How do I find and replace using Regular Expressions in Google Docs Text Editor?

Question

I'm trying to import my notes from Kindle into a Google Doc (you can view it here), and I have a document in which I want to strip out all of the occurrences of the following text (including the line break):

Read more at location 6567 • Delete this highlight
Add a note

I came up with the following search pattern and tested it on this google sheet to make sure my regex syntax works:

"Read more at location (\d*)   • Delete this highlight\nAdd a note"

Then I created a google apps script, and have it load in my document:

function onOpen() {
  DocumentApp.getUi() // Or DocumentApp or FormApp.
      .createMenu('AdvancedFind&Replace')
      .addItem('Remove Kindle HTML', 'findAndReplace')
      .addToUi();
}

// In-Document Find and Replace

function findAndReplace() {
  var body = DocumentApp.getActiveDocument().getBody();
    body.replaceText("Read more at location (\d*)   • Delete this highlight\nAdd a note", "");
      }

However, when I run it, it doesn't replace the text. I think it's a problem with the REGEX, because when I run this code instead, it works:

function replaceBat() {
  var body = DocumentApp.getActiveDocument().getBody();
    body.replaceText("BBat", "BBAat REPLACEMENT SUCCESSFUL");
      }

Any help would be greatly appreciated, thanks!

Wiktor Stribiżew · Accepted Answer · 2016-03-01 07:18:58Z

2

According to the documentation, some patterns may not work:

A subset of the JavaScript regular expression features are not fully supported, such as capture groups and mode modifiers.

See regex specifications in GoogleDocs here, it does not say that \d is supported. So, try this regex:

^Read more at location [0-9]* • Delete this highlight[[:space:]]Add a note

Or

^Read more at location [0-9]*[^[:alpha:]]*Delete this highlight[[:space:]]Add a note

edited Mar 1, 2016 at 7:18

answered Apr 14, 2015 at 6:18

Wiktor Stribiżew

631k41 gold badges502 silver badges632 bronze badges

Sign up to request clarification or add additional context in comments.

2 Comments

Josh Over a year ago

Hi Wiktor, That did not work for me, but this did: ^Read more at location [0-9]* • Delete this highlight[[:space:]]Add a note

Wiktor Stribiżew Over a year ago

That is strange. However, that means you can use POSIX character classes and the * quantifier. I updated the answer with your and my new suggestion.

Josh · Accepted Answer · 2016-02-29 22:27:38Z

2

The problem was that the Docs regex doesn't support "/d" for matching any digit or "/s" for matching any whitespace character, but it does support "[[:space:]]" for matching any whitespace character!

The following syntax worked in my document:

// In-Document Find and Replace

function findAndReplace() {
  var body = DocumentApp.getActiveDocument().getBody();
  body.replaceText("^Read more at location [0-9]*   • Delete this highlight[[:space:]]Add a note", "");
      }

I found the [[:space:]] syntax at https://www.google.com/support/enterprise/static/postini/docs/admin/en/admin_ee_cu/cm_regex.html

edited Feb 29, 2016 at 22:27

answered Feb 29, 2016 at 22:22

Josh

3213 silver badges11 bronze badges

Comments

Matteo Gamba · Accepted Answer · 2017-04-22 08:36:51Z

2

It looks like Google Docs & Sheets now allow you to natively use regular expressions when you search for text.

Simply open the native search functionality and you'll find the option to use regex.

regex search functionality in google docs

you can find more info here: https://support.google.com/docs/answer/62754

answered Apr 22, 2017 at 8:36

Matteo Gamba

292 bronze badges

Comments

Mogsdad · Accepted Answer · 2015-05-28 16:39:01Z

0

A regex does not start and end with quotes; a string does. Your replace is looking for a literal string, not a regex.

Try:

body.replaceText(/Read more at location (\d*)   • Delete this highlight\nAdd a note/, "");

To get all instances, add the g flag:

body.replaceText(/Read more at location (\d*)   • Delete this highlight\nAdd a note/g, "");

answered May 28, 2015 at 16:39

Mogsdad

46k21 gold badges166 silver badges289 bronze badges

1 Comment

Josh Over a year ago

Hi Mogsdad, - not according to the documentation for the replaceText function: developers.google.com/apps-script/reference/document/…

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

How do I find and replace using Regular Expressions in Google Docs Text Editor?

4 Answers 4

2 Comments

Comments

Comments

1 Comment

Your Answer

Hot Network Questions

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

4 Answers 4

2 Comments

Comments

Comments

1 Comment

Your Answer

Sign up or log in

Post as a guest

Related