Help with GREP code to find duplicate text

[larryp22136904]

Hello:

I have a issue with movies times (something Google must have added to their codes) because when I copy/paste movie times from Google to format for newspapers, it added a line that read: Showtimes for (then the name of the movie) and there is a duplicate of the title next to this line.

If you search for movie times in your area and copy/paste into InDesign, you'll see what I mean.

I have a script that formats the titles and times, but now it still has the "Showtimes for....stuff in the text.

And I'm trying, unsuccessfully, to delete to "Showtimes for and one of the duplicate titles.

So far, I have tried this:

(\b\w+)( \1)+\b

It will find duplicates, but only one-word duplicates.

I've got this too.  But it finds everything in between and I can't figure out how to isolate the text that I want to delete.

(?<=Showtimes for)(.+?)(?=\d\d+)

I need to search for entire titles that have different words and word counts.

Here is a sample:

Showtimes for A Dog’s Way Home A Dog’s Way Home 12:35pm 5:00pm 7:45pm Showtimes for Mary Poppins Returns Mary Poppins Returns 12:35pm 3:35pm 6:45pm Showtimes for Bumblebee Bumblebee 1:15pm 4:20pm 7:20pm Showtimes for Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse 12:40pm 4:15pm 7:10pm

Thanks for any help.

Sorry for the long text.

Larry

[vinny38 · Accepted solution]

Hi

Looks like a great job for using back-references (\n)

Try this:

Find (?<=Showtimes for )(.+)(\1)

Replace by $1

Mind the space after "for".

Regards

Vinny

[larryp22136904]

Hi, Vinny:

I can't get this (?<=Showtimes for )(.+)(\1) to work....

Tried it several different ways, with changes the "space" around, but i always get that "Can not find match message.

How can you I use back-references (\n)

Unfamiliar with that....

Thanks for your help..

Larry

[winterm]

For single word duplicates like Bumblebee Bumblebee you could search for (\w+ )\1, and change to $1.

However, I have a hard time to imagine how this could be implemented with such a complex sequences like A Dog’s Way Home, Mary Poppins Returns, or Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.

How are you going to define this? Make a list of all existing films?

[larryp22136904]

Thanks, winterm:

Yes...that works for the simple double words...

And you're right. I have no idea how to tackle this with such a large

variation of titles.

I wish there was a way to just strip out the coding that Google stared

using....

I have a script that formats everything, and it use to work great until

Google started putting that extra stuff in...and it doesn't even show up

until you copy/paste.

Thanks for your help.

Larry

[winterm]

Oh, it was yesterday a real © Hard Day’s Night. Today, after a good sleep, I’m totally with vinny - it works, until you have Showtimes for before your doubled title.

Larry, just give it another try, and don’t forget to mark vinny’s answer as correct

[winterm]

BTW, vinny, what the point to wrap back reference into a subexpression?

(?<=Showtimes for )(.+)\1 works exactly the same.

[vinny38]

Hi Winterm

You're absolutely right, no need to wrap \1

However, I wonder why it's not working for OP...

Feedback would be appreciated...

[larryp22136904]

I've tried it again and I still get the same message that it can't find it.

Not sure why.

But thanks for your help.  I really appreciate the feedback and help from you (Vinny38) and winterm too.

So nice for you guys to take the time to help me out.

Larry

[vinny38]

Aaaaah...

You must use rhe GREP tab in the find/replace window. Not the Text one...

[larryp22136904]

Wow...that's all me then....sorry...

Yes, it's fine now....I feel so dumb....thanks for pointing that out...

Larry

[winterm]

Never mind, Larry, that's pretty common mistake. Cheer up