Find and Replace Script for multiple files

[jasonm64137335]

I am trying to find a script that will either open a selection of .ai files or run through all the open files in illustrator and complete a Find and Replace. Right now I have a script that runs the Find and Replace but I have to run it on each document instead of all my open files.

var openDocument = app.documents.item(0);

var search_string = /001D/gi; // g for global search, remove i to make a case sensitive search  
var replace_string = '001E';  

var text_frames = active_doc.textFrames;  

if (text_frames.length > 0)  
{  
    for (var i = 0 ; i < text_frames.length; i++)  
      {  
          var this_text_frame = text_frames;  
           var new_string = this_text_frame.contents.replace(search_string, replace_string);  

           if (new_string != this_text_frame.contents)  
               {  
                    this_text_frame.contents = new_string;  
               }  
      }  
}

Thanks for any help.

[try67]

[Moved to the Illustrator Scripting forum]

[Silly-V]

If you care to use Actions, you may stick this script into an action and then batch-process a folder of files with that action.

But, I'm not sure your script will work since your active document is called "openDocument" in one line and "active_doc" in another line.

[pixxxelschubser]

Hi jasonm64137335‌,

you can do something like this:

var aDoc = app.activeDocument;
aDoc.textFrames[0].contents = "abcdABCD"; // this is only for one seachable text

var searchString = /\u0041/gi; // search for "a" or "A"
var replaceString = "\u0058"; // replace with "X"

var theTF = aDoc.textFrames;
if (theTF.length > 0) {
    for ( i = 0 ; i <=theTF.length-1; i++) {
        var aTF = theTF;
        var newString = aTF.contents.replace(searchString, replaceString);
        if (newString != aTF.contents) {
            theTF.contents = newString;
            }
        }
    }

Have fun

[jasonm64137335]

This works but still only replaces it in one open Document, I would like it to run through all open documents if possible.

[Silly-V]

Then you must wrap pixxxel's code in this code:

function FindAndReplaceScript_AllOpenDocuments(){
    for(var i=0; i<app.documents.length; i++){
          app.documents.activate();
          // paste pixxxel's code starting here on this line
    };
};
FindAndReplaceScript_AllOpenDocuments();

[jasonm64137335]

So this is what I have now:

function FindAndReplaceScript_AllOpenDocuments(){  
    for(var i=0; i<app.documents.length; i++){  
          app.documents.activate();  


var aDoc = app.activeDocument;  
aDoc.textFrames[0].contents = "abcdABCD"; // this is only for one seachable text  

var searchString = /001D/gi; 
var replaceString = '001E';   

var theTF = aDoc.textFrames;  
if (theTF.length > 0) {  
    for ( i = 0 ; i <=theTF.length-1; i++) {  
        var aTF = theTF;  
        var newString = aTF.contents.replace(searchString, replaceString);  
        if (newString != aTF.contents) {  
            theTF.contents = newString;  
            }  
        }  
    }  
};  
};  
FindAndReplaceScript_AllOpenDocuments();

But it is still only changing one document of 21 that are open... I am over my head. Appreciate any help.

[Silly-V · Accepted solution]

Oh, my bad, I gave bad advice, pasting pixxxel's code into my code results in a re-definition of the "i" counter.

Vinicius is corrent.

Here is my updated one:

function FindAndReplaceScript_AllOpenDocuments(){    
    for(var i=app.documents.length -1; i > -1;  i--){    
        app.documents.activate();
        var aDoc = app.documents;

        var searchString = /001D/gi;   
        var replaceString = '001E';     

        var theTF = aDoc.textFrames;    
        if (theTF.length > 0) {    
            for (var j = 0 ; j <theTF.length; j++) {    
                var aTF = theTF;    
                var newString = aTF.contents.replace(searchString, replaceString);    
                if (newString != aTF.contents) {    
                    theTF.contents = newString;    
                }    
            }    
        }
    }
};    
FindAndReplaceScript_AllOpenDocuments(); 

[jasonm64137335]

Awesome, worked beautifully!

[rcraighead]

How do I make this script replace with a string that includes returns? Works fine unless my "replacement" text has more than one line.

[Silly-V]

How do you write a string that has more than one line in your code?

[rcraighead]

There is a Line Feed (\n) between each line.

[Silly-V]

I just tested this snippet and it appeared to work correctly:

#target illustrator

function test(){

    var doc = app.activeDocument;

    var t = doc.textFrames[0];

    t.contents = "My\nString";

};

test();

[rcraighead]

Silly-V​, you're amazing! I'll see what I can learn from this. Thanks so much!

[rcraighead]

This works great! I had used "\n" regex to add a return in my string when I simply needed to add it to the text itself.

Another question: How would I loop 3 or more "Search and Replace" requests in a single script? I have duplicated the script 3 times, leaving out the "var active_doc…" line and it works, but I'm sure there's a more efficient way. The script is being run through Keyboard Maestro where the variables are accessed.

var active_doc = app.activeDocument;
var search_string = /Name/gi; // g for global search, remove i to make a case sensitive search
var replace_string = "%Variable%Name%";
var text_frames = active_doc.textFrames;
if (text_frames.length > 0)
{
    for (var i = 0 ; i < text_frames.length; i++)
      {
          var this_text_frame = text_frames;
          var new_string = this_text_frame.contents.replace(search_string, replace_string);
          if (new_string != this_text_frame.contents)
              {
                    this_text_frame.contents = new_string;
              }
      }
}
var search_string = /Date/gi; // g for global search, remove i to make a case sensitive search
var replace_string = "%Variable%Date%";
var text_frames = active_doc.textFrames;
if (text_frames.length > 0)
{
    for (var i = 0 ; i < text_frames.length; i++)
      {
          var this_text_frame = text_frames;
          var new_string = this_text_frame.contents.replace(search_string, replace_string);
          if (new_string != this_text_frame.contents)
              {
                    this_text_frame.contents = new_string;
              }
      }
}
var search_string = /Sentiment/gi; // g for global search, remove i to make a case sensitive search
var replace_string = "%Variable%Sentiment%";
var text_frames = active_doc.textFrames;
if (text_frames.length > 0)
{
    for (var i = 0 ; i < text_frames.length; i++)
      {
          var this_text_frame = text_frames;
          var new_string = this_text_frame.contents.replace(search_string, replace_string);
          if (new_string != this_text_frame.contents)
              {
                    this_text_frame.contents = new_string;
              }
      }
}

[Silly-V]

You can use a nested loop and a set of two arrays (or one array containing objects) like this:

var allSearchReplaceStrings = [

     { search : "MySearch1", replace : "MyReplace1" },

     { search : "MySearch2", replace : "MyReplace2" },

     { search : "MySearch3", replace : "MyReplace3" }

];

var this_text_frame, thisSearchReplacePair;

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

     this_text_frame = text_frames;

     for(var j = 0; j < allSearchReplaceStrings.length; j++){

          thisSearchReplacePair = allSearchReplaceStrings;

          if(this_text_frame.contents == thisSearchReplacePair.search){

               this_text_frame.contents = thisSearchReplacePair.replace;

          }

     }

}

[rcraighead]

thanks for sharing your knowledge. I’ll implement this tomorrow.

[Vinicius Baptista]

Are you tried use app.documents[]? like this:

for (x=0; x < app.documents.length; x++){


app.documents.activate();


var aDoc = app.activeDocument;  
aDoc.textFrames[0].contents = "abcdABCD"; // this is only for one seachable text  

var searchString = /\u0041/gi; // search for "a" or "A"  
var replaceString = "\u0058"; // replace with "X"  

var theTF = aDoc.textFrames;  
if (theTF.length > 0) {  
    for ( i = 0 ; i <=theTF.length-1; i++) {  
        var aTF = theTF;  
        var newString = aTF.contents.replace(searchString, replaceString);  
        if (newString != aTF.contents) {  
            theTF.contents = newString;  
            }  
        }  
    }  




};

I think it work

Greetings

-Vinícius

[ascotto]

Hi guys, I was looking for a script like this, because I have lots of cruise maps whose locations are to be translated from IT to EN. I tried to run the script marked as correct answer, it returns no errors but it does…nothing. I mean, the window jitters a bit but anything else, might it be related to the 2015.5 update? Or am I missing some code, some steps?

Thanks a lot!

[Silly-V]

Hello! Paste your code, let's see also a sample graphic of what you're trying to do.

[ascotto]

Hi! I tried to run your code, marked as correct answer, and I simply need to find/replace city names on like 40 files, so that once i replace, e.g. "Venezia" with "Venice", it'll be replaced everywhere.

[Silly-V]

So you tried to run the code without making any edits to it?

[ascotto]

Yep, exactly.

[Crooty]

Same as ascotto here. I run the script and nothing happens. Is a dialog box supposed to appear?
(also, I'm on CS6, should it work or not?)

Thanks for your help.

[Silly-V]

You have to edit the script to put in your words.

These lines need to be edited to make it work. Change the 001D to your word you need to replace and the 001E to the one you want to change to.

1.         var searchString = /001D/gi;    
2.         var replaceString = '001E';