Trying to use ScriptUI to style a text layer

[Mark Paterson]

The original styling code is also available at https://docs.aenhancers.com/other/textdocument 3rd example from top. I’ve tried that same code and it still doesn’t work.

Also, I’m 99% sure that the PostScript name of the font is “Monaco” (according to Apple Font Book), which is a requirement of textDocument.font

[Mark Paterson]

I’ve also tried running the script (below) as a JSX using File > Scripts > Run Script File.

This time it’s exactly the same as the Adobe Scripting Guide one (as both “TimesNewRomanPSMT” and “Times New Roman PSMT”. Same issue – the text appears, but it’s still not styling anything!

var text = app.project.activeItem.layers.addText();

var textProp = text.property("Source Text");
var textDocument = textProp.value;
myString = "Happy holidays!";
textDocument.resetCharStyle();
textDocument.fontSize = 60;
textDocument.fillColor = [1, 0, 0];
textDocument.strokeColor = [0, 1, 0];
textDocument.strokeWidth = 2;
textDocument.font = "TimesNewRomanPSMT";
textDocument.strokeOverFill = true;
textDocument.applyStroke = true;
textDocument.applyFill = true;
textDocument.text = myString;
textDocument.justification = ParagraphJustification.CENTER_JUSTIFY;
textDocument.tracking = 50;
textProp.setValue(textDocument);

[Tomas Bumbulevičius]

Mark, I remember facing similar issues in the past, but don’t remember what caused it!

Despite of that – try hiding ‘textDocument.resetCharStyle();’ and see if it helps. I have a sense that this was an issue, which reset to system default and then didn’t worked from there. Please let us know!

Find out more:
After Effects Tutorials: motion design, expressions, scripting.
Boxer – Dynamic Text Boxes Template with a Live Preview

[Mark Paterson]

Hiding that line has no effect I’m afraid. ☹

At this point I’m focusing on the script below (removing my Timecode parts). It’s based solely on the Adobe Scripting Guide version, and running it from the File menu. This way I can at least see error codes (vs Script UI where in most cases I do not).

I’ve changed a couple of values to make any changes obvious (font size, tracking), so even if I have the font name wrong, then surely the other changes would be apparent. Currently none of these changes actually change anything. Only thing I can control below is the paragraph justification.

var text = app.project.activeItem.layers.addText();
var textProp = text.property("Source Text");
var textDocument = textProp.value;
myString = "Happy holidays!";
textDocument.resetCharStyle();
textDocument.fontSize = 300;
textDocument.fillColor = [1, 0, 0];
textDocument.strokeColor = [0, 1, 0];
textDocument.strokeWidth = 2;
textDocument.font = "TimesNewRomanPSMT";
textDocument.strokeOverFill = true;
textDocument.applyStroke = true;
textDocument.applyFill = true;
textDocument.text = myString;
textDocument.justification = ParagraphJustification.CENTER_JUSTIFY;
textDocument.tracking = 200;
textProp.setValue(textDocument);

[Dan Ebberts]

I don’t understand it, but it seems to work if you set the value twice:

textProp.setValue(textDocument);
textProp.setValue(textDocument);

Dan

[Mark Paterson]

WOW. That is truly bizarre. Thanks so much for figuring it out, I was really pulling my hair out!!

Is there a way to specify All Strokes Over All Fills? I don’t see anything for it at https://docs.aenhancers.com/other/textdocument perhaps it is undocumented?

I’ve tried textDocument.allFillsOverAllStrokes = true;

[Dan Ebberts]

>Is there a way to specify All Strokes Over All Fills?

Not that I’m aware of.

Dan

[Mark Paterson]

ok, no big deal. A minor inconvenience I can live with by adjusting the stroke and tracking slightly to compensate.

Thanks again, Dan. As a motion designer, I’ve lurked on this forum over the years and noted your many contributions. I’ve only started posting recently since deciding once and for all to learn Javascript/Extendscript, so it’s nice to get a problem solved by the man himself haha.

For anyone out there who’s interested in the final working script – this will add a 4 digit frame timecode to the bottom left of any size comp. You can execute this as a script or via a Script UI button.

app.project.activeItem.layer(1).text.sourceText.expression = "Numbers = 4; t =timeToFrames(time); c = t.toString().length; while( c < Numbers){ t = \"0\"+t; c++ } t";
app.project.activeItem.layer(1).position.expression = "[10,thisComp.height-13]";

var textProp = text.property("Source Text");
var textDocument = textProp.value;
myString = "Timecode";
textDocument.resetCharStyle();
textDocument.fontSize = 40;
textDocument.fillColor = [1, 1, 1];
textDocument.strokeColor = [0, 0, 0];
textDocument.strokeWidth = 8;
textDocument.font = "Monaco";
textDocument.strokeOverFill = false;
textDocument.applyStroke = true;
textDocument.applyFill = true;
textDocument.text = myString;
textDocument.justification = ParagraphJustification.LEFT_JUSTIFY;
textDocument.tracking = 45;
textProp.setValue(textDocument);
textProp.setValue(textDocument);

[Mark Paterson]

Oops. Made a copy / paste goof and unable to edit my post. There should also be a line at the top to create a text layer first. Amended script below.

var text = app.project.activeItem.layers.addText();

app.project.activeItem.layer(1).text.sourceText.expression = "Numbers = 4; t =timeToFrames(time); c = t.toString().length; while( c < Numbers){ t = \"0\"+t; c++ } t";
app.project.activeItem.layer(1).position.expression = "[10,thisComp.height-13]";

var textProp = text.property("Source Text");
var textDocument = textProp.value;
myString = "Timecode";
textDocument.resetCharStyle();
textDocument.fontSize = 40;
textDocument.fillColor = [1, 1, 1];
textDocument.strokeColor = [0, 0, 0];
textDocument.strokeWidth = 8;
textDocument.font = "Monaco";
textDocument.strokeOverFill = false;
textDocument.applyStroke = true;
textDocument.applyFill = true;
textDocument.text = myString;
textDocument.justification = ParagraphJustification.LEFT_JUSTIFY;
textDocument.tracking = 45;
textProp.setValue(textDocument);
textProp.setValue(textDocument);