Is it possible to get the text of a dock icon's badge label with applescript?

There seem to be plenty of examples to set, or update a badge icon out there, but no example of getting the badge icon value. I see this question was asked this week on stackoverflow without any response either.

When I decided to roll my own, it runs, but only returns "missing value" and I am uncertain now if this is how one goes about getting this value, or if there is another approach that I haven't considered. Maybe someone else will correct/contribute, or simply state that it cannot be done.

You create two separate AppleScripts. One is the main AppleScript, and the other is a Library script bundle. The main AppleScript calls the function from the library. The AppKit references are found in NSApplication, and DockTile references. Tested on Mavericks.

Main AppleScript

-- try to get the value of the badge icon

use scripting additions

tell script "Badge_icon"

set bcount to geticonBadgeCount("Skype")

end tell

Library AppleScript (place in /Library/Script Libraries)

-- Script bundle (Badge_icon.scptd) placed in /Library/Script Libraries)

-- Must check AppleScript/Objective-C Library in Bundle Contents Slide out.

on geticonBadgeCount(appName)

tell my applicationappName

activate

set appDockTile to the current application'sNSApp'sdockTile()

set badge_count to appDockTile'sbadgeLabel() as text

end tell

return (badge_count)

end geticonBadgeCount