TextFrame
The TextFrame element in IDML: where it appears (Spreads), its 51 attributes, their values, and how real documents use them.
A frame that pours a story. Geometry + fill/stroke like any page item, plus text-frame preferences (columns, inset, vertical justification). TextFrame appears in 120 of the 305 documents surveyed (39.3%), most often in Spreads. Paged reads 29 of its 51 attributes and writes 33.
Where it appears
Spreads· 120 documentsMasterSpreads· 44 documentsStories· 3 documents
Inside: Spread, MasterSpread, Group, CharacterStyleRange
Contains: Properties, TextFramePreference, TextWrapPreference, ObjectExportOption, TextFrameFootnoteOptionsObject, TransparencySetting, BaselineFrameGridOption, AnchoredObjectSetting, ContentTransparencySetting, StrokeTransparencySetting
Attributes
| Attribute | Values | Seen in | Paged | paged.set |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AppliedObjectStyle | reference to ObjectStyle | 100% | read · written | appliedObjectStyle |
| ContentType | TextType ·120 | 100% | written | |
| ItemTransform | transform | 100% | read · written | frameTransform |
| NextTextFrame | ref | 100% | read · written | nextTextFrame |
| ParentStory | id | 100% | read · written | |
| PathGeometry in Properties | untyped | 100% | not read | |
| PreviousTextFrame | id | 100% | written | |
| Self | id | 100% | read · written | |
| Name | text | 99% | read · written | itemName |
| Visible | true ·119 | 99% | read · written | elementVisible |
| GradientFillAngle | number (degrees) | 76% | read · written | frameGradientFillAngle |
| GradientFillHiliteAngle | integer / real | 76% | not read | |
| GradientFillHiliteLength | integer / real | 76% | not read | |
| GradientFillLength | length (pt) | 76% | read · written | frameGradientFillLength |
| GradientFillStart | number-list | 76% | read · written | |
| GradientStrokeAngle | number (degrees) | 76% | read · written | frameGradientStrokeAngle |
| GradientStrokeHiliteAngle | integer | 76% | not read | |
| GradientStrokeHiliteLength | integer | 76% | not read | |
| GradientStrokeLength | length (pt) | 76% | read · written | frameGradientStrokeLength |
| GradientStrokeStart | number-list | 76% | not read | |
| LocalDisplaySetting | Default ·91 | 76% | not read | |
| HorizontalLayoutConstraints | text | 75% | not read | |
| LastUpdatedInterfaceChangeCount | — | 75% | not read | |
| OverriddenPageItemProps | — | 75% | not read | |
| ParentInterfaceChangeCount | number-list | 75% | not read | |
| TargetInterfaceChangeCount | — | 75% | not read | |
| VerticalLayoutConstraints | text | 75% | not read | |
| ItemLayer | ref | 73% | read · written | itemLayer |
| Locked | false ·88 | 73% | read · written | elementLocked |
| StrokeWeight | length (pt) | 71% | read · written | frameStrokeWeight |
| StrokeColor | reference to ColorSwatch | 51% | read · written | frameStrokeColor |
| FillColor | reference to ColorGradientSwatch | 49% | read · written | frameFillColor |
| AllowOverrides | true ·43 | 36% | not read | |
| BottomLeftCornerRadius | length (pt) | 5% | read · written | frameCornerRadiusBottomLeft |
| BottomRightCornerRadius | length (pt) | 5% | read · written | frameCornerRadiusBottomRight |
| CornerRadius | integer / real | 5% | read · written | |
| FlexItemHeightMode | FlexFixed ·6 | 5% | not read | |
| FlexItemWidthMode | FlexFixed ·6 | 5% | not read | |
| MiterLimit | integer | 5% | written | |
| TopLeftCornerRadius | length (pt) | 5% | read · written | frameCornerRadiusTopLeft |
| TopRightCornerRadius | length (pt) | 5% | read · written | frameCornerRadiusTopRight |
| StrokeType | StrokeStyle/$ID/SolidStrokeStyle/$ID/DashedStrokeStyle/$ID/DottedStrokeStyle/$ID/Japanese DotsStrokeStyle/$ID/WavyStrokeStyle/$ID/Thick - ThickStrokeStyle/$ID/Thick - ThinStrokeStyle/$ID/Thin - ThickStrokeStyle/$ID/Thin - Thin or a named value | 3% | read · written | frameStrokeType |
| BottomLeftCornerOption | NoneRoundedCornerInverseRoundedCornerInsetCornerBeveledCornerFancyCorner or a named value | 3% | read · written | frameCornerOptionBottomLeft |
| BottomRightCornerOption | NoneRoundedCornerInverseRoundedCornerInsetCornerBeveledCornerFancyCorner or a named value | 3% | read · written | frameCornerOptionBottomRight |
| CornerOption | enum | 3% | read · written | |
| FillTint | number (percent) | 3% | read · written | frameFillTint |
| TopLeftCornerOption | NoneRoundedCornerInverseRoundedCornerInsetCornerBeveledCornerFancyCorner or a named value | 3% | read · written | frameCornerOptionTopLeft |
| TopRightCornerOption | NoneRoundedCornerInverseRoundedCornerInsetCornerBeveledCornerFancyCorner or a named value | 3% | read · written | frameCornerOptionTopRight |
| ECPageItemData | — | 1% | not read | |
| ECPaginationPageItemData | number-list / text | 1% | not read | |
| EndJoin | enum | 1% | written |
Values are listed only where real documents use a small, closed set; the number after each is how many documents use it. “Seen in” is the share of documents containing TextFrame that set the attribute.
Examples
- Spread coordinates on a two-page spread
- A template with a named text slot and a named image slot
- A two-column text frame with balanced columns
Explained in
Counts come from a survey of 305 IDML documents (2026-10-11); only aggregate facts are published. Paged’s support is read from its importer and exporter source, and the typed properties from the engine catalog.
TextDefault
The TextDefault element in IDML: where it appears (Resources/Preferences), its 317 attributes, their values, and how real documents use them.
TextFrameFootnoteOptionsObject
The TextFrameFootnoteOptionsObject element in IDML: where it appears (Resources/Styles), its 4 attributes, their values, and how real documents use them.