             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();
     }


    /**
     *  @private
     *  To get the format of a character without using a SelectionManager.
     *  The method should be kept in sync with the version in the 
     *  SelectionManager.
     */
    mx_internal function getCommonCharacterFormat(
                                        anchorPosition:int, 

        
        var textFlow:TextFlow = getTextFlowWithComposer();
        
        if (textFlow.interactionManager)
        {
            // If there is a selection manager use it so that the format
            // will include any attributes set on a point selection but not 
            // yet applied.	
            return textFlow.interactionManager.getCommonCharacterFormat();
        }
        else
        {
            // ElementRange will order the selection points.  Since there isn't
            // an interactionManager there is not a point selection to worry
            // about.
            var selRange:ElementRange = 
                ElementRange.createElementRange(textFlow, anchorPosition, activePosition); 
            
            return selRange.getCommonCharacterFormat();
        }
    }
    
    /**
