CODEWITHSUNDEEP
google-apps-scriptgoogle-docs
polmarex
polmarex

Reputation: 1383

How to programatically reset formatting after inserting formatted text

I have a script that inserts formatted text into document. Is there any way to somehow isolate the formatting of inserted text, so that when user types afterwards the "normal" text does inherit the custom formatting?

enter image description here

here is the full code of the document script:

function onOpen (){
  DocumentApp.getUi()
    .createMenu("repro-formatting")
    .addItem("Insert at cursor", "insert")
    .addToUi();
}

function insert(){
  var doc = DocumentApp.getActiveDocument();
  var cursor = doc.getCursor();

  if (!cursor) {
    return;
  }
  
  var value = "###";
  var text = cursor.insertText(value);
  text.setBold(true);
  text.setBackgroundColor("#f9cb9c");
  
  var position = doc.newPosition(text, value.length);
  doc.setCursor(position);
}

Upvotes: 0

Views: 100

Answers (1)

Tanaike
Tanaike

Reputation: 201378

I believe your goal as follows.

  • You want to reset the text format after a formatted text was inserted with the script.

Issue and workaround:

  • When the formatted text is inserted, it seems that the cursor has the text format of the left side of the cursor. So, for example, it supposes that following situation.

    1. Insert a text of 12345.
    2. Give a custom format to the text of 1234. In this case, 5 is the default text format.
    3. When the cursor is put to the right of 5, when you insert new text from here, the text has the normal text format.
    4. When the cursor is put to the right of 4, when you insert new text from here, the text has the custom formatted text.
    5. When the cursor is put to the right of 5 and when the backspace key is push (5 is deleted by the backspace key.), when you insert new text from here, the text has the normal text format.

  • Although I tested several methods, unfortunately, I couldn't replicate the situation for pushing the backspace key using a script. Under above sample situation, when the cursor is put to the right of 5 and when 5 is deleted by a script, the text format couldn't be changed from the custom format.

  • When I saw your sample GIF animation, after you ran the script and the formatted text was added, it seems that you put a space and insert a text. If this situation can be used, I thought that a workaround might be able to be suggested.

In this answer, I would like to suggest the workaround. In this workaround, when the formatted text is inserted, a space, which has the text format before the custom format is inserted, is added. By this, when the new text is inserted after the script was run, the text with the text format before the script is run can be inserted.

When this workaround is reflected to your script, it becomes as follows.

Modified script:

function insert() {
  var doc = DocumentApp.getActiveDocument();
  var cursor = doc.getCursor();
  if (!cursor) {
    return;
  }
  var format = cursor.getElement().getAttributes();
  var value = "###";
  value += " ";
  var text = cursor.insertText(value);
  text.setBold(0, value.length - 1, true);
  text.setBackgroundColor(0, value.length - 1, "#f9cb9c");
  var position = doc.newPosition(text, value.length);
  var t = doc.setCursor(position).getCursor().getElement().asText();
  t.setAttributes(t.getText().length - 1, t.getText().length - 1, format);
}
  • In this workaround, the following flow is used.
    1. Copy the text format of the cursor.
    2. When ### is inserted, " " which is a space is added.
    3. Insert ### to the cursor and change the cursor position.
    4. Paste the copied text format to of ### .
      • By this, the text format is reset.

Result:

enter image description here

Reference:

Upvotes: 2

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