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David André Erichsen
David André Erichsen
Inspiring
October 3, 2014
Answered

GREP trouble

  • October 3, 2014
  • 2 replies
  • 620 views

Hi,

I want to change lists that comes numbered like tils:

1. some text

2. some text

3. some text

to this

1) some text

2) some text

3) some text

This GREP work if i do a manual search in InDesign:   "(?<=^\d)\. |(?<=^\d\d)\."  ->  ") "

But when i put it into this script (works with other search-criteria) nothing happens:

Can someone please tell why this does'nt this work?

if (parseFloat(app.version) < 6)

doReplace();

else

app.doScript(doReplace, ScriptLanguage.JAVASCRIPT, undefined, UndoModes.ENTIRE_SCRIPT, "Expand State Abbreviations");

function doReplace ()

{

if (parseFloat(app.version) < 6)

doReplace();

else

app.doScript(doReplace, ScriptLanguage.JAVASCRIPT, undefined, UndoModes.ENTIRE_SCRIPT, "Expand State Abbreviations");

function doReplace ()

{

try {

  RemoveExcessSpacing();

} catch(err) {

        var msg = "Select textframe";

        alert(msg);

}

function RemoveExcessSpacing() {

  var story;

  var doc   = app.activeDocument;

  var sel   = doc.selection;

  var frame = sel[0];

  if (frame && frame.constructor.name === "TextFrame") {

  story = frame.parentStory;

  } else {

  throw "Ingen tekstblokk markert";

  }

app.findGrepPreferences.findWhat = "(?<=^\d)\. |(?<=^\d\d)\. ";

app.changeGrepPreferences.changeTo = ") ";

story.changeGrep();

}}}

    This topic has been closed for replies.
    Correct answer pixxxelschubser

    David André Erichsen,

    do you really work wtih manually created numbered lists? That's not the best way.

    All the same – one variant:

    replace this line:

    app.findGrepPreferences.findWhat = "(?<=^\d)\. |(?<=^\d\d)\. ";

    with this:

    app.findGrepPreferences.findWhat = /(?<=^\d)\. |(?<=^\d\d)\. /.source;

    - - - - - - -

    But IMHO better is:

    app.findGrepPreferences.findWhat = /^(\d+)\./.source;
    

    app.changeGrepPreferences.changeTo = "$1)";

    And the best way:

    automatically numbered lists – several settings possible and no Grep needed

    Have fun

    2 replies

    pixxxelschubser
    Community Expert
    pixxxelschubserCommunity ExpertCorrect answer
    Community Expert
    October 4, 2014

    David André Erichsen,

    do you really work wtih manually created numbered lists? That's not the best way.

    All the same – one variant:

    replace this line:

    app.findGrepPreferences.findWhat = "(?<=^\d)\. |(?<=^\d\d)\. ";

    with this:

    app.findGrepPreferences.findWhat = /(?<=^\d)\. |(?<=^\d\d)\. /.source;

    - - - - - - -

    But IMHO better is:

    app.findGrepPreferences.findWhat = /^(\d+)\./.source;
    

    app.changeGrepPreferences.changeTo = "$1)";

    And the best way:

    automatically numbered lists – several settings possible and no Grep needed

    Have fun

    David André Erichsen
    David André ErichsenAuthor
    Inspiring
    October 4, 2014

    Thank you.

    Its just for a quiz in a newspaper. The list comes in text, and I want it formatted slightly different. Now I can just run the script, and everything is OK. again, thank you!

    Obi-wan Kenobi
    Obi-wan Kenobi
    Legend
    October 4, 2014

    Hi David and Pixxxel,

    Take a look to:  Finding and replacing Paragraph Style of last line in a bulletted list?

    A very clever script written by Kaï Rubsamen! 

    At the beginning, text with "1. ", "2. ", … (manual numbering):

    Simply create the 3 para styles you need (with auto-numbering as Pixxxel suggested! ):

    Launch Kaï's script:

    Its UI appears. Only type the Grep code you need to make the research, choose your 3 para styles, as indicated in the screenshot, and finish by "OK":

    DONE! 

    I like a lot this script! Thanks Kaï to have written it! 

    T
    Teetan_VK
    Inspiring
    October 4, 2014

    change \d to \\d

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