2 Correct answers
Hi @Bedazzled532, I have written a script that may help you. Let me know what you think. For instructions, read the script documentation below.
Note that it doesn't change "word spacing" per se, because that is a property of a *paragraph*, so instead this script targets the first space after a word boundary and sets its tracking value. To ensure that things don't get too messy, the script will set every word space to the same amount each time you click one of the buttons. I think this will wor
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Hi @Bedazzled532 I will update the script above with some extra buttons and also some improvements, such as better handling of Undo.
- Mark
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I think the result is essentailly the same, but having that panel might make the operation a bit quicker since you can do it all with the mouse.
By @Peter Spier
Yes, it would eliminate keyboard.
Are you thinking there is a way to further automate this over the 2000 pages?
Yes.
It would rather be a "brute force" solution - there is no other way - but perfectly doable.
It's great to hear, that this script would help you.
But if I may.
I was just thinking and if you don't need fully automated solution - as I've mentioneed in my other post, you could get the same effect with my IDT - but it should be a bit more handy - and completely free.
As per the screenshot above (*) - all texts in between numbers can be loaded into IDT. Most likely a better GREP expression would be needed.
Then, you would've to create a few simple Tasks - free version of IDT won't let you load more than one - and just use up / down arrows to switch between found results (*) - IDT will automatically select corresponding text, including switching pages - and expand / contract texts using keyboard shortcuts assigned to those Tasks.
Of course, each Task can do whatever you want - just invoke those built-in keyboard shortcuts - or set / increase by whatever values you wan't.
And, the same as in the InDesign - you can use Ctrl / Shift / Alt modifiers to use the same base key - with different "step values".
100% mouseless solution 😉 so should be much quicker 😉
And, if at any point, you would need to select only part of the original text (*) - when it spans multiple lines, but manipulating all lines at once won't get you correct result - or you simply don't want to "touch" them - and you would need to select only one last line of the selection - you can create additional Task, that will select first or last line, assing a kyboard shortcut - and still avoid using mouse.
(*) screenshot shows the last (*) I'm mentioning - all found results has been already split into separate lines.
But it's not the end of the world 😉 because, when working in IDT - when user use SHIFT and up/down arrows - IDT will automatically select BOTH "objects" on the list - as loong as it's possible - pieces of text, objects on the same spread / within group, cells in the Table. Of course selection can be expanded to further elements on the list.
@Robert at ID-Tasker Thanks. A sample video with my example will be helpful and easy for me to understand. It sounds good that all of this can be done without mouse.
By @Bedazzled532
As you wish 🙂
Just to show a general "modus operandi" of ID-Tasker - exactly the same techinique can be used for navigating though the document - be it Texts, Objects, Tables / Cells, etc.
And this functionality - is 100% Free of Charge.
@Robert at ID-Tasker I would like to give it a try free of charge.
By @Bedazzled532
There are versions for CS6, CC2024, CC2025.
Attached is main Task and all "supporting" Tasks and XML for GREP.
As I've mentioned earlier - free veersion won't allow you to load more than one Task - so you'll have to load the main one and then create the supporting ones manually every time - but it's just a few clicks 😉
Here is path for GREP query:
C:\Users\[YOUR_USER_NAME]\AppData\Roaming\Adobe\InDesign\Version 20.0\en_GB\Find-Change Queries\GREP
Or, after you install IDT - please send me HFP - privately - and I'll send you temporary activation key.
Just added a new functionality - still available in the free version:
Red - is the "marker".
Blue Task - will select text before the "marker".
Yellow Task - will select text after the "marker".
As this is Right-To-Left text - it's of course reversed 😉
The other Tasks, posted before - remain the same - as they just work on the selected text.
So in the end, there can be 6x Tasks - 2x to select text before/after and 4x to change its properties - or the "blue" and "yellow" Tasks can be integreated with those earlier Increase/Decrease Tasks - and add 4x more Tasks - where each would select text first - before or after the "marker" - and then increase or decrease word spacing - so 8x Tasks in total.
And because only markers are referenced - then even if they'll move because of the changes made to the text before - correct text before / after and to the beginning / end of the TextLine will always be selected.
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