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June 18, 2026
Answered

How to I include a regular expression in the properties of a paragraph style?

  • June 18, 2026
  • 4 replies
  • 60 views

I want to set some default regular expressions in a paragraph style, for example:

Regular expression: (\d+)
Quote style: myData
Paragraph style: myStyle=app.documents[0]..itemByName(“AA”),
myStyle.properties{

}

Thanks.

    Correct answer Manan Joshi

    Try the following. Make sure the paragraph style with name AA and character style with name myData exists before this code is executed

    var doc = app.documents[0];
    doc.paragraphStyles.itemByName("AA").nestedGrepStyles.add({grepExpression:"\d+[A-Za-Z]", appliedCharacterStyle:doc.characterStyles.itemByName("myData")})

     

    4 replies

    L
    Community Expert
    LaubenderCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    June 22, 2026

    Hi together,

    here an example where you do not need to do an extra escape of the \d

    var doc = app.documents[0];
    var paraStyle = doc.paragraphStyles.itemByName("AA") ;
    var charStyle = doc.characterStyles.itemByName("myData") ;


    var ns = paraStyle.nestedGrepStyles.add();
    ns.properties = 
    {
    	// No need to extra escape the expression if you work this way:
    	grepExpression : /\d+[A-Za-z]/.source ,
    	appliedCharacterStyle : charStyle

    }

    FWIW: the expression \d+[A-Za-Z] with the “a-Z” instead of the “a-z” will give you a syntax error.

     

    Kind Regards,
    Uwe Laubender
    ( Adobe Community Expert )

      dublove
      dubloveAuthor
      Legend
      June 22, 2026

      ​@Laubender Can't it be directly added to the paragraph style attribute?
      like this:

      paraStyle.properties{

      // No need to extra escape the expression if you work this way:

      grepExpression : /\d+[A-Za-z]/.source ,

      appliedCharacterStyle : charStyle

      }

       

      M
      Community Expert
      Manan JoshiCommunity ExpertCorrect answer
      Community Expert
      June 18, 2026

      Try the following. Make sure the paragraph style with name AA and character style with name myData exists before this code is executed

      var doc = app.documents[0];
      doc.paragraphStyles.itemByName("AA").nestedGrepStyles.add({grepExpression:"\d+[A-Za-Z]", appliedCharacterStyle:doc.characterStyles.itemByName("myData")})

       

      -Manan
      dublove
      dubloveAuthor
      Legend
      June 18, 2026

      Hi ​@Manan Joshi 

      Thank you very much.

      Can it be written into the properties
      like this:
      doc.paragraphStyles.itemByName("AA").properties{
      }

      M
      Community Expert
      Manan JoshiCommunity Expert
      Community Expert
      June 18, 2026
      var doc = app.documents[0];
      var ns = doc.paragraphStyles.itemByName("AA").nestedGrepStyles.add()
      ns.properties = {grepExpression:"\d+[A-Za-Z]", appliedCharacterStyle:doc.characterStyles.itemByName("myData")}

       

      -Manan
      dublove
      dubloveAuthor
      Legend
      June 18, 2026

      Hi ​@Manan Joshi 

      It seems that the expression is incorrect.
      I want to add grep (e.g. \ d+[A-Za-Z]) to the "AA" paragraph style and call the "myData" character style.

      M
      Community Expert
      Manan JoshiCommunity Expert
      Community Expert
      June 18, 2026

      Which property?

      -Manan
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