     {
         if (textDisplay)
         {
-            textDisplay.heightInLines = value;
+            var richEditableText:RichEditableText = textDisplay as RichEditableText;
+
+            if (richEditableText)
+                richEditableText.heightInLines = value;
             textDisplayProperties = BitFlagUtil.update(
                 uint(textDisplayProperties), 
                 HEIGHT_IN_LINES_PROPERTY_FLAG, true);

                uint(newTextDisplayProperties), EDITABLE_PROPERTY_FLAG, true);
        }

        if (textDisplayProperties.heightInLines !== undefined)
        {
            textDisplay.heightInLines = textDisplayProperties.heightInLines;
            newTextDisplayProperties = BitFlagUtil.update(
                uint(newTextDisplayProperties), 
                HEIGHT_IN_LINES_PROPERTY_FLAG, true);

     */
    mx_internal function getWidthInChars():Number
    {
        var richEditableText:RichEditableText = textDisplay as RichEditableText;

        if (richEditableText)
            return richEditableText.widthInChars
            
        // want the default to be NaN
        var v:* = textDisplayProperties.widthInChars;
