GREP Styles

[rcheetah]

This is definitely not one of the most important features, but as a GREP-engine is already implemented: may we hope for something like GREP-Styles?

This is a feature I don’t use on a daily basis, but it is something I’m very very glad to have from time to time.

[garrettm30]

I agree. I wouldn't use it all the time, but it is helpful for a few occasions.

[sp@sawyerpaul.com]

+1 for GREP styles. It quickly became my favourite InDesign feature and I pretty well use it with everything. 

[Matt Healey]

Absolutely a +1 for me.

GREP/Regex Styles is an absolute must. I create lots of nested list documents (bullets and numbering) with multiple styles per line, with various delimiters using brackets and stars. With InDesign I can paste in the text (with the numbers of tabs defining the nesting level) and my document is completely formatted. I have already bought several copies (VPP Store) of Publisher to play with, just to support you guys as a viable alternative to Adobe. I'd love to be able to start using it to completely replace InDesign and that the only feature that's stopping me.

[jrkay]

On 7/6/2019 at 2:31 PM, rcheetah said:

This is definitely not one of the most important features, but as a GREP-engine is already implemented: may we hope for something like GREP-Styles?

This is a feature I don’t use on a daily basis, but it is something I’m very very glad to have from time to time.

I assume that this is a suggestion by an apple user, if it GREP is already implemented by Affinity, how would this be of use and relevant for a Windows user please?

John

[MikeW]

5 minutes ago, jrkay said:

I assume that this is a suggestion by an apple user, if it GREP is already implemented by Affinity, how would this be of use and relevant for a Windows user please?

John

GREP is (can be) used in find operations in both Mac/Windows.

[walt.farrell]

56 minutes ago, jrkay said:

I assume that this is a suggestion by an apple user, if it GREP is already implemented by Affinity, how would this be of use and relevant for a Windows user please?

The request was not for regex-based Find/Replace, which already exists.

It was for defining Text Styles based on regular expressions, which would (I believe) allow you to say "whenever I create text content that matches <some regular expressions> assign <some style name> to it automatically".

[rcheetah]

On 8/6/2019 at 6:17 PM, jrkay said:

I assume that this is a suggestion by an apple user, if it GREP is already implemented by Affinity, how would this be of use and relevant for a Windows user please?

I can’t really answer that, because I really don’t understand the question. REGEX has nothing to do with the operating system. It’s a way to describe complex searches. I suppose it is implemented for almost any operating system (Windows, macos, linux derivates, …), but I also guess that Affinity uses its own modified regex-engine, so it wouldn’t be dependent on the OS and so it can access all the information about the text (like styles). 

On 8/6/2019 at 7:18 PM, walt.farrell said:

The request was not for regex-based Find/Replace, which already exists.

It was for defining Text Styles based on regular expressions, which would (I believe) allow you to say "whenever I create text content that matches <some regular expressions> assign <some style name> to it automatically".

correct

[XaviCG1]

+1 for GREP in styles. Thanks

[vopash]

GREP Styles is the feature that would totally allow me to replace sluggish InDesign with Publisher. Would love to see it in the nearest updates!

[chklauser]

We write a lot of "technical" documents and GREP styles feature quite heavily in our workflow. (e.g., start a paragraph with "CAUTION:" and have that automatically highlighted). For us, it is the one thing that InDesign has still going for it.

[Old Bruce]

5 hours ago, chklauser said:

We write a lot of "technical" documents and GREP styles feature quite heavily in our workflow. (e.g., start a paragraph with "CAUTION:" and have that automatically highlighted). For us, it is the one thing that InDesign has still going for it.

Try this; Make a Character Style called "Caution Hi-light" do a search for the word CAUTION: and for the replace field use the character style.

[vopash]

1 minute ago, Old Bruce said:

Try this; Make a Character Style called "Caution Hi-light" do a search for the word CAUTION: and for the replace field use the character style.

I confirm this actually works and is really better than nothing.

However, I think fully functional GREP styling is a must in Publisher, since it doesn't require to search&replace after each text edit.

[big smile]

+1 for GREP styles and Nested Styles

 

The Find and Replace is a powerful workaround, but being able to use GREP and Nested Styles would make things less error-prone (especially as Find and Replace doesn't allow you to save searches and it can be fiddly to enter in all the details on a repeated basis). 

[chklauser]

3 hours ago, Old Bruce said:

Try this; Make a Character Style called "Caution Hi-light" do a search for the word CAUTION: and for the replace field use the character style. 

Ah, I wasn't aware of the ability to replace the style. That helps a bit, but...

3 minutes ago, big smile said:

The Find and Replace is a powerful workaround, but being able to use GREP and Nested Styles would make things less error-prone (especially as Find and Replace doesn't allow you to save searches and it can be fiddly to enter in all the details on a repeated basis).  

I have about 7 GREP styles in the indd document I'm currently editing. Re-creating those search queries every time you are "done" with something will get old fast.

[Old Bruce]

28 minutes ago, chklauser said:

Re-creating those search queries every time you are "done" with something will get old fast.

I hear you. It does get easier with practice and I quite often learn enough to improve the previous search queries. That said, I would like the ability to save some searches.

(There is also another problem I have with saving searches and using less than accurate or descriptive names for them. I have messed stuff up real bad falling into that trap.)

[MikeW]

32 minutes ago, chklauser said:

but...

I have about 7 GREP styles in the indd document I'm currently editing. Re-creating those search queries every time you are "done" with something will get old fast.

Unless client proofs need generated during writing and they can't handle those unstyled elements, just run the f/r before a generated pdf. Else wait until the final is done.

Consider saving expressions and/or f/r searches in a text file. I do that anyway and keep it in the project folder. Even for ID.

[rcheetah]

2 hours ago, MikeW said:

Unless client proofs need generated during writing and they can't handle those unstyled elements, just run the f/r before a generated pdf. Else wait until the final is done.

Consider saving expressions and/or f/r searches in a text file. I do that anyway and keep it in the project folder. Even for ID.

Yes, there are of course possible workarounds using find and replace. But this is not a clean workflow, and very error-prone. Let me tell you a real-world example for this feature. This was a situation I had to deal with: 

For a cruise company I had to do a lot of catalogs. The font I used had the ligature “ff”. Now we wanted to have ligatures enabled, buuuut: German has this wonderful long word “Schifffahrt” (cruise), which has a triple-f. Now there would be a ligature ff followed by a normal f. And the client didn’t like how this looked. So we had to avoid ligatures on triple f’s. Due to the nature of a shipping company, this word would appear considerably often in their catalogs. Having worked with a reasonable amount of paragraph styles (that inherited from each other), I was able to apply a GREP style to texts that use this font. The GREP style applied the character style “no ligatures” on every occurrence of “f{3,}”. And as we copied our styles from document to document, I was able to just forget about this problem forever. InDesign handled it for me in dozens of documents that I made for this client. 

This may sound like a very particular case, but I use GREP styles very often in my daily work. It’s a very helpful feature. So they’re definitely something worth working with. I couldn’t really just replace that practice by using search and replace. 

[MikeW]

17 minutes ago, rcheetah said:

... The GREP style applied the character style “no ligatures” on every occurrence of “f{3,}”. And as we copied our styles from document to document, ... 

Or one could use the grep style to kern the third f over to give the appearance of a triple f light. And or ... all which likely could be done in APub but via the f/r.

I understand that grep styles handle this stuff on the go. And I understand wanting APub to have grep styles for people wanting them. But it doesn't have them and only Serif knows if/when it will.

Which means either don't use it or get comfortable with alternative ways to handle X number of the things one uses grep styles for.

[big smile]

 

 

 

1

14 hours ago, chklauser said:

I have about 7 GREP styles in the indd document I'm currently editing. Re-creating those search queries every time you are "done" with something will get old fast.

Yup, I agree, the find and replace is too fiddly to use for multiple tasks (especially as you can't save searches). That's why I think Nested and GREP styles are an essential addition. 

Plus, with find and replace, it's all too easy to forget to do it. With Nested and GREP  it happens automatically, so it makes things less error-prone. 

[Seneca]

Those who never used GREP styles will never understand how much a time saver this is.

I use them all the time and it's not the same as running F/R.

I have a weekly publication to do and headings in those periodicals consist of 2 parts. The main heading followed by sources.

When I hit the tab the sources get sent to the right of the column, get italicised, etc. All done because of a GREP. they act like triggers.

Another scenario. Copying text to inDesign template automatically formats those headers without me doing anything.

I don't have to worry and remember that I should run F/R on it. It's done. Even better, GREP can add left and right brackets to whose sources or remove them, depending not the periodical. A lot of text I get is shared with other periodicals. So each periodical may have a unique GREP style associated with the Paragraph Style but I don't need to care. Once set right it just works.

 

[Zbigg]

Guys-any news reg GREP?

If you do DTP professionally, on regular basis - any discussion about GREP's superiority/inferiority is pointless.

Its a must. Also GREP capability in Text Styles got to be in 'basic package'. Iam serious.

[Old Bruce]

3 minutes ago, Zbigg said:

Guys-any news reg GREP?

It is in the retail version of Publisher for Find Replace text.

[walt.farrell]

3 minutes ago, Zbigg said:

Guys-any news reg GREP?

If you do DTP professionally, on regular basis - any discussion about GREP's superiority/inferiority is pointless.

Its a must. Also GREP capability in Text Styles got to be in 'basic package'. Iam serious.

Basic regular-expression Find/Replace processing has been there since the first release of Publisher.

Styles based on regular expressions are not (yet?) possible.

[Zbigg]

This I know.

Smart Find/Replace is good but for brochures, leaflets etc.

GREP is necessary for anything more.

 

PS. Ive purchased Publisher on Christmas 2019 bargain/special offer.