InDesign Server2025
InDesign2026 InDesign Server2025 Illustrator29 PhotoshopCC 2015.5 Bridge2021 Core JavaScriptExtendScript only ScriptUIExtendScript only
API 20.5.0.49
Object

MasterSpread

A master spread.

Hierarchy

Document

MasterSpread

Button | CheckBox | ComboBox | EPSText | EndnoteTextFrame | FormField | GraphicLine | Group | Guide | ListBox | MultiStateObject | Oval | Page | PageItem | Polygon | RadioButton | Rectangle | SignatureField | SplineItem | TextBox | TextFrame

2 preference objects

Preference | TimingSetting

Properties

NameType AccessDescription
Graphic[] readonly Lists all graphics contained by the MasterSpread.
PageItem[] readonly Lists all page items contained by the MasterSpread.
MasterSpread | NothingEnum
 read/write The master spread applied to the MasterSpread. Can also accept: NothingEnum enumerator.
String read/write The name of the master spread.
Buttons<Button> readonly A collection of buttons.
CheckBoxes<CheckBox> readonly A collection of checkboxes.
ComboBoxes<ComboBox> readonly A collection of comboboxes.
EndnoteTextFrames<EndnoteTextFrame> readonly A collection of endnote text frames.
EPSTexts<EPSText> readonly EPSTexts
EventListeners<EventListener> readonly A collection of event listeners.
Events<Event> readonly A collection of events.
FormFields<FormField> readonly A collection of form fields.
GraphicLines<GraphicLine> readonly A collection of graphic lines.
Groups<Group> readonly A collection of groups.
Guides<Guide> readonly A collection of guides.
Number readonly The unique ID of the MasterSpread.
String read/write The IDML component name of the MasterSpread.
Number readonly The index of the MasterSpread within its containing object.
Boolean readonly Returns true if the object specifier resolves to valid objects.
String read/write A property that can be set to any string.
ListBoxes<ListBox> readonly A collection of listboxes.
MultiStateObjects<MultiStateObject> readonly A collection of multi-state objects.
String readonly The name of the MasterSpread.
String read/write The prefix of the master spread name.
Ovals<Oval> readonly A collection of ellipses.
3 Reals (0 - 255)[] | PageColorOptions[] | UIColors[]
 read/write The color label of the MasterSpread, specified either as an array of three doubles, each in the range 0 to 255 and representing R, G, and B values, or as a UI color. Can return: Array of 3 Reals (0 - 255) or UIColors enumerator or PageColorOptions enumerator.
PageItems<PageItem> readonly The page items collection, which can be used to process all page items in a container (such as a document, page, or group), regardless of type.
Pages<Page> readonly A collection of pages.
Document readonly The parent of the MasterSpread (a Document).
Polygons<Polygon> readonly A collection of polygons.
Preferences<Preference> readonly A collection of preferences objects.
PageItem | NothingEnum
 read/write The primary text frame through which text flows on the MasterSpread. Must be a text frame or a type on a path spline. Can also accept: NothingEnum enumerator.
Object read/write A property that allows setting of several properties at the same time.
RadioButtons<RadioButton> readonly A collection of radio buttons.
Rectangles<Rectangle> readonly A collection of rectangles.
Boolean read/write If true, displays master page items on document pages in the spread.
SignatureFields<SignatureField> readonly A collection of signature fields.
SplineItems<SplineItem> readonly The spline items collection.
TextBoxes<TextBox> readonly A collection of text boxes.
TextFrames<TextFrame> readonly A collection of text frames.
TimingSetting readonly The object timing settings.

Methods

→ EventListener

Adds an event listener.

eventType String The event type.
handler File | JavaScriptFunction The event handler. Can accept: File or JavaScript Function.
captures? Boolean This parameter is obsolete.
→ Varies[]

Duplicate an object and place it into the target.

pageItems PageItem[] One or more page items to place or load
linkPageItems? Boolean Whether to link pageItems in content placer (if true it will override link stories value)
linkStories? Boolean Whether to link stories in content placer (only applicable for single story, pageItem links will also be created in case of more than one item)
mapStyles? Boolean Whether to map styles in content placer
placePoint? Number[] | String[] unit The point at which to place
destinationLayer? Layer The layer on which to place
showingOptions? Boolean Whether to display the link options dialog
→ void

Creates multiple guides on all pages of the spread.

numberOfRows? Number 0–40 The number of rows to create on each page.
numberOfColumns? Number 0–40 The number of columns to create on each page.
rowGutter? Number | String unit The height of the gutter between rows.
columnGutter? Number | String unit The width of the gutter between columns.
guideColor? 3 Reals (0 - 255)[] | UIColors[] The color to make the guides, specified either as an array of three doubles, each in the range 0 to 255 and representing R, G, and B values, or as a UI color. Can accept: Array of 3 Reals (0 - 255) or UIColors enumerator.
fitMargins? Boolean If true, the row height and column width are calculated based on the space within the page margins. If false, row height and column width are calculated based on the full page.
removeExisting? Boolean If true, removes existing guides when creating new ones.
layer? Layer The layer on which to create the guides.
→ void

Detaches an overridden master page item from the master page.

→ Varies

Duplicates the spread.

to? LocationOptions The location of the spread relative to the reference object or within the document.
reference? Document | MasterSpread | MasterSpread The reference object. Note: Required only when the to parameter specifies before or after. Can accept: MasterSpread, Document or MasterSpread.
→ String

Gets the label value associated with the specified key.

key String The key.
→ MasterSpread[]

Resolves the object specifier, creating an array of object references.

→ void

Sets the label to the value associated with the specified key.

key String The key.
value String The value.
→ Varies[]

Places the file.

fileName File The file to place
placePoint? Number[] | String[] unit The point at which to place
destinationLayer? Layer The layer on which to place
autoflowing? Boolean Whether to autoflow placed text
withProperties? Object Initial values for properties of the placed object(s)
→ void

Deletes the MasterSpread.

→ Boolean

Removes the event listener.

eventType String The registered event type.
handler File | JavaScriptFunction The registered event handler. Can accept: File or JavaScript Function.
captures? Boolean This parameter is obsolete.
→ void

Removes the override from a previously overridden master page item.

→ Varies

Get the coordinates of the given location in the specified coordinate system.

location AnchorPoint[] | AnchorPoints[] | 2 Reals[] | BoundingBoxLimitss[] | CoordinateSpacess[] | Arrays of 2 Reals[] | LongIntegers[] The location requested. Can accept: Array of 2 Reals, AnchorPoint enumerator or Array of Arrays of 2 Reals, CoordinateSpaces enumerators, AnchorPoint enumerators, BoundingBoxLimits enumerators or Long Integers.
in CoordinateSpaces The coordinate space to use.
consideringRulerUnits? Boolean If true then a ruler location is interpreted using ruler units rather than points. The default value is false. This parameter has no effect unless the reference point is specified relative to a page.
→ String

Generates a string which, if executed, will return the MasterSpread.

→ String

Retrieves the object specifier.

→ void

Transform the page item.

in CoordinateSpaces The coordinate space to use
from AnchorPoint[] | AnchorPoints[] | 2 Reals[] | BoundingBoxLimitss[] | CoordinateSpacess[] | Arrays of 2 Reals[] | LongIntegers[] The temporary origin during the transformation. Can accept: Array of 2 Reals, AnchorPoint enumerator or Array of Arrays of 2 Reals, CoordinateSpaces enumerators, AnchorPoint enumerators, BoundingBoxLimits enumerators or Long Integers.
withMatrix 6 Reals[] | TransformationMatrix[] Transform matrix. Can accept: Array of 6 Reals or TransformationMatrix.
replacingCurrent? MatrixContent enumerators[] | MatrixContent[] | LongInteger[] Transform components to consider; providing this optional parameter causes the target's existing transform components to be replaced with new values. Without this parameter, the given matrix is concatenated onto the target's existing transform combining the effect of the two. Can accept: MatrixContent enumerator, Array of MatrixContent enumerators or Long Integer.
consideringRulerUnits? Boolean If true then a ruler based origin is interpreted using ruler units rather than points. The default value is false. This parameter has no effect unless the reference point is specified relative to a page.

Object of 29

Properties elsewhere that hold a MasterSpread.

Button.parentCheckBox.parentComboBox.parentEPSText.parentEndnoteTextFrame.parentEvent.parentEventListener.parentFormField.parentGraphicLine.parentGroup.parentGuide.parentListBox.parentMasterSpread.appliedMasterMultiStateObject.parentMutationEvent.parentOval.parentPage.appliedMasterPage.parentPageItem.parentPolygon.parentPreference.parentRadioButton.parentRectangle.parentSignatureField.parentSplineItem.parentSpread.appliedMasterTextBox.parentTextFrame.parentTimingSetting.parent

Parameter of 28

Method parameters that accept a MasterSpread.

Buttons.add(reference)CheckBoxes.add(reference)ComboBoxes.add(reference)EndnoteTextFrames.add(reference)FormFields.add(reference)GraphicLines.add(reference)Groups.add(reference)HtmlItems.add(reference)Index_.generate(on)ListBoxes.add(reference)MasterSpread.duplicate(reference)MasterSpreads.itemByRange(from)MasterSpreads.nextItem(obj)MasterSpreads.previousItem(obj)Movies.add(reference)MultiStateObjects.add(reference)Ovals.add(reference)Pages.add(reference)Polygons.add(reference)RadioButtons.add(reference)Rectangles.add(reference)SignatureFields.add(reference)Sounds.add(reference)Spread.duplicate(reference)TextBoxes.add(reference)TextFrames.add(reference)XMLElement.placeIntoCopy(on)XMLElement.placeIntoFrame(on)

Return 14

Methods that return a MasterSpread.

MasterSpread.getElements()MasterSpreads.[]()MasterSpreads.add()MasterSpreads.anyItem()MasterSpreads.everyItem()MasterSpreads.firstItem()MasterSpreads.item()MasterSpreads.itemByID()MasterSpreads.itemByName()MasterSpreads.itemByRange()MasterSpreads.lastItem()MasterSpreads.middleItem()MasterSpreads.nextItem()MasterSpreads.previousItem()