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Find and Replace in Multiple Documents

New Here ,
Oct 02, 2017 Oct 02, 2017

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I have several hundred InDesign files containing an address that I must change. (We are moving our office to a new location.) Can this task be automated with a script?

I would classify myself as a mid-level InDesign user, but I have never done any scripting with it.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

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Guru ,
Oct 02, 2017 Oct 02, 2017

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I just posted the link in a neighbouring thread: Batch Find-Change by list script for batch processor

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New Here ,
Oct 02, 2017 Oct 02, 2017

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Kasyan, I thank you for this. This looks like it would work, but it gets slightly beyond the edge of my knowledge envelope.

I think I understand the basics of the script and where to put my search and replace terms, but I don't understand how or where I run this script to process a lot of documents at once.

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Community Expert ,
Oct 03, 2017 Oct 03, 2017

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Peter Kahrel made a script called batch convert some time ago, and it's available from his website Free InDesign scripts | Peter Kahrel

This script points to a folder (and can include sub-folders) where the ID files are and then saves as PDF/ID/IDML etc, a full write-up of the script can be found here: https://indesignsecrets.com/creating-batch-pdfs.php

The bit that will interest you is half-way through that article, where you can run a script DURING that script. So what you would need to do is code the find/change portion, save it as a javascript, and then run the batch convert script, and make sure that you use the feature to run a script during the conversions (you can convert an ID file to an ID file, so it literally saves over the top of the file). I recently used this at work to change a website address and suburb name on 200+ business cards I had on file.

If the answer wasn't in my post, perhaps it might be on my blog at colecandoo!

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Guru ,
Oct 03, 2017 Oct 03, 2017

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... but I don't understand how or where I run this script to process a lot of documents at once.

Download and install the scripts

03-10-2017 13-57-56.png

Put all your files into one folder, or into the 'root' folder with subfolders (the script supports any levels of nested folders).

03-10-2017 13-53-50.png

Run the batch processor and choose the settings

03-10-2017 13-59-39.png

The final report

03-10-2017 14-00-11.png

The processed files and original files (backups)

03-10-2017 14-01-41.png

Is that so difficult to do?

— Kas

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New Here ,
Oct 03, 2017 Oct 03, 2017

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"...Is that so difficult to do?..."  I'm sure it is very easy, if you know how to do it and have done it before.

I have never done any scripting in InDesign. It's all new to me. And I am finding it to be a little over my head. However, I will dig into it and try to learn how to do this.

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Guru ,
Oct 03, 2017 Oct 03, 2017

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I have never done any scripting in InDesign. It's all new to me. And I am finding it to be a little over my head.

You don't have to do any scripting: I've done it for you. Just use scripts: that's easy. The FindChangeByList.jsx script is installed with every copy of InDesign. Open it, or the FindChangeList.txt file, in a text editor and read the detailed instructions at top. My version works in the same way but with many files.

To make it easier for you, I recommend you to use the Record Find Change script written by Martin Fisher. It writes the current find/change preferences to a text file so that you can copy and /paste them into a find-change list file.

  1. choose settings in the find-change dialog box
  2. check if they work as expected
  3. record the settings with the script
  4. copy-paste the line

Hope this helps.

— Kas

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New Here ,
Oct 03, 2017 Oct 03, 2017

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Thanks again Kasyan.

When I said I had never done any scripting, I meant that I have never even USED a script when using InDesign. That's what I have to learn how to do with multiple documents.

I am going to be out of the office for the next couple of days. I will get back into this on Friday. I genuinely appreciate all the help you have given me. I'll figure it out somehow.

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New Here ,
Jun 04, 2021 Jun 04, 2021

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The link is not working can you repost? tyvm

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Guru ,
Jun 05, 2021 Jun 05, 2021

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LATEST
quote

The link is not working can you repost? tyvm


By @Lev5FFB

Here are the working links mentioned above:

Free InDesign scripts | Peter Kahrel

Batch Find-Change by list script for batch processor

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