How to get syntax information in batch mode?

[Davin Pearson]

I have written an automatic code indentation function in ELisp and I
want to be able to invoke this function from Emacs' batch mode so that
it can be invoked from a Makefile, without needing to start Emacs
interactively.

However the function get-char-property always seems to return nil when
noninteractive is set to t.  Am I correct about this deduction?

I use get-char-property to tell the automatic indentation function
whether or not we are currently inside a string or a comment.  Is
there a different function for telling whether or not we are currently
inside a string or a comment?

If there is no such function, then could Emacs be modified so that
text properties are online in batch mode?

Here is an example of a function that always prints nil when invoked
noninteractively.

(defun test ()
  (find-file "~/a.java")
  (font-lock-mode)
  (goto-char (point-min))
  (while (< (point) (point-max))
    (message "%s\n" (get-char-property (point) 'face))
    (forward-char 1)))