Insert tab after the number(up to 2 digits) Script

Known Participant

Thanks mike, I think I'll stick to the first process you've mention.

FRIdNGE

Inspiring

// by FRIdNGE, Michel Allio [29/04/2021]

var myDoc = app.activeDocument;
app.findGrepPreferences = app.changeGrepPreferences = null;
app.findGrepPreferences.findWhat = "(?s)^\\d+\\.\\K\\h+";
app.changeGrepPreferences.changeTo = "\\t";
myFound = myDoc.findGrep();
var F = myFound.length,  f ;
for ( f = 0; f < F ; f++ ) {
    if ( !myFound[f].tabStops[0].isValid ) myFound[f].tabStops.add({position: "0.125 in"});
    else myFound[f].tabStops[0].position = "0.125 in";
    myFound[f].tabStops[0].alignment = TabStopAlignment.LEFT_ALIGN;
}
myDoc.changeGrep();
app.findGrepPreferences = app.changeGrepPreferences = null;

(^/)

Adobe Expert

Hi @brian_p_dts

For reasons I don't understand, the OP definitely doesn't want to use paragraph formats at all.

brian_p_dts

Adobe Expert

Well, they are going to be in for a sad surpise when they realize they can't change tab stops in changeGrepPreferences.

Known Participant

yes it is, but i have set some paragraph style to execute those functions, however Im still looking for a possible way to put the tabstop function on my script

Adobe Expert

A second or third colon in your paragraph does not matter - but "a single" colon in the paragraph (standalone).

Known Participant

yes thats the problem I have right now, but anyway thank you so much!. Can I also ask how can I set the value of the tab char that I inserted after the number? I need to set it at 0.125 in. thanks is advance

Known Participant

ChainGREP does the sequence of separate Find/Changes.

One of the Find/Changes applies Formatting via a Paragraph Style

The Paragraph Style supplies the Tab distance value.

It is all a trickle-down.

Known Participant

yea its weird, Im also used on using paragraph styles but this particular artworks does not require those process.

Thank you pixxelschubser and FRidNGE it actually worked. unfortunately i have some colon symbols across the paragraphs, but atleast now I know what GREP to use. Thank you so much

FRIdNGE

Inspiring

^.+?:

(^/) The Jedi

Adobe Expert

I got your point, unfortunately we are working with files that is too complex to have paragraph/character styles …

By @Joseph Christian5C7F

Sorry. But I've never heard anything so strange.

But it doesn't matter. Try this grep:

^[^:]+:

But be sure, that there is no other colon in your text.

Adobe Expert

There is only one truth in InDesign: only work with styles! Never use formatting that differs from the paragraph format.

Known Participant

I got your point, unfortunately we are working with files that is too complex to have paragraph/character styles. I just want to re-apply BOLD and ALL CAPS to the first word, just like I did on the 2nd and 3rd entry, unfortunately i dont know what grep to use to FIND all words before the COLON symbol.

Adobe Expert

Use nested styles in a new paragraph format for all paragraphs with ":"

Known Participant

can i execute this without using character o paragraph style?

Adobe Expert

Of course, you can replace the space with a tab.

But:

Create a new paragraph style with a numbering list.

Then I would remove digits, dot and space with Grep and at the same time assign the new created paragraph style with the numbering list. This will make handling much easier in the future.

F: ^\d+\.\h([\l\u])

C: $1