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robertf65853221
robertf65853221
Known Participant
July 5, 2020
Question

How to convert one paragraph style to another across multiple documents

  • July 5, 2020
  • 1 reply
  • 902 views

Hi,

Is thare a way to globally change one paraagraph style to another paragraph style across several docs that does not involve a script?

I have used Global update, but it is slow and tedious.

My current method:

  1. 1. Create the paragraph tags that I need to change to and save them as a separate document.
  2. 2. Import those paragraphs styles into the document I want to change.
  3. 3. In the Paragraph Designer, select the style I want to change TO. In the same window, select Global Update Options select "All Properties" (in the "Use Properties in the Paragraph Designer") and in the "Update Paragraph Formats" select "All Tagged:" and the paragraph style I want to change FROM.

Is there a quicker way to do this?

Thanks,

Robert

    1 reply

    LinSims
    Community Expert
    LinSimsCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    July 5, 2020

    If all the files are collected into a book, yes. You can do a search and replace for the paragraph tag you want replaced.

     

    1. Click Edit > Find/Change.
    2. In the Find drop-down, select Paragraph Tag and type in the name of the tag you are changing FROM.
    3. Click Find, and at the first instance of the old tag, apply the tag you want to change TO.
    4. Click Edit > Copy Special > Paragraph Format.
    5. In the Change drop-down, select By Pasting, make sure Book is selected, and then click Change All.

     

    Edited to add: If you have to do this with a whole lot of tags and/or books, investing in Rick Quatro's FindChangeFormats Batch script is worthwhile. It saves a lot of time and you have the option of deleting the old tag from the catalog as you go, which is a nice bit of housekeeping.

      robertf65853221
      robertf65853221Author
      Known Participant
      July 20, 2020

      My apologies for taking so long to reply...

      Thanks for the suggestions.

      I would be inclined to go with the script, but my client does not want to go that way. It's not entirely clear that all of these would be in a book, or even in the same folder. Doing them individuallly is certinly the most painful way to go about it.

       

      LinSims
      Community Expert
      LinSimsCommunity Expert
      Community Expert
      July 20, 2020

      They have to do all the work, as it's a document control thing. I am merely creating the templates and present the available choices to get the job done.

      I did precisely what you outlined to get a first-hand idea of what was involved and the oh-my-god factor is pretty high. 

      $39 is pretty cheap to avoid a whole lot of pain, but it's not my choice to make.


      I love the oh-my-god factor. I have to get that into regular use in my vocabulary.

       

      Yeah, if it's them doing it and they don't care that they are seriously wasting their employees' time, there's not much you can do about it.

       

      But, dang it, they could get a site license for only $169 so that anyone who needs to do this could use it, AND they could do it on a file by file basis if they're worried about document control. It would still be faster and less mistake-prone. I hate inefficiencies like this, they only introduce error.

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