t\tcase 'Story':" +
                        "\n\t\t\t\tcreateDialog(1, " + capHeightProportion + ");" +
                        "\n\t\t\t\tbreak;" +
                    "\n\t\t\tcase 'TextFrame':" +
                        "\n\t\t\t\tif (app.selection[0].characters.count() != 0) {" +
                            "\n\t\t\t\t\tcreateDialog(1, " + capHeightProportion + ");" +
                        "\n\t\t\t\t}" +
                        "\n\t\t\t\telse {" +
                            "\n\t\t\t\t\talert('The selected object contains no text. Select some text and try again.');" +
                            "\n\t\t\t\t\tmyDoc.select(NothingEnum.NOTHING);" +
                        "\n\t\t\t\t}" +
                        "\n\t\t\t\tbreak;" +
                    "\n\t\t\tdefault:" +
                        "\n\t\t\t\talert('The selected object is not a text object. Select some text and try again.');" +
                        "\n\t\t\t\tbreak;" +
                "\n\t\t}" +
            "\n\t}" +
            "\n\telse if (myDoc.selection.length >= 1) {" +        
                "\n\t\tfor (i = 0; i < myDoc.selection.length; i++) {" +
                    "\n\t\t\tif (app.selection.constructor.name != 'TextFrame') {" +
                        "\n\t\t\t\talert('One of the selected objects is not a text object. Select only text and try again.');" +
                        "\n\t\t\t\tmyDoc.select(NothingEnum.NOTHING);" +
                    "\n\t\t\t}" +
                    "\n\t\t\telse if (app.selection.characters.count() == 0) {" +
                        "\n\t\t\t\talert('One of the selected objects contains no text. Select only text and try again.');" +
                        "\n\t\t\t\tmyDoc.select(NothingEnum.NOTHING);" +
                    "\n\t\t\t}" +
                "\n\t\t}" +
                "\n\t\tif (myDoc.selection.length != 0) {" +
                    "\n\t\t\tcreateDialog(myDoc.selection.length, " + capHeightProportion + ");" +
                "\n\t\t}" +
            "\n\t}" +
            "\n\telse {" +
                "\n\t\talert('Please select some text and try again.');" +
            "\n\t}" +
        "\n}" +
        "\n" +
        "\nelse {" +
            "\n\talert('Open a document and try again.');" +
        "\n}" + 
        "\n" +
        "\n" +
        "\n//———Functions start here" +
        "\n" +
        "\nfunction createDialog(selectionLenght, capHeightProportion) {" +
            "\n\tvar myDialog = app.dialogs.add({name:'Cap Height On The Fly', canCancel:true});" +
            "\n" +
            "\n\twith(myDialog){" +
                "\n\t\t//Add a dialog column." +
                "\n\t\twith(dialogColumns.add()){" +
                    "\n\t\t\t//Create another border panel." +
                    "\n\t\t\twith(borderPanels.add()){" +
                        "\n\t\t\t\twith(dialogColumns.add()){" +
                            "\n\t\t\t\t\tstaticTexts.add({staticLabel:'Cap Height:'});" +
                        "\n\t\t\t\t}" +
                        "\n\t\t\t\twith(dialogColumns.add()){" +
                            "\n\t\t\t\t\t//Create a number entry field. Note that this field uses editValue" +
                            "\n\t\t\t\t\tvar capHeightField = measurementEditboxes.add();" +
                        "\n\t\t\t\t}" +
                    "\n\t\t\t}" +
                    "\n\t\t\t//Create another border panel." +
                    "\n\t\t\twith(borderPanels.add()){" +
                        "\n\t\t\t\tstaticTexts.add({staticLabel:'Units:'});" +
                        "\n\t\t\t\tvar buttonGroup = radiobuttonGroups.add();" +
                        "\n\t\t\t\twith(buttonGroup){" +
                            "\n\t\t\t\t\tvar button_pt = radiobuttonControls.add({staticLabel:'Points'});" +
                            "\n\t\t\t\t\tvar button_mm = radiobuttonControls.add({staticLabel:'Millimeters', checkedState:true});" +
                            "\n\t\t\t\t\tvar button_in = radiobuttonControls.add({staticLabel:'Inches'});" +
                        "\n\t\t\t\t}" +
                    "\n\t\t\t}" +
                "\n\t\t}" +
            "\n\t}" +
            "\n" +
            "\n\t//Display the dialog box." +
            "\n\tif(myDialog.show() == true){" +
                "\n\t\tvar userUnit, capHeight, measurementUnit" +
                "\n\t\t//If the user didn't click the Cancel button," +
                "\n\t\t//then get the values back from the dialog box." +
                "\n" +
                "\n\t\t//Get the point size from the point size field." +
                "\n\t\tcapHeight = capHeightField.editValue;" +
                "\n" +            
                "\n\t\t//Get the measurement unit from the radiobutton group." +
                "\n\t\tif(buttonGroup.selectedButton == 0){" +
                    "\n\t\t\tuserUnit = 1;" +
                    "\n\t\t\tmeasurementUnit = MeasurementUnits.POINTS;" +
                "\n\t\t}" +
                "\n\t\telse if(buttonGroup.selectedButton == 1){" +
                    "\n\t\t\tuserUnit = 0.35278;" +
                    "\n\t\t\tmeasurementUnit = MeasurementUnits.MILLIMETERS;" +
                "\n\t\t}" +
                "\n\t\telse{" +
                    "\n\t\t\tuserUnit = 0.0139;" +
                    "\n\t\t\tmeasurementUnit = MeasurementUnits.INCHES;" +
                "\n\t\t}" +
                "\n\t\tmyDialog.destroy();" +
                "\n\t\tchangeCapHeight(selectionLenght, userUnit, capHeight, measurementUnit, capHeightProportion);" +
                "\n\t\t}" +
                "\n\t\telse{" +
                "\n\t\tmyDialog.destroy();" +
                "\n\t\t}" +
            "\n\t}" +
        "\n" +
        "\nfunction changeCapHeight(selectionLenght, userUnit, capHeight, measurementUnit, capHeightProportion) {" +
            "\n\tfor (i = 0; i < selectionLenght; i++) {" +
                "\n\t\tvar myCharacters = app.selection.characters.everyItem();" +
                "\n\t\tmyCharacters.pointSize = (capHeight / userUnit) / capHeightProportion" +
            "\n\t}" +
            "\n\tmyDoc.viewPreferences.horizontalMeasurementUnits = measurementUnit;" +
            "\n\tmyDoc.viewPreferences.verticalMeasurementUnits = measurementUnit;" +
            "\n\tmyDoc.select(NothingEnum.NOTHING);" +
        "\n}");
        writeTest.close();
    }
    catch (err) {
        alert ("Ops");
    }
}
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