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bduffy323
bduffy323
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replacing text that maintains styling issue

Apr 6, 2012 6:17 AM

Tags: #find #text #replace #styling #find/replace

I am trying to replace text in a textframe and have it maintain the styling that is applied to the text that I am replacing. For example I want to replace:

 

<text1>

<text2>

 

with

 

this text is bold

this text is italic

 

The code I am using is just a simple javascript regex to replace the text:

 

var myContents = new String(myPageItem.parentStory.contents);
 
 
var re1 = new RegExp("<copy1>","gi");
myContents = myContents.replace(re1,"this text is bold");
 
 
var re2 = new RegExp("<copy2>","gi");
myContents = myContents.replace(re2,"this text is italic");
 
 
myPageItem.contents = myContents;
 

 

However, after running the code above I get:

 

this text is bold

this text is italic

 

It seems that only seven characters (which coincidently <copy1> also has seven characters) gets the first style, and the rest of the text after the 7 characters gets the second style. ANY help would be greatly appreciated!

 

 

Thanks in advanced.

1054 Views   11 Replies   Latest reply: Green4ever, Apr 27, 2012 10:24 PM
 
Replies
  • [Jongware]
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    1. [Jongware],
    Apr 6, 2012 6:52 AM   in reply to bduffy323
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    Messing with contents is tricky, because this changes just the characters "inside" the text -- it has no effect on formatting.

     

    See http://forums.adobe.com/thread/791512?tstart=0

     
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  • bduffy323
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    2. bduffy323,
    Apr 6, 2012 7:46 AM   in reply to [Jongware]
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    An excellent referral! I will post my code that worked for me so if somebody finds this forum post before they find the other it might be a quicker read! This is my code that is working!

     

     

    for (var j=0;j<currentItems[i].paragraphs.length;j++)

                                            {

     

                                                      var thisParagraph = currentItems[i].parentStory.paragraphs[j];

                                                      var mySearch = "<"+vAliasObj[myAlias]+">";

                                                      var myReplace = unescape(contentObj[myAlias]);

                                                      p = thisParagraph.texts[0].contents.indexOf(mySearch);

                                                      q = 0 <= p && (-1 + p + mySearch.length);

                                                      if( q ) thisParagraph.characters.itemByRange(p, q).texts[0].contents = myReplace;

     

                                            }

     
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  • bduffy323
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    3. bduffy323,
    Apr 24, 2012 1:00 PM   in reply to bduffy323
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    Another question for you Jongware.

     

    I have this working fine and would like to tag the text that I am replacing. I have it working fine if the text is all on one line, however, when the text is on multiple lines I get an error. Do you see a correct way of doing this?

     

    works great if replacing <text1> with "this is text 1"

    for (var j=0;j<currentItems[i].paragraphs.length;j++)
 {
 
           var thisParagraph = currentItems[i].parentStory.paragraphs[j];
           var mySearch = "<"+vAliasObj[myAlias]+">";
           var myReplace = unescape(contentObj[myAlias]);
           p = thisParagraph.texts[0].contents.indexOf(mySearch);
          q = 0 <= p && (-1 + p + mySearch.length);
          if( q ) thisParagraph.characters.itemByRange(p, q).texts[0].contents = myReplace;
          
           temp = parseInt(myReplace.length);                                                        
        app.activeDocument.xmlElements[0].xmlElements.add(myAlias, thisParagraph.characters.itemByRange(p,temp-1).texts[0]);
     
 
   }

     

    does not work if replacing <text1> with "this is on \r two lines"

     
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  • [Jongware]
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    4. [Jongware],
    Apr 24, 2012 2:27 PM   in reply to bduffy323
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    >Another question for you Jongware.

     

    Just for me? Oh come on, let the others have a bit of fun as well.

     

    I cannot try your code because it contains too many errors (vAliasObj? myAlias? etc.). Please write a minimal piece of code that shows the behaviour you mention.

     
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  • bduffy323
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    5. bduffy323,
    Apr 25, 2012 6:34 AM   in reply to [Jongware]
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    By all means I hope the entire community participates! I've learned so much from you guys already.

     

     

    Here is the code and an example of how it should be used:

     

    The document should have only one text frame on it that looks like this:

    example.PNG

     

    When you run the script both of those lines will be tagged correctly. However that is only because they are on separate lines and the inserted text is only one line. Ultimately i'm looking for a way to tag the text that is replacing each of my <***> searches no matter how the <***> appear in the textframe and no matter how the inserted text is formated (ie. multiple lines).

     

     

     

    var myDoc = app.activeDocument;
 
 
var myTextFrame = app.selection;
var vAliasObj = [];
vAliasObj["text1"] = "overline";
vAliasObj["text2"] = "mainline";
 
 
var contentObj = {text1:"this  is  the first  text",text2:"this is the second text"};
 
 
var myTextFrame =myDoc.allPageItems[0];
 
 
var origPara = myTextFrame.paragraphs.length;
for (var myAlias in vAliasObj)
{
  
          for (var j=0;j<myTextFrame.paragraphs.length;j++)
          {
  
                    var thisParagraph = myTextFrame.parentStory.paragraphs[j];
                    var mySearch = "<"+vAliasObj[myAlias]+">";
                    var myReplace = unescape(contentObj[myAlias]);
                    p = thisParagraph.texts[0].contents.indexOf(mySearch);
  
                    q = 0 <= p && (-1 + p + mySearch.length);
 
 
                    if(q) 
                    {
  
                              thisParagraph.characters.itemByRange(p, q).texts[0].contents = myReplace;
                              temp = parseInt(myReplace.length);
                              app.activeDocument.xmlElements[0].xmlElements.add(myAlias, thisParagraph.characters.itemByRange(p,temp-1).texts[0]);
                    }
  
          }
}
 

     

     

    Any ideas?

     
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  • bduffy323
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    6. bduffy323,
    Apr 26, 2012 6:35 AM   in reply to bduffy323
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    Well I figured it out! Instead of traversing the content in paragraphs I use Words. That gives me finer control. For anyone who might be trying to do the same thing, here is the code!

     

     

    var myDoc = app.activeDocument;
 
 
var myTextFrame = app.selection;
var vAliasObj = [];
vAliasObj["text1"] = "overline";
vAliasObj["text2"] = "mainline";
 
 
var contentObj = {text1:"this \r is \r the first  text",text2:"this is the second text"};
var myTextFrame =myDoc.allPageItems[0];
 
newWay();
 
function newWay()
{
  
          var start =0;
          var end   =0;
          var aliasCheck = "";
          var replace = false;
          var deleteWordCount = -1;
 
 
          for (var j=0;j<myTextFrame.words.length;j++)
          {
  
                    if (myTextFrame.words[j].contents.indexOf("<")>-1)
                    {
  
                              start=j;
 
 
                              if (myTextFrame.words[j].contents.indexOf(">")>-1) 
                              {
                                        deleteWordCount++;
                                        end = j;
                                        aliasCheck = myTextFrame.words[j].contents.substring(1,myTextFrame.words[j].contents.length-1);
                                        replace=true;
                              }
                              else
                              {
 
 
                                        for (var i = j; i < myTextFrame.words.length; i++) 
                                        {
                                                  aliasCheck+=myTextFrame.words[i].contents+" ";
                                                  deleteWordCount++;
                                                  if (myTextFrame.words[i].contents.indexOf(">")>-1) 
                                                  {
                                                            end = i;
                                                            aliasCheck = aliasCheck.substring(1,aliasCheck.length-2);
                                                            replace=true;
                                                            break;
                                                  }
                                        }
                              }
                    }
 
 
                    if (replace)
                    {
                              for (var myAlias in vAliasObj)
                              {
                                        if (aliasCheck==vAliasObj[myAlias]) 
                                        {
  
 
                                                  var oldWords = myTextFrame.words.length - deleteWordCount;
                                                  myTextFrame.words.itemByRange(start,end).texts[0].contents =  unescape(contentObj[myAlias]);
                                                  var newWords = myTextFrame.words.length;
 
 
 
 
                                                  app.activeDocument.xmlElements[0].xmlElements.add(myAlias, myTextFrame.words.itemByRange(j,(j+(newWords-oldWords))).texts[0]);
 
 
                                                  break;
                                        }
                              }
 
 
                              replace=false;
                              start=0;
                              end=0;
                              aliasCheck="";
                              deleteWordCount = -1;
  
                    }
  
          }
}
 
 
     
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  • Green4ever
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    7. Green4ever,
    Apr 26, 2012 9:40 PM   in reply to bduffy323
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    Hi,

     

    I have one simple doubt, could clarify it.

     

    q = 0 <= p && (-1 + p + mySearch.length);

     

    How this line worrks, what it means. I hope this is related to biwise operators.

     
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  • bduffy323
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    8. bduffy323,
    Apr 27, 2012 5:42 AM   in reply to Green4ever
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    To be honest Green4ever, that segment of code was what I copied from Jongwares link that he posted. I was also confused by how that works which is why the final code I wrote went about the replacement in a different way. If you would still like some clarification I would suggest posting it on the other forum.

     
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  • Green4ever
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    9. Green4ever,
    Apr 27, 2012 6:06 AM   in reply to bduffy323
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    Hi Jongware,

    I have one simple doubt, could clarify it.

     

    q = 0 <= p && (-1 + p + mySearch.length);

     

    How this line works, what it means. I hope this is related to bitwise operators.

    Could you please explain what it does actually?

     

    Thanks,

    Green4ever

     
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  • John Hawkinson
    5,512 posts
    Jun 25, 2009
    Currently Being Moderated
    10. John Hawkinson,
    Apr 27, 2012 9:47 PM   in reply to Green4ever
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    Green4ever wrote:

    Could you please explain what it does actually?

    Please don't post the same thing twice.

    Especially without trying!

    See my answer in http://forums.adobe.com/message/4366682#4366682

     
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  • Green4ever
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    11. Green4ever,
    Apr 27, 2012 10:24 PM   in reply to John Hawkinson
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    Hi John,

     

    First I posted here, Since it is a answered question i'm not getting the response from anyone.

    Apr 27, 2012 7:06 AM (in response to bduffy323)

    After that only I posted it as a new dicussion.

     

    Apr 27, 2012 10:09 PM

    Please don't post the same thing twice.

    Especially without trying!

    See my answer in http://forums.adobe.com/message/4366682#4366682

    I am already following your answer in the thread you mentioned. Please check the timing if you any doubt.

     

    ---

    Edit:

    I need know how the below line works,See this thread http://forums.adobe.com/message/4364545#4364545

    I already metioned the link of this thread. Did you clicked on it?

     

    Thanks,

    Green4ever

     
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