             return null;
                 
         var textFlow:TextFlow = getTextFlowWithComposer();
-
-        var absoluteStart:int = getAbsoluteStart(anchorPosition, activePosition);
-        var absoluteEnd:int = getAbsoluteEnd(anchorPosition, activePosition);
-
+    
+        // ElementRange will order the selection points.
         var selRange:ElementRange = 
-            ElementRange.createElementRange(textFlow, absoluteStart, absoluteEnd); 
+            ElementRange.createElementRange(textFlow, anchorPosition, activePosition); 
                 
         return selRange.getCommonParagraphFormat();
     }

        
        var textFlow:TextFlow = getTextFlowWithComposer();
        
        var absoluteStart:int = getAbsoluteStart(anchorPosition, activePosition);
        var absoluteEnd:int = getAbsoluteEnd(anchorPosition, activePosition);
        
        var selRange:ElementRange = 
            ElementRange.createElementRange(textFlow, absoluteStart, absoluteEnd); 
        
        return selRange.getCommonCharacterFormat();
    }
    
    /**


    /**
     *  @private
     *  To get the format of a character.  Our API allows this operation even
     *  when the editingMode does not permit either interactive selection or
     *  editing.
     */
    mx_internal function getCommonCharacterFormat(
                                        anchorPosition:int, 
