How to replace one character tag with another character tag globally in one document

[zhihaih48081937]

I copy some paragraphs from MS word to FrameMaker. I try to replace a character tag definded in the word file to another character tag defined in the FrameMaker file with the Find/change. I can fine a character tag but do not know how to change.

[Jeff_Coatsworth]

What version of FM, please?

[zhihaih48081937]

Thank you for asking, Jeff, It is FrameMaker2015.

[Barb Binder]

I can fine a character tag but do not know how to change.

Use By pasting:

1. Assign the new character tag to a string of text
2. Select it
3. Edit > Copy Special > Character Format
4. Edit > Find/Change
   • Find: the old character tag name
   • Change: By pasting

[zhihaih48081937]

Thanks BarbBinder,

I just try you way but does not work. The character tag is replaced by the text I just copy. What I need is the character tag for example Emphasis, replaced by another tag, for example Subscript.

I try Comand global update in character , it works. I just think that I can also do it by finding the original character tag and replace with the target character tag.

thank you.

[Barb Binder · Accepted solution]

The character tag is replaced by the text I just copy.

That sounds like you chose Edit > Copy and not Edit > Copy Special > Character Format.

This will work—I use it all the time. Let's try it again. In this example I want to replace the character format called "Numbers" with the character tag called "Emphasis":

1. Assign the new character format (Emphasis) to selected text.
   
2. Keep the same text selected and choose Edit > Copy Special > Character Format. The character format called Emphasis is copied to the clipboard.
   
3. Edit > Find/Change. Find the new character format "Numbers". Change by pasting. This will remove the format called "Numbers" and replace it with "Emphasis".
   
4. Change or Change All to replace all occurrences of Numbers with Emphasis.
   

[zhihaih48081937]

Dear BarbBinder,

Thank you for the detailed reply. Now it works ：-）

I will share your answer with my collegues.

[Barb Binder]

Great! Let us know if you need any additional help.

[Lynne A. Price]

Zhihaih,

   Barb's procedure will work in many cases, but not all. One possible complication arises from the fact that a character format need not set all character properties, but copying a character format to the clipboard copies all the selected character properties. Suppose, for instance, that you create a new Portrait document. It has a character format called Emphasis. Open the Character Designer with Format > Characters > Designer. From the pull-down menu on the right of the Character Tag box, select Emphasis. This format sets the Angle to Italic but leaves all other properties As Is. Now insert a paragraph tagged Title into the document and type some text. The text size is 18pt and the Weight is Bold. Press the Enter key at the end of the paragraph. FrameMaker creates a new paragraph tagged Body. Type some text in this paragraph as well. The Body paragraph's text size is 12pt and it is not bold.

     Apply character format Emphasis to some of the text in the Title; this text will be 18pt, Bold, Italic. Apply character format Emphasis to some of the text in the Body paragraph; this text will be 12pt Italic but not bold. If you copy the character format from either range of text tagged Emphasis and change all text with this character tag by pasting, you will copy the size and weight as well as the tag name. If the paragraphs you've copied from Word are all the same size, it won't matter, otherwise it might.

     Another detail about the way FrameMaker character formats work, is that you can apply more than one format to the same content. If the formats set all character properties, the effect of the first will be completely removed. But you may have formats that set different properties. Suppose for instance, you still have Emphasis which sets only the Angle property but that, in addition, you have a format tagged Colorize which sets the Color to Red and also leaves all other properties As Is. If you apply both to the text, the text will be italic and red. However, the text can only have one character tag, and that will be the tag of the last format applied. You may well wind up with some red italic text tagged Colorize and some tagged Emphasis.

      If your documents include such situations, you might consider the File > Utilities > Create and Apply Formats command. This command creates additional tags as necessary by adding numeric suffixes to existing tags so that every format that's different has its own tag. Thus, you might wind up with a tag called Colorize that is red and one called Colorize1 that is red and italic, or one called Emphasis that is used in headings and one called Emphasis1 used in regular paragraphs. Be warned that Create and Apply Formats can create a large number of formats in material imported from Word because there are often slight variations in properties that you don't find important.

--Lynne

[zhihaih48081937]

Dear Lynne,

Thank you. It is very helpful.