Non-contiguous text selection

[Peter_Marrs@adobeforums.com]

I'm using InDesign CS on a Windows 2000 machine.

I'm doing a lot of science writing, using InDesign to prepare manuals that contain both text and graphics. Many of the characters in the text require formatting as bold, italic, symbol font, subscript and/or superscript. It's rare to have more than one character or word require the different format at a time, and all of these can be required throughout a story.

For example, in the equation H2SO4 + H2O -> H3O+ + HSO4-, all the numbers need to be subscripted, and the "+" and "-" on the right need to be superscripted. It's faster to type the equation in without the formatting, and then do all of the formatting afterwards.

Is there a way to select all of the numbers, and then apply the subscripting, rather than doing each character individually?

Thanks!

[Bob_Levine]

No, but it could be scripted. Post this in the scripting forum to see if
anything exists.

Bob

[Ken_Grace@adobeforums.com]

Depending on what else is around the equations you could select a block of
text and use find/replace to change attributes of the numbers.

k

[JohnO@adobeforums.com]

Try what Bob and Ken suggest, especially is you have lots of these. Invest
the time now. If it's not that big a project, it's time for Keyboard
Shortcuts. <cue the music>

Let's go with H2SO4. With the text cursor in front of the 2, do Ctrl-right
arrow to select the character. Then do Shift-Ctrl-Alt-= to make the
character superscript. Use the right arrow to put the cursor in front of the
4, hit Ctrl and another right arrow to select is, and so on. Once you've
done a bit of this, first you'll remember the shortcut for subscript, next
you'll want to change it to something easier, and you'll do it pretty
quickly.

-John O

[Ken_Grace@adobeforums.com]

I had a further thought.

Assuming that you will be subscripting all the numbers in these formulae you
could make 'formula' paragraph style and apply that to all the formulae as
you compile. Then do a find replace to subscript all numbers with that
paragraph style.

If only some of the numbers need subscripting. You could make a character
style and apply that to the appropriate chunks of formulae, and , again, use
find/replace to subscript the numbers.

The paragraph style option would be marginally easier to apply in that you
wouldn't have to be too careful about selecting the right text.

Obviously, the 'formula' style would have identical definitions to the type
styles you would otherwise be using.

k

[Peter_Marrs@adobeforums.com]

Many thanks. I'll look into the scripting idea. I hadn't thought of the formula style, and may also give that a try. As John noted, I've learned the shortcuts very quickly (and have made them easier too!). Fortunately, the keyboard shortcuts work while typing in InDesign, so that speeds up the entry of new material.

Cheers!