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rasmussvanejensen
Known Participant
Apr 1, 2020 1:23 PM UTC
Answered

Indesign Script: Getting the x-height

Hi.

I am trying to read the x-height of a selected character using InDesign script.

I can't seem to find the property.

Do you have any sugesstions?

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LaubenderCorrect answer
Community Expert
Apr 1, 2020 5:08 PM UTC

Hi rasmussvanejensen,

you could do the following:

( function() 
{
	
	var testContents = "x";
	
	if( app.selection.length != 1 ){ return };
	if( !app.selection[0].hasOwnProperty( "baselineShift" ) ){ return };
	if( app.selection[0].insertionPoints.length < 2 ){ return };
	
	var doc = app.documents[0];
	
	var character = app.selection[0].characters[0];
	var tempFrame = doc.textFrames.add({ geometricBounds : doc.pages[0].bounds });
	character.duplicate( LocationOptions.AT_BEGINNING , tempFrame.parentStory );

	tempFrame.parentStory.contents = testContents ;
	
	var outlinedX = tempFrame.characters[0].createOutlines( false )[0];
	var gB = outlinedX.geometricBounds;
	var height = gB[2] - gB[0] ;
	
	alert( "Height "+testContents+": "+ height );
	
	outlinedX.remove();
	tempFrame.remove();
	
}() )

 

Regards,
Uwe Laubender

( ACP )

View reply

9 replies

Community Expert
LaubenderCommunity Expert
Community Expert
Apr 2, 2020 12:14 PM UTC

Hi Jongware,

very good suggestion.

Something like that:

 

( function() 
{
	
	if( app.selection.length != 1 ){ return };
	if( !app.selection[0].hasOwnProperty( "baselineShift" ) ){ return };
	if( app.selection[0].insertionPoints.length < 2 ){ return };
	
	var doc = app.documents[0];
	
	var character = app.selection[0].characters[0];
	var tempFrame = doc.textFrames.add({ geometricBounds : doc.pages[0].bounds });
	character.duplicate( LocationOptions.AT_BEGINNING , tempFrame.parentStory );

	tempFrame.textFramePreferences.properties =
	{
		firstBaselineOffset : FirstBaseline.X_HEIGHT ,
		minimumFirstBaselineOffset : 0 ,
		insetSpacing : 0 ,
		ignoreWrap : true ,
		verticalJustification : VerticalJustification.TOP_ALIGN
	};

	tempFrame.texts[0].alignToBaseline = false ;
	
	var height = tempFrame.insertionPoints[0].baseline - tempFrame.geometricBounds[0] ;
	
	alert( "x-Height of selected character: "+ height );
	
	tempFrame.remove();
	
}() )

 

Regards,
Uwe Laubender

( ACP )

Translate
    rasmussvanejensenAuthor
    Known Participant
    Apr 2, 2020 6:03 AM UTC

    Hi Uwe! That works perfectly!

     

    I had started to do write something simulare where I outlined and measured the character, but I wasn't close to doing it in an elegant way.

     

    Thank you. It was a big help!

    Translate
    Dave Creamer of IDEAS
    Community Expert
    Dave Creamer of IDEASCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    Apr 1, 2020 6:25 PM UTC

    Here is an article with a link to a script for settting the x-height. It's old so I don't know if it works on newer ID versions.

    https://indesignsecrets.com/set-the-size-of-text-exactly-based-on-cap-or-x-height.php

    Translate
    David Creamer: Community Expert (ACI and ACE 1995-2023)
      Community Expert
      LaubenderCommunity ExpertCorrect answer
      Community Expert
      Apr 1, 2020 5:08 PM UTC

      Hi rasmussvanejensen,

      you could do the following:

      ( function() 
{
	
	var testContents = "x";
	
	if( app.selection.length != 1 ){ return };
	if( !app.selection[0].hasOwnProperty( "baselineShift" ) ){ return };
	if( app.selection[0].insertionPoints.length < 2 ){ return };
	
	var doc = app.documents[0];
	
	var character = app.selection[0].characters[0];
	var tempFrame = doc.textFrames.add({ geometricBounds : doc.pages[0].bounds });
	character.duplicate( LocationOptions.AT_BEGINNING , tempFrame.parentStory );

	tempFrame.parentStory.contents = testContents ;
	
	var outlinedX = tempFrame.characters[0].createOutlines( false )[0];
	var gB = outlinedX.geometricBounds;
	var height = gB[2] - gB[0] ;
	
	alert( "Height "+testContents+": "+ height );
	
	outlinedX.remove();
	tempFrame.remove();
	
}() )

       

      Regards,
      Uwe Laubender

      ( ACP )

      Translate
        FRIdNGE
        FRIdNGE
        Apr 1, 2020 7:31 PM UTC

        Hi Uwe,

         

        It was a long time! The Jedi is back.

         

        What is the interest of the "tempFrame" text frame here?

        Supposing such a script will be only used with a text selection, this could be enough:

         

         

        var myOutline = app.selection[0].createOutlines(false)[0],
myGB = myOutline.geometricBounds,
mySelectedTextHeight = myGB[2] - myGB[0];
myOutline.remove();
alert( "Height of Selected Text:\r" + mySelectedTextHeight )

         

         

        (^/) The Jedi

        Translate
        Community Expert
        LaubenderCommunity Expert
        Community Expert
        Apr 1, 2020 7:52 PM UTC

        Hi Michel,

        the user could have selected a white space character.

        So I do not want to work with the selected text directly.

         

        Regards,
        Uwe Laubender

        ( ACP )

        Translate
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