Can you sort indesign pages alphabetically?

Report · Oct 16, 2012

I have a document with over 200 page and I want to sort the pages alpahetically after the heading on every page.The headings have one paragrah style. The document is singel pages, but there is two text frames on ever page. Many pages have also the same heading, so I hope to sort them in the same order in which the document is now.

If you see the images under, I want to sort the pages alphabetically after the "heading" in bold to the right (txt:Best Buys Natural Wines)

Is it possible with a script or something else?

Report · Oct 16, 2012

Do the pages contain linked stories?

If not you can script it easily with the move command

Report · Oct 16, 2012

Ok This is what you were after.

This assumes that you use a Paragraph style for your header AND THERE IS ONLY ONE HEADER ON EACH PAGE WHICH IS ONLY ONE PARAGRAPH LONG

// Script by Trevor to sort Pages according to alphabetical order of Page Headers
// http://forums.adobe.com/thread/1082984?tstart=0
var doc =  app.documents[0], myHeaders, l;
app.changeGrepPreferences = app.findGrepPreferences = null;
app.findGrepPreferences.appliedParagraphStyle = "My Header"; 
// Change above to the name of header style
myHeaders = doc.findGrep();
for (n=0; n < myHeaders.length-1; n++) $.writeln([myHeaders.contents]);
myHeaders.sort (function (a,b) {if (a.contents.toLowerCase() > b.contents.toLowerCase())  return 1 else return -1})
l = myHeaders.length;
while (l--) myHeaders.parentTextFrames[0].parentPage.move (LocationOptions.AT_BEGINNING);

Report · Oct 16, 2012

It also asumes that every page has a header

Report · Oct 20, 2012

I thought I made I nice little script here that answered your question.

With all those bottles of wine I expected at least a "Cheers mate"

Any reason why you didn't mark the question as correct?

Report · Apr 03, 2016

thanks ..awsome script i've been searching for a while

but i need to add certain lines to this script hope you can help me

now i have these paragraph style (for certain chapters)

-Palm Trees ---paragraph style for chapter 1

-Trees ---paragraph style for chapter 2

-Shrubs---paragraph style for chapter 3

-Ground Covers---paragraph style for chapter 4

-Climbers---paragraph style for chapter 4

-Succulents---paragraph style for chapter 4

i want to arrange the pages that have these paragraph styles alphabetically in that exact order (arranging the paragraph)...can you help me in this?

be noted that each chapter has its own Master Page

Report · Apr 04, 2016

i've tried my luck in editing your code

var doc =  app.documents[0], Palmtrees, Trees, Shrubs, GroundCovers, Climbers, Succulents, l;
app.changeGrepPreferences = app.findGrepPreferences = null;  
app.findGrepPreferences.appliedParagraphStyle = "Plant Name (Palm trees)";
app.findGrepPreferences.appliedParagraphStyle = "Plant Name (Trees)";
app.findGrepPreferences.appliedParagraphStyle = "Plant Name (Shrubs)";
app.findGrepPreferences.appliedParagraphStyle = "Plant Name (GroundCovers)";
app.findGrepPreferences.appliedParagraphStyle = "Plant Name (Climbers)";
app.findGrepPreferences.appliedParagraphStyle = "Plant Name (Succulents)";
// Change above to the name of  Paragraph Styles   
Succulents = doc.findGrep();  
for (n=0; n < Succulents.length-1; n++) $.writeln([Succulents.contents]);  
Succulents.sort (function (a,b) {if (a.contents.toLowerCase() > b.contents.toLowerCase())  return 1 else return -1})  
l = Succulents.length;  
while (l--) Succulents.parentTextFrames[0].parentPage.move (LocationOptions.AT_BEGINNING);
Climbers = doc.findGrep();  


for (n=0; n < Climbers.length-2; n++) $.writeln([Climbers.contents]);  
Climbers.sort (function (a,b) {if (a.contents.toLowerCase() > b.contents.toLowerCase())  return 2 else return -2})  
l = Climbers.length;  
while (l--) Climbers.parentTextFrames[0].parentPage.move (LocationOptions.AT_BEGINNING);


for (n=0; n < GroundCovers.length-3; n++) $.writeln([GroundCovers.contents]);  
GroundCovers.sort (function (a,b) {if (a.contents.toLowerCase() > b.contents.toLowerCase())  return 3 else return -3})  
l = Climbers.length;  
while (l--) GroundCovers.parentTextFrames[0].parentPage.move (LocationOptions.AT_BEGINNING);




for (n=0; n < Shrubs.length-4; n++) $.writeln([Shrubs.contents]);  
Shrubs.sort (function (a,b) {if (a.contents.toLowerCase() > b.contents.toLowerCase())  return 4 else return -4})  
l = Shrubs.length;  
while (l--) Shrubs.parentTextFrames[0].parentPage.move (LocationOptions.AT_BEGINNING);


for (n=0; n < Trees.length-5; n++) $.writeln([Trees.contents]);  
Trees.sort (function (a,b) {if (a.contents.toLowerCase() > b.contents.toLowerCase())  return 5 else return -5})  
l = Trees.length;  
while (l--) Trees.parentTextFrames[0].parentPage.move (LocationOptions.AT_BEGINNING);


for (n=0; n < Palmtrees.length-6; n++) $.writeln([Palmtrees.contents]);  
Palmtrees.sort (function (a,b) {if (a.contents.toLowerCase() > b.contents.toLowerCase())  return 6 else return -6})  
l = PalmTrees.length;  
while (l--) Palmtrees.parentTextFrames[0].parentPage.move (LocationOptions.AT_BEGINNING);
alert("Finished!");

but sadly i get this error ...

can you please help me?

Report · Apr 04, 2016

Hi

I'm too busy just now, to look into it either-way I don't understand what you are after.

If you split the document into chapters would that not help?

Trevor

Report · Apr 05, 2016

yes it would help the thing that is iam new to indesign scripting ...and i was just trying my luck

Report · Apr 05, 2016

The error message tells you what the error is - GroundCovers is not defined. It is declared but you are not assigning it any value.

Your basic code would be:

var doc = app.documents[0], Palmtrees, Trees, Shrubs, GroundCovers, Climbers, Succulents, l;

app.changeGrepPreferences = app.findGrepPreferences = null;

app.findGrepPreferences.appliedParagraphStyle = "Plant Name (Succulents)";

Succulents = doc.findGrep();

for (n=0; n < Succulents.length-1; n++) $.writeln([Succulents.contents]);

Succulents.sort (function (a,b) {if (a.contents.toLowerCase() > b.contents.toLowerCase()) return 1 else return -1})

l = Succulents.length;

while (l--) Succulents.parentTextFrames[0].parentPage.move (LocationOptions.AT_BEGINNING);

// then you repeat:

app.findGrepPreferences.appliedParagraphStyle = "Plant Name (Climbers)";

Climbers = doc.findGrep();

for (n=0; n < Climbers.length-1; n++) $.writeln([Climbers.contents]);

Climbers.sort (function (a,b) {if (a.contents.toLowerCase() > b.contents.toLowerCase()) return 1 else return -1})

l = Climbers.length;

while (l--) Climbers.parentTextFrames[0].parentPage.move (LocationOptions.AT_BEGINNING);

etc... Basically you need to change what you are searching for BEFORE every search.

Let me know if this helps.

Michael

Report · Apr 12, 2016

thanks so much Michael, worked perfectly

Report · Aug 04, 2016

Hello,

I found this script and it helps me alot, but i would like, if it's posible, to ignore numbers or the first 4 characters.

My problem is that my paragraph contains "year + name", and i want the pages sorted just by name. Now it sorts everything chronologicaly not alphabeticaly.

Report · Aug 04, 2016

Hi Mad

Not tested but replace

myHeaders.sort (function (a,b) {if (a.contents.toLowerCase() > b.contents.toLowerCase()) return 1 else return -1})

with

myHeaders.sort (function (a,b) {if (a.contents.toLowerCase().replace(/..../,"") > b.contents.toLowerCase()).replace(/..../,"")
return 1 else return -1});

HTH

Trevor

Report · Aug 04, 2016

I would replace like this:

myHeaders.sort (function (a,b) {if (a.contents.toLowerCase().replace(/^\d{4}/,"") > .contents.toLowerCase()).replace(/^\d{4}/,"")
return 1 else return -1});

//if the year is at the beginning of the paragraph but watch for trailing spaces

or

myHeaders.sort (function (a,b) {if (a.contents.toLowerCase().replace(/\d{4}/,"") > .contents.toLowerCase()).replace(/\d{4}/,"")
return 1 else return -1});

//if year is not at the beginning

Michael

Report · Aug 04, 2016

Yes, i was being very lazy. But as long as the paragraphs are setup as described I don't think one would see any difference.

Report · Aug 05, 2016

Thank you both for your interest and help, but i get an error for both your lines.

". does not have a value"

The year is at the begining. If it was at the end the first script would have worked

Report · Aug 05, 2016

myHeaders.sort(function(a, b) {
    if (a.contents.toLowerCase().replace(/\d{4}/, "") > b.contents.toLowerCase().replace(/\d{4}/, "")) return 1;
    else return -1;
});

Sorry there where typos in both our examples. The above should work.

Report · Aug 05, 2016

Thank you very much. It worked perfectly!