Hi Terry,
I hope it works well for you. Visual Basic is a full programming
language, and truly is quite powerful. Word incorporates a slightly
nonstandard version of Visual Basic inside of it.The macros you use in
Word are based on that Visual Basic, as sort of preprogrammed modules
you can create without having to do any coding per se.
The little code for changing the italics breaks down like this:
The (0-9) means "for any digit from zero to 9" and the {1,3} says "for
every number that is from 1 to three digits in length, or in other words
every number from 0 to 999. Adding the ^13 makes it only look for
numbers that are the last set of characters in a paragraph.
Done this way, it correctly grabs numbers like 222 or 987, and not just
the individual digits that make up the number.
If you have a sentence that ends a paragraph that ends in a number, it
will find that, which is why you can't use this as a global find and
replace. That can happen especially in nonfiction books that have dates
at the end of a paragraph, like November 14, 2022, but only if the date
isn't followed by any punctuation.
Because it is so cryptic, it is really easy to make mistakes via typos
that can do some crazy things! smile.
Judy
On 11/14/2022 6:30 PM, t.gorman (t.gorman) wrote:
Judy,
Thanks for this. I’ll try it out on a copy and see what happens. I never learned this kind of programming. Looks powerful!
*From:* bksvol-discuss-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx <bksvol-discuss-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> *On Behalf Of *Judy s.
*Sent:* Monday, November 14, 2022 6:22 PM
*To:* bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
*Subject:* [bksvol-discuss] Re: Italic page numbers
Hi Terry,
Here's the wildcard search that should help you find and replace italicized page numbers. Let me know if it does anything screwy or doesn't work the way you expect it to.
How To Replace any italicized page number from 1 to 3 digits in length with the same number, making sure it is not italicized:
In the following example, the page numbers are always followed by a hard paragraph mark, which they ordinarily would be in a scan for Bookshare. When you use a wildcard search, however, you can't use ^p as that is interpreted as something else by visual basic. Instead, use ^13 as that is the paragraph mark visual basic recognizes.
1. In the "find and replace" box for Word, turn on italicization by placing your cursor in the "find what" field and type a ctrl-i. This will set the font characteristic to italicization on.
2. In the find field then type in:
([0-9]{1,3})^13
3. Tab to the "replace with" field. Turn off italicization by placing your cursor in the box and then typing ctrl-i and then typing ctrl-i again. This will set the font characteristic to italicization off.
4. In the replace with field type in:
\1^13
5. In the "more" drop down box select "Use Wildcards"
Now search for each instance. Do not do a global replace!! It will mess with every italicized number in the document if you do that.
When you are done fixing all of your page numbers, make sure to turn off the "use wildcards" in the "more" drop down box or all of a sudden it will seem like none of your searches are finding anything.
I don't use Word to proofread anymore, as I proofread using Google Docs on an Android device, but if there are other repetitive weirdnesses in Word I may be able to help with wildcard type searches from what I used to do.
--
Judy s.
Follow me on Twitter at QuackersNCheese
On 11/14/2022 4:30 PM, t.gorman (t.gorman) wrote:
Hi Judy,
I’d be interested in that wild card if you find it.
I have some Word macros of my own. If somebody wants them and can
tell me how to share them I could do that.
One converts footnote numbers which I number with asterisks to
account for them and check them for accuracy to superscripts
without the asterisk as required by the manual. Some of the Oxford
University books have up to 1600 footnotes so this macro, even
though I have to press it once for each footnote, still reduces
the number of operations tremendously.
Another macro takes a scanned index which usually runs on without
proper linebreaks to have mostly proper linebreaks. You still have
to read the index but it’s mostly fixed in that one regard.
A third macro takes a title which I’ve preceded with a number sign
and changes its attributes to bold and 16 point. I don’t have one
for subentries at 14 and bold so have to do those manually. I
should make one for that but I’m too computer phobic to do it.
While one can do these things manually as you go through the book
I prefer to have this process which I do at the end. It’s more
accurate than if I expect my brain to jump from one thing to
another as I’m working on the book.
*Does anyone else have macros you’d like to tell us about?*
**
*I bet there are some internally within Bookshare to make the work
easier.*
**
*I’ve thought of making one to do some other automated operations
but global replacements are risky.*
**
*I use qz to mark my place in a book. I was quite surprised
recently when I encountered a web site with the URL qz.com.*
**
*I use qq to mark things I want a sighted volunteer to check with
me. That letter combinations I found is used in some Arab languages.*
**
*Well, life and proofing are both interesting!*
**
*From:* bksvol-discuss-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
<bksvol-discuss-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
<mailto:bksvol-discuss-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> *On Behalf Of *Judy
*Sent:* Monday, November 14, 2022 3:23 PM
*To:* bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
*Subject:* [bksvol-discuss] Italic page numbers
Hi Terry,
I'm pretty sure, but not 100 percent positive, that the Bookshare
converter changes italicized page numbers to ordinary. However, I
think it's best to ask Amanda this one.
If it doesn't, I have a Word wildcard search around somewhere in
my archive of Bookshare proofreading notes that I can look for
that makes it easier to do this.
Judy
--
Judy s.
Follow me on Twitter at QuackersNCheese <https://twitter.com/QuackersNCheese>
