Hello!
Required to make search and replace in a text frame using RegExp.
And at that keep original character formatting of the text frame.
How it's possible?
Bad example – it changes the formating of the entire text to the format of the first character:
var reg = /a/gmi;
var replacer = '*';
var fr = activeDocument.textFrames[0];
fr.contents = fr.contents.replace (reg , replacer);
Thanks!
1 Correct answer
I didn't tested your code yet.
But why you didn't play with my code snippet and use something like this:
// regex_changeContentsOfWordOrString_RemainFormatting.jsx
// regards pixxxel schubser
var s = /arguments/gi;
var replacer = "other string", result;
var atf = activeDocument.textFrames[0];
while (result = s.exec(atf.contents)) {
try {
aCon = atf.characters[result.index];
aCon.length = result[0].length;
aCon.contents = replacer;
} catch (e) {};
}
Try it and have fun
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Replies
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Yea it's a tricky one- I got one to work finally. And yea for those matches where the style is different within the match, maybe do the format comparison then.
#target illustrator
function test(){
var doc = app.activeDocument;
var s = doc.textFrames[0];
var oldWord = "bird";
var oldWordRx = new RegExp(oldWord, "g");
var newWord = "puppy-dog";
var textString = s.contents;
var matches = textString.match(oldWordRx);
if(!matches){return;}
var indexArr;
for(var i=0, ln = matches.length; i<ln; i++){
oldWordRx.exec(s.contents);
indexArr = [oldWordRx.lastIndex - oldWord.length, oldWordRx.lastIndex];
for(var j=0; j<s.textRange.characters.length; j++){
if(j >= indexArr[0] && j <= indexArr[1]){
s.textRange.characters
}
}
s.textRange.textSelection[0].contents = newWord;
s.textRange.deSelect();
};
};
test();.png)
.png)
o-marat schrieb:
Hello!
Required to make search and replace in a text frame using RegExp.
And at that keep original character formatting of the text frame.
How it's possible?
Going this way
// regex_changeContentsOfSingleCharacterRemainFormatting.jsx
// regards pixxxel schubser
var s = /a/gi;
var replacer = "*";
var result;
var atf = activeDocument.textFrames[0];
while (result = s.exec(atf.contents)) {
try {
atf.characters[result.index].contents = replacer;
} catch (e) {};
}
Have fun
I didn't tested your code yet.
But why you didn't play with my code snippet and use something like this:
// regex_changeContentsOfWordOrString_RemainFormatting.jsx
// regards pixxxel schubser
var s = /arguments/gi;
var replacer = "other string", result;
var atf = activeDocument.textFrames[0];
while (result = s.exec(atf.contents)) {
try {
aCon = atf.characters[result.index];
aCon.length = result[0].length;
aCon.contents = replacer;
} catch (e) {};
}
Try it and have fun
You are the only one who know what you really want.
But you give informations rarely and only in little parts, step by step.
1) At first you want to replace one character.
2) You marked as correct the answer in which was replaced the whole word.
3) And now you ask for "capturing groups".
These are absolutly different requirements. But you can do all with the "way to go" I gave you before.
If your knowledge base in grep/regex is good enough (and if I understand you right), you only have to change the regex.
If not – do the same, change only the regex (or better: the lines #3 and #4 in the code in my answer #10) like this:
var s = /lacto(?= acid)/gi;
var replacer = "sulphuric", result;
Have fun
Hi, pixxxel schubser. I'm sorry for the confusion. I wrote the question clearly, but attached very simple illustration. (and, quite possibly, I made some mistakes when translating into English).
Of course, I want to use all the power of regular expressions! not just search/replace of one character
I think your post #10 this is the best correct answer at this point in time, and post#14 excellent complements it.
You're welcome.
Don't worry – my english isn't the best too (my german is much more better)
.
But yes, I also thinking, the code in my post #10 is a good choice.
And yes, Silly-V​ is a very good coder, but I have a small advantage with regex/grep.
And like he said: "… so apparently you don't have to select the text at all? Your length of textRange which can be set, sets the length - I see that now! …"
is a good and quick way. And it's also faster as to loop through all the characters and so on …
One note: Please read my post #12 again. This post shows how a few lines work and perhaps it can help you better to understand a little better.
Regards
pixxxel schubser
During using of the script I found two interesting points.
- Target: insert something at the beginning or end of the paragraph. A regular expression can be /^/gmi or /$/gmi. The loop becomes infinite in the first match.
Fixed using setting the value of the RegExp.lastIntex property (refer to code below). - Can not find a match with the latest sign of the end of the text (in Illustrator it appears as #). Finds a match with all the marks the end of lines, except the last. I am using the pattern /$/gmi. Although in ExtendScript or Chrome it works.
var s = /^/gmi,
replacer = " — ",
atf = selection[0],
result;
while (result = s.exec (atf.contents)) {
try {
// when the pattern is /$/gmi or /^/gmi the loop becomes infinite
if (result[0].length == 0) {
s.lastIndex += replacer.length + 1; // enforce set the value of the RegExp.lastIndex property
}
aCon = atf.characters[result.index];
aCon.length = result[0].length;
aCon.contents = replacer;
} catch (e) {
}
}
I would welcome any additions and explanations 
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