Skip to main content
W
w30290083o9nn
Known Participant
March 20, 2025
Answered

My code cannot retrieve the font size of the text layer.

  • March 20, 2025
  • 4 replies
  • 2404 views

My code cannot retrieve the font size of the text layer.

#target photoshop
alert(app.activeDocument.activeLayer.textItem.size);
#target photoshop

// Get the active document
var doc = app.activeDocument;

// Get the active layer
var selectedLayer = doc.activeLayer;

// Check if the active layer is a text layer
if (selectedLayer.kind == LayerKind.TEXT) {
    // If it's a text layer, read the font size and alert it
    alert("Current font size is: " + selectedLayer.textItem.size);
} else {
    // If it's not a text layer, alert the user
    alert("The active layer is not a text layer!");
}

 Error 8800: General Photoshop error occurred. This functionality may not be available in this version of Photoshop.
- <no additional information available> Line: 12 -> alert("Current font size is: " + selectedLayer.textItem.size);

Correct answer c.pfaffenbichler

But after clicking "Reset Character," the text immediately shrinks.


Edit: This would level out differently sized letters, but still …

// 2025, use it at your own risk;
changeText ("Hxxxxx12");
////// stuff //////
function changeText (theText) {
try {
var ref = new ActionReference();
ref.putProperty(stringIDToTypeID("property"), stringIDToTypeID('textKey'));
ref.putEnumerated( charIDToTypeID("Lyr "), charIDToTypeID("Ordn"), charIDToTypeID("Trgt") ); 
var layerDesc = executeActionGet(ref);
var textDesc = layerDesc.getObjectValue(stringIDToTypeID('textKey'));
var textStyleRange = textDesc.getList(stringIDToTypeID('textStyleRange'));
////////////////////////////////////
var textStyleRangeX = new ActionList();
for (var o = 0; o < textStyleRange.count; o++) {
var thisListItem = textStyleRange.getObjectValue(o);
if (thisListItem.getObjectValue(thisListItem.getKey(2)).hasKey(stringIDToTypeID("size")) == false && thisListItem.getObjectValue(thisListItem.getKey(2)).hasKey(stringIDToTypeID("baseParentStyle")) == true) {
if (thisListItem.getObjectValue(thisListItem.getKey(2)).getObjectValue(stringIDToTypeID("baseParentStyle")).hasKey(stringIDToTypeID("impliedFontSize"))) {
var theSize = thisListItem.getObjectValue(thisListItem.getKey(2)).getObjectValue(stringIDToTypeID("baseParentStyle")).getUnitDoubleValue(stringIDToTypeID("impliedFontSize"));
} else {}
} else {};
textStyleRangeX.putObject(stringIDToTypeID( "textStyleRange" ), thisListItem);
};
////////////////////////////////////
var desc179 = new ActionDescriptor();
var ref1 = new ActionReference();
ref1.putEnumerated( stringIDToTypeID( "textLayer" ), stringIDToTypeID( "ordinal" ), stringIDToTypeID( "targetEnum" ) );
desc179.putReference( stringIDToTypeID( "null" ), ref1 );
////////////////////////////////////
var desc180 = new ActionDescriptor();
desc180.putList( stringIDToTypeID( "textStyleRange" ), textStyleRangeX );
desc179.putObject( stringIDToTypeID( "to" ), stringIDToTypeID( "textLayer" ), desc180 );
////////////////////////////////////
textDesc.putString( stringIDToTypeID( "textKey" ), theText );
desc179.putObject( stringIDToTypeID( "to" ), stringIDToTypeID( "textKey" ), textDesc );
executeAction( stringIDToTypeID( "set" ), desc179, DialogModes.NO );
if (theSize) {activeDocument.activeLayer.textItem.size = theSize};
} catch (e) {alert (e)}
};

4 replies

C
Ciccillotto
Inspiring
April 6, 2025

I tried this piece of code and on my photoshop on mac m1 it works fine.

var doc = app.activeDocument;

// Get the active layer
var selectedLayer = doc.activeLayer;

// Check if the active layer is a text layer
if (selectedLayer.kind == LayerKind.TEXT) {
    // If it's a text layer, read the font size and alert it
    alert("Current font size is: " + selectedLayer.textItem.size);
} else {
    // If it's not a text layer, alert the user
    alert("The active layer is not a text layer!");
}

 

this comes out

    W
    w30290083o9nnAuthor
    Known Participant
    March 20, 2025

    I found a solution for getting the font size on the forum, but the issue that still confuses me is that the font shrinks after replacing the text. I have been unable to solve this, so I’m asking for help from the experts here. Thank you!

    //https://community.adobe.com/t5/photoshop-ecosystem-discussions/read-font-size-with-script/m-p/10697934
app.currentTool = "typeCreateOrEditTool";

try {
    var r = new ActionReference();
    var d = new ActionDescriptor();
    r.putProperty(stringIDToTypeID("property"), stringIDToTypeID("tool"));
    r.putEnumerated(charIDToTypeID("capp"), stringIDToTypeID("ordinal"), stringIDToTypeID("targetEnum"));
    var options = executeActionGet(r);
    var object = options.getObjectValue(stringIDToTypeID("currentToolOptions")).getObjectValue(stringIDToTypeID("textToolCharacterOptions")).getObjectValue(stringIDToTypeID("textStyle"));


    alert(object.getUnitDoubleValue(stringIDToTypeID("size")));
} catch (e) {
    alert(e)
}

     

      E
      ExUSA
      Legend
      March 20, 2025

      Have you set your ruler units properly? And you don't need to use Action Manager code to get the font size, it can be done in the DOM.

      c.pfaffenbichler
      Community Expert
      c.pfaffenbichlerCommunity Expert
      Community Expert
      March 23, 2025

      When I create a new document, drag the text over, and replace the text, it still gets resized to 12 point.


      Even if I feed the textKey Object back to the ActionDescriptor the size changes – which does not happen with a completely new type layer in a new document. 

      There seems to be something »special« about the Layer/File … 

       

      Edit: Resetting the Characters does naturally remove the color etc., but leaves the size unchanged and subsequently the Script seems to work as intended on the Layer. 

      E
      ExUSA
      Legend
      March 20, 2025

      Complete sample with error trapping. If your text layer has multiple text sizes, only the first will be reported.

       

      #target photoshop
tSize();
function tSize(){
    try{
        if(documents.length > 0){
            var originalDialogMode = app.displayDialogs;
            app.displayDialogs = DialogModes.ERROR;
            var originalRulerUnits = preferences.rulerUnits;
            preferences.rulerUnits = Units.POINTS;
            var docRef = app.activeDocument;
            var layerRef = docRef.activeLayer;
            var textSize = 0;
            if(layerRef.kind == LayerKind.TEXT){
                var textRef = layerRef.textItem;
                testSize = textRef.size;
                Window.alert('Current font size is: ' + testSize.toString());
                }
            app.displayDialogs = originalDialogMode;
            preferences.rulerUnits = originalRulerUnits;
            }
        }
    catch(e){
        app.displayDialogs = originalDialogMode;
        preferences.rulerUnits = originalRulerUnits;
        Window.alert(e + ' ' + e.line);
        }
    }

       

      W
      w30290083o9nnAuthor
      Known Participant
      March 20, 2025
      Thank you very much for your first reply, but the following error occurred.


      Error: General Photoshop error occurred. This functionality may not be available in this version of Photoshop.
      - <no additional information available> 15

      W
      w30290083o9nnAuthor
      Known Participant
      March 20, 2025

      My PSD file is very strange. When I use this code to replace the text content, the text gets smaller. How can I ensure that the text does not shrink? Thank you, everyone!

      #target photoshop
app.activeDocument.activeLayer.textItem.contents = "night"

       

      Terms & ConditionsAccessibility statement
      Using the community Terms of use Privacy Cookie preferences Do not sell or share my personal information ad choicesAdChoices