Need help because of a tricky find & change function

Hey @aniri5j9ox8tw2ln, here is a script that read a paragraph style from the active document and copy/update that style to every open document. It might help in your case.

- Mark

/**
 * Update Paragraph Style In All Open Documents.js
 *
 * @author m1b
 * @discussion https://community.adobe.com/t5/indesign-discussions/need-help-because-of-a-tricky-find-amp-change-function/m-p/14483538
 */
function main() {

    var settings = {
        masterDoc: app.activeDocument,
        masterStyleName: 'My Paragraph Style',
    }

    var masterStyle = getThing(settings.masterDoc.allParagraphStyles, 'name', settings.masterStyleName);

    if (!masterStyle)
        return alert('Could not find master style "' + settings.masterStyleName + '" in document "' + settings.masterDoc.name + '".');

    updateStyle(settings.masterDoc, masterStyle, app.documents.everyItem().getElements());

}
app.doScript(main, ScriptLanguage.JAVASCRIPT, undefined, UndoModes.ENTIRE_SCRIPT, 'Update Style');


/**
 * Propagate a style from master document to other documents.
 * If the style exists, it will be updated.
 * @param {Document} masterDoc - the document containing the masterStyle.
 * @param {ParagraphStyle|CharacterStyle} masterStyle - the style to propagate.
 * @param {Document|Documents|Array<Document>} doc - the destination document(s).
 * @param {TextFrame} [tempFrame] - a temporary text frame for duplicating the style (default: will create it).
 */
function updateStyle(masterDoc, masterStyle, doc, tempFrame) {

    var docs;

    if ('Document' === doc.constructor.name)
        docs = [doc];

    else if (
        'Array' !== doc.constructor.name
        && 'Documents' !== doc.constructor.name
    )
        throw Error('updateStyle: bad `doc` supplied.');

    else
        docs = doc;

    // how to get and set the style
    var getter = (getterAndSetterForStyle(masterStyle) || 0).getter,
        setter = (getterAndSetterForStyle(masterStyle) || 0).setter;

    if (!getter || !setter)
        return alert('Cannot handle "' + masterStyle.constructor.name + '".');

    // make some text in that style
    var tempFrame = masterDoc.textFrames.add({ contents: 'a' });
    setter(tempFrame, masterStyle);

    for (var i = 0; i < docs.length; i++) {

        doc = docs[i];

        if (doc === masterDoc)
            continue;

        if ('Document' !== doc.constructor.name)
            throw Error('updateStyle: bad `docs` supplied.');

        // if style already exists, rename it
        var existingStyle = getThing(getter(doc), 'name', masterStyle.name);

        if (existingStyle)
            // rename to avoid collision
            existingStyle.name = 'deleteMe';

        // duplicate it to the destination document
        var destinationFrame = tempFrame.duplicate(doc.layoutWindows[0].activePage);

        if (existingStyle)
            // replace with the master style
            existingStyle.remove(getThing(getter(doc), 'name', masterStyle.name))

        // clean up
        destinationFrame.remove()

    }

    // clean up
    tempFrame.remove();

};


/**
 * Returns getter and setter for the style type.
 * Currently handles CharacterStyles and ParagraphStyles.
 * @author m1b
 * @version 2024-03-13
 * @param {ParagraphStyle|CharacterStyle} style - the style to get and set.
 * @returns {Object} - { getter: setter: }
 */
function getterAndSetterForStyle(style) {

    return {
        CharacterStyle: {
            getter: function (doc) { return doc.allCharacterStyles },
            setter: function (textFrame, style) { textFrame.texts[0].appliedCharacterStyle = style },
        },
        ParagraphStyle: {
            getter: function (doc) { return doc.allParagraphStyles },
            setter: function (textFrame, style) { textFrame.texts[0].appliedParagraphStyle = style },
        }
    }[style.constructor.name];
}

/**
 * Returns a thing with matching property.
 * @param {Array|collection} things - the things to look through, eg. PageItems.
 * @param {String} key - the property name, eg. 'name'.
 * @param {*} value - the value to match.
 * @returns {*} - the thing.
 */
function getThing(things, key, value) {

    for (var i = 0; i < things.length; i++)
        if (things[i][key] == value)
            return things[i];

};

Hi @aniri5j9ox8tw2ln, can you please first check your grep against my demo document attached to my post? If even one character is different it will probably not work.

If still no good, please post a screenshot showing the problem. Or post a demo .indd document.

- Mark

Lambda Symbol:

(?-i)\bl(?=D\b)

D after Lambda:

(?-i)\bl\KD\b

Unfortunately, this does not work because the word is not copied exactly as formatted...