[CS4, JS] Text frame geometricBounds undefined

Hello,
I'm searching through all the paragraphs in a document for paragraphs with a particular paragraph style. When it's found, the script takes the geometric bounds of the parent text frame and uses them later. However, it doesn't work in some documents because the geometric bounds of text frames are undefined and cause an error. The error causing documents were originally PageMaker documents than have been opened through InDesign as saved as .indd. Documents created in InDesign run the script fine.
Anyway, here's the part of the script that's causing problems (I've tried iterating backwards and forwards, but to no avail):
myDocStories = app.activeDocument.stories
for (var i = myDocStories.length - 1; i >= 0; i--){
for (var j = myDocStories[i].paragraphs.length - 1; i >= 0; i--){
// Check each paragraph in active document for the chosen find paragraph or object style
if(myDocStories[i].paragraphs[j].appliedParagraphStyle.name == myFindParVal){
var myBounds = "";
myBounds = myDocStories[i].paragraphs[j].parentTextFrames[0].geometricBounds;
The weird thing is, if I select a paragraph that's found by the script and run app.selection[0].parentTextFrames[0].geometricBounds in the console...it tells me the bounds of the text frame.
I have literally no idea why it's doing this, but I suspect it's something to do with the fact that they used to be PageMaker files...

You are brilliant. A quick rejig of when the bounds are taken and it's fine again.
Thanks!

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Problem: Text frames on CS4 document pages (from locked text frames on masterpage) are no longer editable on CS5 document pages.
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I have belatedly discovered another difference between CS4 and CS2 -- I don't know whether this started with CS3 or not; I think perhaps it did.
When you want to add a text frame to an existing group (which means create a new one within group), it's fairly straightforward unless the group is inline to a story. Then the new item gets added at the wrong place (I suspect what actually happens is that it always used to get added at the wrong place and then moved to the specified coordinates; but in CS2 and earlier, there was no automatic updating of the screen so the coordinates worked, but in CS4, the addition of the new frame moves the inline and so the coordinates you're aiming for are no longer correct). I worked around this in the following script by changing the anchoring and then changing it back -- I'm not entirely sure that this is foolproof, but it works on the job we're using it for.
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Open the PDF in Acrobat (not Reader).
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Go into the Rectangle Properties to configure appearance for border line style, thickness and color; fill color and opacity.
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Thanks in advance to whomever can assist in any possible way, even if it is just a push in the right direction. This script will save 1-2 hours of tedium every week.

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The readFileLineByLine function, can be easily re-used with any function using "callback". You simply supply the function to it, that you want to be executed for every line of text that is read:
const COLUMN_WIDTH = 2; // Define the column width in inch
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            // if(ln !='' && ln!='\n'){
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        alert(e);
        gCancel = true;
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The file in C:\ in my example was saved as UTF-8 and looks like this (showing hidden characters):
Message was edited by: Andreas Jansson

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I am new to scripting and need help. I have an existing Indesign document. I need to be able to create a text frame on my current page, the width of my margins with the top of the text frame at the top margin and 1" in height, then format it to be 1-column, and then paste the clipboard contents into it and tag the text with a particular paragraph style. I am using Indesign CS4 on a mac, if that makes any difference. Thanks for any help.

May this will help you. It will create an anchored object with a text what you desired, with object style. You should create an object style before with the x and y co ordinates. You can choose either para style or character style.
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var list_of_object_styles = the_document.objectStyles.everyItem().name;
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var the_dialog = app.dialogs.add({name:"Create anchored text frames"});
with(the_dialog.dialogColumns.add()){
with(dialogRows.add()){
staticTexts.add({staticLabel:"Make the anchored frames from ..."});
with(dialogRows.add()){
staticTexts.add({staticLabel:"This character style:"});
var find_cstyle = dropdowns.add({stringList:list_of_character_styles, selectedIndex:0});
with(dialogRows.add()){
staticTexts.add({staticLabel:"Or this paragraph style:"});
var find_pstyle = dropdowns.add({stringList:list_of_paragraph_styles, selectedIndex:0});
with(dialogRows.add()){
staticTexts.add({staticLabel:"Leave one dropdown unchanged!"});
dialogRows.add();
with(dialogRows.add()){
staticTexts.add({staticLabel:"Delete matches?"});
var delete_refs = dropdowns.add({stringList:["Yes","No"], selectedIndex:0});
dialogRows.add();
with(dialogRows.add()){
staticTexts.add({staticLabel:"Anchored text frame settings:"});
with(dialogRows.add()){
staticTexts.add({staticLabel:"Object style:"});
var anchor_style = dropdowns.add({stringList:list_of_object_styles, selectedIndex:0});
with(dialogRows.add()){
staticTexts.add({staticLabel:"Frame width:"});
var anchor_width = measurementEditboxes.add({editUnits:MeasurementUnits.MILLIMETERS, editValue:72});
with(dialogRows.add()){
staticTexts.add({staticLabel:"Frame height:"});
var anchor_height = measurementEditboxes.add({editUnits:MeasurementUnits.MILLIMETERS, editValue:72});
the_dialog.show();
// Define the selected styles
var real_find_cstyle = the_document.characterStyles.item(find_cstyle.selectedIndex);
var real_find_pstyle = the_document.paragraphStyles.item(find_pstyle.selectedIndex);
var real_anchor_style = the_document.objectStyles.item(anchor_style.selectedIndex);
// Check if a style is selected
if(find_cstyle.selectedIndex != 0 || find_pstyle.selectedIndex != 0) {
// Define whether to search for character styles or paragraph styles
app.findChangeGrepOptions.includeFootnotes = false;
app.findChangeGrepOptions.includeHiddenLayers = false;
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app.findChangeGrepOptions.includeLockedStoriesForFind = false;
app.findChangeGrepOptions.includeMasterPages = false;
if(find_cstyle.selectedIndex != 0) {
app.findGrepPreferences = NothingEnum.nothing;
app.findGrepPreferences.appliedCharacterStyle = real_find_cstyle;
} else {
app.findGrepPreferences = NothingEnum.nothing;
app.findGrepPreferences.appliedParagraphStyle = real_find_pstyle;
app.findGrepPreferences.findWhat = "^";
// Search the document
var found_items = the_document.findGrep();
myCounter = found_items.length-1;
do {
// Select and copy the found text
var current_item = found_items[myCounter];
if(find_pstyle.selectedIndex != 0) {
var found_text = current_item.paragraphs.firstItem();
var insertion_character = (found_text.characters.lastItem().index) + 1;
var check_insertion_character = insertion_character + 1;
var alt_insertion_character = (found_text.characters.firstItem().index) - 1;
var the_story = found_text.parentStory;
app.selection = found_text;
if(delete_refs.selectedIndex == 0) {
app.cut();
} else {
app.copy();
} else {
var found_text = current_item;
var insertion_character = (found_text.characters.lastItem().index) + 2;
var check_insertion_character = insertion_character;
var alt_insertion_character = (found_text.characters.firstItem().index) - 1;
var the_story = found_text.parentStory;
app.selection = found_text;
if(delete_refs.selectedIndex == 0) {
app.cut();
} else {
app.copy();
// Make text frame from selection
try {
app.selection = the_story.insertionPoints[check_insertion_character];
app.selection = the_story.insertionPoints[insertion_character];
} catch(err) {
app.selection = the_story.insertionPoints[alt_insertion_character];
var the_anchored_frame = app.selection[0].textFrames.add({geometricBounds:["0","0",anchor_height.editContents,anch or_width.editContents],anchoredObjectSettings:{anchoredPosition: AnchorPosition.ANCHORED}});
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app.paste();
// Apply the object style now to "force apply" paragraph style set in the object style
if(anchor_style.selectedIndex != 0) {
the_anchored_frame.appliedObjectStyle = real_anchor_style;
myCounter--;
} while (myCounter >= 0);
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    spaceAfter = 0;
    spaceBefore = 0;
    startParagraph = StartParagraph.anywhere;
    strikeThru = false;
    if(strikeThru == true){
        strikeThroughColor = app.colors.item("Black");
        strikeThroughGapColor = app.swatches.item("None");
        strikeThroughGapOverprint = false;
        strikeThroughGapTint = 100;
        strikeThroughOffset = 3;
        strikeThroughOverprint = false;
        strikeThroughTint = 100;
        strikeThroughType = app.strokeStyles.item("Solid");
        strikeThroughWeight = .25;
    strokeColor = app.swatches.item("None");
    strokeTint = 100;
    strokeWeight = 0;
    tracking = 0;
    underline = false;
    if(underline == true){
        underlineColor = app.colors.item("Black");
        underlineGapColor = app.swatches.item("None");
        underlineGapOverprint = false;
        underlineGapTint = 100;
        underlineOffset = 3;
        underlineOverprint = false;
        underlineTint = 100;
        underlineType = app.strokeStyles.item("Solid");
        underlineWeight = .25
    verticalScale = 100;
//Units & Increments preference panel
//Must do this to make sure our units that we set are in points. The vert and horiz
//units that get set default to the current measurement unit. We set it to points
//so we can be sure of the value. We'll reset it later to the desired setting.
with(app.viewPreferences){
    horizontalMeasurementUnits = MeasurementUnits.points;    // Ruler Units, horizontal
    verticalMeasurementUnits = MeasurementUnits.points;        // Ruler Units, vertical
//General preference panel
with(app.generalPreferences){
    pageNumbering = PageNumberingOptions.section;    // Page Numbering, View
    toolTips = ToolTipOptions.normal;                    // Tool Tips
// Not supported in CS4
//    toolsPalette = ToolsPaletteOptions.doubleColumn;    // Floating Tool Palette
    completeFontDownloadGlyphLimit = 2000;                // Always Subset Fonts...
    try {
        //Wrapped in try/catch in case it is run with CS4 and earlier to avoid the error
        preventSelectingLockedItems = false;                // Needed for CS5+
    catch (e) {}
//Type preference panel
with (app.textEditingPreferences){
    tripleClickSelectsLine = true;    // Triple Click to Select a Line
    smartCutAndPaste = true;        // Adjust Spacing Automatically when Cutting and Pasting Words
    dragAndDropTextInLayout = false;    // Enable in Layout View
    allowDragAndDropTextInStory = true;    // Enable in Story Editor
with(app.textPreferences){
    typographersQuotes = true;            // Use Typographer's Quotes
    useOpticalSize = true;                // Automatically Use Correct Optical Size
    scalingAdjustsText = true;            // Adjust Text Attributes when Scaling
    useParagraphLeading = false;    // Apply Leading to Entire Paragraphs
    linkTextFilesWhenImporting = false;    // Create Links when Placing Text and Spreadsheet Files
// Missing following (Font Preview Size, Past All Information/Text Only)
//Advanced Type preference panel
with(app.textPreferences){
    superscriptSize = 58.3;                // Superscript, size
    superscriptPosition = 33.3;            // Superscript, position
    subscriptSize = 58.3;                // Subscript, size
    subscriptPosition = 33.3;            // Subscript, position
    smallCap = 70;                        // Smallcap
with(app.imePreferences){
    inlineInput = false;                // Use Inline Input for Non-Latin Text
//Composition preference panel
with(app.textPreferences){
    highlightKeeps = false;                    // Keep Violations
    highlightHjViolations = false;            // H&J Violations
    highlightCustomSpacing = false;            // Custom Tracking/Kerning
    highlightSubstitutedFonts = true;    // Substituted Fonts
    highlightSubstitutedGlyphs = false;    // Substituted Glyphs
    justifyTextWraps = false;                // Justify Text Next to an Object
    abutTextToTextWrap = true;                // Skip by Leading
    zOrderTextWrap = false;                    // Text Wrap Only Affects Text Beneath
//Units & Increments preference panel
with(app.viewPreferences){
    rulerOrigin = RulerOrigin.spreadOrigin;                    // Ruler Units, origin
//    These are set at the end of the script after all the changes have been made
//    horizontalMeasurementUnits = MeasurementUnits.points;    // Ruler Units, horizontal
//    verticalMeasurementUnits = MeasurementUnits.inches;        // Ruler Units, vertical
    pointsPerInch = 72;                    // Point/Pica Size, Points/Inch
    cursorKeyIncrement = 1;                // Keyboard Increment, Cursor Key
with(app.textPreferences){
    baselineShiftKeyIncrement = 2;    // Keyboard Increment, Baseline Shift
    leadingKeyIncrement = 2;        // Keyboard Increment, Size/Leading
    kerningKeyIncrement = 20;            // Keyboard Increment, Kerning
//Grids preference panel
with(app.gridPreferences){
    baselineColor = UIColors.lightBlue;    // Baseline Grid, Color
    baselineStart = 48;                        // Baseline Grid, Start
    baselineDivision = 6;                    // Baseline Grid, Increment Every
    baselineViewThreshold = 50;                // Baseline Grid, View Threshold
    baselineGridRelativeOption = BaselineGridRelativeOption.topOfPageOfBaselineGridRelativeOption;    // Baseline Grid, Relative To
    gridColor = UIColors.lightGray;            // Document Grid, Color
    horizontalGridlineDivision = 12;    // Document Grid, Horizontal, Gridline Every
    horizontalGridSubdivision = 12;            // Document Grid, Horizontal, Subdivisions
    verticalGridlineDivision = 12;            // Document Gird, Vertical, Gridline Every
    verticalGridSubdivision = 12;            // Document Grid, Vertical, Subdivisions
    gridsInBack = true;                        // Grids in Back
    documentGridSnapto = false;                // snap to grid or not
    documentGridShown = false;                // show document grid
//Guides & Pasteboard preference panel
with(app.documentPreferences){
    marginGuideColor = UIColors.violet;                // Color, Margins
    columnGuideColor = UIColors.magenta;            // Color, Columns
with(app.pasteboardPreferences){
    bleedGuideColor = UIColors.fiesta;                // Color, Bleed
    slugGuideColor = UIColors.gridBlue;                // Color, Slug
    previewBackgroundColor = UIColors.lightGray;    // Color, Preview Background
    minimumSpaceAboveAndBelow = 72;                    // Minimum Vertical Offset
with(app.viewPreferences){
    guideSnaptoZone = 4;                            // Snap to Zone
with(app.guidePreferences){
    guidesInBack = false;                            // Guides in Back
//Dictionary preference panel
with(app.dictionaryPreferences){
    composition = ComposeUsing.both;    // Hyphenatin Exceptions, Compose Using
    mergeUserDictionary = false;    // Merge User Dictionary into Document
    recomposeWhenChanged = true;    // Recompose All Stories When Modified
// Missing (Lang, Hyph, Spelling, Double Quotes, Single Quotes)
//Spelling preference panel
with(app.spellPreferences){
    checkMisspelledWords = true;                    // Find, Misspelled Words
    checkRepeatedWords = true;                        // Find, Repeated Words
    checkCapitalizedWords = true;                    // Find, Uncapitalized Words
    checkCapitalizedSentences = true;                // Find, Uncapitalized Sentences
    dynamicSpellCheck = true;                        // Enable Dynamic Spelling
    misspelledWordColor = UIColors.red;                // Color, Misspelled Words
    repeatedWordColor = UIColors.green;                // Color, Repeated Words
    uncapitalizedWordColor = UIColors.green;    // Color, Uncapitalized Words
    uncapitalizedSentenceColor = UIColors.green;    // Color, Uncapitalized Sentences
//Autocorrect preference panel
with(app.autoCorrectPreferences){
    autoCorrect = true;                            // Enable Autocorrect
    autoCorrectCapitalizationErrors = false;    // Autocorrect Capitalization
// Missing (Language, Misspelled word pairs)
//Display Performance preference panel
with(app.displayPerformancePreferences){
    defaultDisplaySettings = ViewDisplaySettings.typical;    // Preserve Object-Level
    persistLocalSettings = false;
// Missing (antialiasiing, greek below
//Story Editor Display preference panel
with(app.galleyPreferences){
    textColor = InCopyUIColors.black;                // Text Color
    backgroundColor = InCopyUIColors.white;            // Background
    smoothText = true;                                // Enable Anti-Aliasing
    antiAliasType = AntiAliasType.grayAntialiasing;    // Type
    cursorType = CursorTypes.standardCursor;    // Cursor Type
    blinkCursor = true;                                // Blink
// Missing (Font, Size, Line Spacing & Theme)
//File Handling preference panel
with(app.generalPreferences){
    includePreview = true;                        // Always Save Preview Images with Doc
    previewSize = PreviewSizeOptions.medium;    // Preview Size
with(app.clipboardPreferences){
    preferPDFWhenPasting = false;                // Prefer PDF When Pasting
    copyPDFToClipboard = true;                    // Copy PDF to Clipboard
    preservePdfClipboardAtQuit = false;            // Preserve PDF Data at Quit
// Missing (Enable Version Cue)
//    Optical margin (hanging punctuation, outside margins)
with(app.storyPreferences){
    opticalMarginAlignment = false;
    opticalMarginSize = 12;                // pts
//Wrap Up (do at end of script)
//Units & Increments preference panel
//Must do this to make sure our units that we set are in points. The vert and horiz
//units that get set default to the current measurement unit. We set it to points
//so we can be sure of the value. We'll reset it later to the desired setting.
with(app.viewPreferences){
    horizontalMeasurementUnits = MeasurementUnits.picas;    // Ruler Units, horizontal
    verticalMeasurementUnits = MeasurementUnits.inches;    // Ruler Units, vertical
//    These two flags are turned off to avoid the error message about
//    missing image links when InDesign opens an ad. This can especially
//    be a problem when doing batch processes.
with(app.linkingPreferences){
    checkLinksAtOpen = false;            // checkbox: true/false
    findMissingLinksAtOpen = false;        // checkbox: true/false

Can you change a story or text frame's index? (re autonumbering)

Does anyone know if there is a way to change the index of a text frame or story without changing the actual visual layout of an InDesign document? So far all I can come up with is to cut the frame and repaste it into the document. You can move a story within the index list of a document, but that visually cuts and pastes the story text.
actDoc.stories.item(1).move(LocationOptions.BEFORE, actDoc.stories.item(0));
I can't see any method to change the index of a text frame (other than cutting and repasting).
I want to put together some tests. I have a bunch of questions. Each question is a single story in a single text frame in an InDesign document. The text frame is linked to an InCopy document. The first paragraph of the question has a "QuestionNumber" style but the para style has no numbering. I want to have only one version of each question (the InCopy story) but to put the questions into different tests in different orders with different numbering. What I do is to create an InDesign template for the tests that has a QuestionNumber para style that includes autonumbering with the "Continue Numbers across Stories" option checked. This works beautifully and the questions are numbered in the order in which the text frames (and stories) are (via a script) copied from the question document and pasted into the test paper document. When the same question/story/textframe is used in two tests it is numbered in the order in which it is pasted into each test paper (but the original stays the same because it has no numbering).
The next step would be to be able to reorder the question numbers within the test paper (if you wanted to, say, swap questions 18 and 20). To do that you have to change the index of the story because the autonumbering across stories seems to depend on the index of the story.
What seems to happen is that stories are indexed in the order in which they are pasted into a document, but text frames are indexed in the opposite order. If you paste a text frame with one story into a new document, it is textframe.item(0) and story.item(0). If you then paste a second one into the document it is story.item(1) but textframe.item(0). The first text frame becomes textframe.item(1). When you cut a text frame and repaste it, it is reindexed as if you were pasting it for the first time.
The autonumbering also seems to be segregated by page. If you have questions 1 and 2 on page 1 and questions 3 and 4 on page 2, you can move around the text frames for 1 and 2 on the page but the numbering stays the same. Likewise for 3 and 4. If you drag 3 across to page 1 it stays as 3 but if you drag question 4 across to page 1 it becomes 3, and the original question 3 on page 2 becomes question 4. It is confusing but makes sense in a weird way once you get the hang of it.
Anyway, I have probably answered my own question and the best way to renumber the questions in a test is to run the script again and create a new document using a new question order.
But any other ideas are welcome.
Thanks.

hi Brian
which version of InDesign you have ?
I have checked these steps on CS3 and CS4:
first I've set ON to option in preferences to preserve links when placing
then I've placed DOC file as AnchoredTF in new Story
then I've copied this AnchoredTF and pasted it on page, and then I've pasted it as another AnchoredTF - each time there was new lick created to the same DOC file
then I've set OFF to option in preferences to preserve links when placing
and even when I again copied and pasted this AnchoredTF with placed DOC file - it still add new link on Links palette
so maybe with InCopy stories there is next bug or next "feature" ...
[edit]
ok - I've checked InCopy file - after exporting TextFrame as InCopy Story
and it's like you've said - pasting on page - new link is created - pasting as Anchored - link isn't created ... no matter if option in preferences is set or not ...
verdict - we've found new bug
BUT ... if you link it again - by CTRL+D method - link is preserved even if option in preferences is set to off so you can have more than one InCopy Story placed as AnchoredTF in same parent Story ...
robin
www.adobescripts.co.uk

Master Text Frame for Page Heading

Hello, I am new to indesign and using CS4. Sorry if this is a newbie question.
I am creating a pdf digital presentation and laying it out. I want to create a consistent header on each page in the top left corner and ensure it is in the exact same location on each page. I also want to make sure the text size, font, and color is consistent on each page. Most importantly, if I need to change anything, lets say a font, I want to only do it in one place and not do it on all 20 pages in my document.
My understanding is to add a text frame to the master page. However, how do I edit the text on each page and not have it show on my cover page which is page 1 of my document?
Thanks!!!!

Create a text frame on the master page (make it wide enough and deep enough for the longest heading)
Insert some generic text like "Heading"
Give it a paragraph style
Adjust the paragraph style to your liking
Go to each page you want to change, and CTRL SHIFT (cmd shift on mac) and double click the "Heading"
Change the text to what you want it to look like.
To alter the text colour/font etc. for all of them - adjust the paragraph style
To edit the text style for each heading so they look different in terms of colour etc. - just change the Character Colour via the swatches.
if you do this, then any changes to the Paragraph style should follow through on all pages - except where you've perhaps changed the character colour (or any other hand-adjusted changes to the text.
Also - if you move the Text Frame on the master page they should all move on the corresponding pages, provided you haven't moved them by hand on the actual pages.

How can I simply create a text frame with perfect rounded ends?

I'm recreating a new edition of a book that was originally created in Quark. It uses round-ended text frames. When using the simplest method of corner options, the ends aren't proper semicircles, even though the radius is set to half the height of the frame.
The other problem is that I can't reduce the width sufficiently to make it look balanced. I use the direct selection tool to close in the right-hand end, so that I don't distort the shape. There's no right indent for the paragraph, but as I reduce the width the text breaks into two lines, even though I've greater space after the text than the left indent. My best solution was to create the shape in Illustrator and copy and paste into InDesign, assign text content, centre thte text vertically, use 3mm left indent. I still couldn't pull the right-hand end in tight enough. So I had to resort to making a group of the lozenge shape with a normal rectangular text frame on top.
Does anyone know why these problems occur, and can Adobe improve the corner option?

One last refinement: It's convenient if the script allows you to Undo/Redo its actions -- let me add that for completeness' sake. The following is the complete script again, no further editing required.
//DESCRIPTION:Overlay round corners on a single textframe
// A Jongware Script 2-Apr-2012
app.doScript(function(textframe){
if (textframe instanceof Group && textframe.pageItems.length == 2)
roundedRect = app.selection[0].polygons[0];
textframe = app.selection[0].textFrames[0];
textframe.properties = {strokeWeight:roundedRect.strokeWeight,strokeTint:roundedRect.strokeTint,strokeColor:roundedRect.strokeColor};
roundedRect.remove();
app.selection[0].ungroup();
left = textframe.geometricBounds[1];
right = textframe.geometricBounds[3];
height = textframe.geometricBounds[2] - textframe.geometricBounds[0];
center = (textframe.geometricBounds[2] + textframe.geometricBounds[0])/2;
radius = height/2;
leftRounded = textframe.parent.ovals.add({geometricBounds:[center-radius,left-radius,center+radius,left+radius]});
riteRounded = textframe.parent.ovals.add({geometricBounds:[center-radius,right-radius,center+radius,right+radius]});
rectBetween = textframe.parent.rectangles.add({geometricBounds:[center-radius,left,center+radius,right]});
roundedRect = rectBetween.addPath([leftRounded,riteRounded]);
roundedRect.properties = {strokeWeight:textframe.strokeWeight,strokeTint:textframe.strokeTint,strokeColor:textframe.strokeColor};
textframe.properties = {strokeWeight:0};
app.select(textframe.parent.groups.add([roundedRect,textframe]));
}, ScriptLanguage.JAVASCRIPT, app.selection[0], UndoModes.ENTIRE_SCRIPT, "Overlay Round Corners");

[CS4, JS] Text frame geometricBounds undefined

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