Requires InDesign or QuarkXPress 2016-2026.
Q++Studio represents textbox formatting as a string of comma-separated attribute settings from the list below. These settings are used internally to communicate with QuarkXPress and InDesign and can also be supplied through the sFormat parameter of FormatText.
The macro function FormatText accepts text, paragraph and textbox attributes, as well as cell and table styles when using InDesign. However, some attributes listed here are used internally by Q++Studio but are not available through FormatText. Attributes marked “Internal use only” generate message 187785 when supplied to FormatText.
Textbox Frame
Keyword |
Example use |
Attribute Description |
frmPTSIZE |
frmPTSIZE 0.5 |
The frame thickness in points. |
frmSTYLE |
frmSTYLE 128 |
The frame style (values from 127 to 136). |
frmSH |
frmSH 50 |
The frame shade in percent (integer values only). |
frmOP |
frmOP 10 |
The frame opacity in percent (integer values only). |
frmCOLOR |
frmCOLOR(Pantone 231U) |
The frame color name as specified in QuarkXPress or InDesign. |
Textbox Background
Keyword |
Example use |
Attribute Description |
boxSH |
boxSH 50 |
The textbox background shade in percent (integer values only). |
boxOP |
boxOP 10 |
The textbox background opacity in percent (integer values only). |
boxCOLOR(Pantone 231U) |
The textbox background color name as specified in QuarkXPress or InDesign. |
Textbox Replaced by a PictureBox
Keyword |
Example use |
Attribute Description |
picNAME |
picNAME(c:\qpp\image.jpg) |
File name of the image being used in the picturebox that replaces the current textbox. |
picAL 0 |
The picture alignment to use to display the file specified by picNAME:
•0: center no stretch •1: scale to fit •2: full stretch •3: top left •4: specific values •5: scale to fill* •6: use item style**
*Requires QuarkXPress 2019-2026 or InDesign. **Requires QuarkXPress 2017-2026 or InDesign. |
|
picPageNum |
picPageNum 12 |
The page number to display in the picturebox that replaces the current textbox (only applies when picNAME is a PDF or an InDesign file). |
picPdfBoundingBox |
picPdfBoundingBox 0 |
The PDF bounding box to use when displaying the PDF file specified by picNAME:
•0: media box •1: crop box (QuarkXPress only) •2: bleed box •3: trim box •4: visible content (InDesign only) •5: art (InDesign only) •6: page (InDesign only) •7: content all layers (InDesign only)
Apart from the specific restrictions mentioned in the list above, the importation of PDF files as images requires QuarkXPress 2016-2026 or InDesign. |
picInddCropOptions |
picInddCropOptions 0 |
The INDD cropping options to use when displaying the InDesign file specified by picNAME:
•0: crop to page •1: crop to bleed •2: crop to slug
The importation of INDD files as images requires InDesign. |
picTRANS |
picTRANS 0 |
Picture transparency (0: false, 1=true). |
picSizeBox |
picSizeBox 1 |
Fit box/frame to picture (0: false, 1=true). |
picScroX |
picScroX 1.25 |
Picture x-scroll position in mm. (requires picAL=4) |
picScroY |
picScroY 1.25 |
Picture y-scroll position in mm. (requires picAL=4) |
picScaX |
picScaX 100 |
Picture x-scale in percent (integer values only). (requires picAL=4) |
picScaY |
picScaY 100 |
Picture y-scale in percent (integer values only). (requires picAL=4) |
Text Positioning in Textbox
Keyword |
Example use |
Attribute Description |
txtVALIGN |
txtVALIGN 1 |
The textbox's text vertical alignment (top 0, center 1, bottom 2). |
txtVJUST |
txtVJUST 1.4 |
The textbox's text vertical alignment in mm. |
txtCOL |
txtCOL 2 |
The number of columns in the textbox. •Add 1000 to increase the number of columns (ie. use 1001 to add 1 column). •Add 2000 to decrease the number of columns (ie. use 2002 to remove 2 columns). |
txtCOLGUT |
txtCOLGUT 0.25 |
Size of the gutter between columns in mm. |
txtINSALL |
txtINSALL 1.5 |
Text Inset for all sides in points. |
txtINSTOP |
txtINSTOP 5.2 |
Text Inset for the top side in points. |
txtINSLEF |
txtINSLEF 5.2 |
Text Inset for the left side in points. |
txtINSBOT |
txtINSBOT 5.2 |
Text Inset for the bottom side in points. |
txtINSRIG |
txtINSRIG 5.2 |
Text Inset for the right side in points. |
txtFBCAPHEI |
txtFBCAPHEI 1.35 |
Caps height in mm. |
txtFBCAPACC |
txtFBCAPACC 1.35 |
Accented caps mm. |
txtFBCAPASC |
txtFBCAPASC 1.35 |
First baseline mm. |
Keyword |
Example use |
Attribute Description |
boxDEL |
boxDEL 1 |
Deletes the current text box and more depending on the parameter (1=box, 2=group, 3=layer, 4=page).
Using boxDEL inside an InDesign Table
If the macro token which calls FormatText with the boxDEL keyword is located inside an InDesign table, its effect is as follows:
•boxDEL 1: deletes the entire table object in which the macro token is located. •boxDEL 2: deletes the parent textbox of the table in which that macro token is located.
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Apply a Style to Textboxes, Cells and Tables
The automated application of box, cell, or table styles requires InDesign |
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IMPORTANT: if you are trying to apply a box, table or cell style to a template that is not the main grid of the script (or if your script is not using the use main grid as seed generation option) then you should make sure that that template contains at least one object that uses the style you plan to use (you can then set that object to be automatically deleted by the use of a zap token such as [1Zd>0] for example). Failing to do this will most often cause message 187330 to be generated. |
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Keyword |
Example use |
Attribute Description |
STYBOX |
STYBOX(aBoxStyleName) |
Applies the textbox style or style sheet of aBoxStyleName to the current textbox. |
STYCELL |
STYCELL(aCellStyleName) |
Applies the cell style or style sheet of aCellStyleName to the current table cell. |
STYTABLE |
STYTABLE(aTableStyleName) |
Applies the table style or style sheet of aTableStyleName to the current table. |
The automated application of a master page requires InDesign |
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IMPORTANT: to use this feature your script must use the use main grid as seed generation option. |
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Keyword |
Example use |
Attribute Description |
APPLYMASTER |
APPLYMASTER(aMasterName) |
Applies the master page with name aMasterName to the page containing the current textbox. |
See also: differences between QuarkXPress and InDesign.
Topic 183095, last updated on 10-Oct-2026
