Automate Cleanup in Google Docs: Removing Numbered Lines Using Google Apps Script

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Introduction

When dealing with text documents, especially in Google Docs, you might come across lines that follow a particular numbering format. For instance, in documents generated by automated tools or text imports, lines with just a number followed by a period (like “1.” or “2.”) can clutter up the content, making it harder to read or edit. Manually cleaning up these lines can be tedious, especially if you’re working with lengthy documents. But don’t worry—Google Apps Script can help automate this task!

In this post, we’ll walk through a simple Google Apps Script that can automatically detect and remove lines that contain only a number followed by a period from your Google Doc. This script will save you time and effort, making your document cleaner and easier to work with.

What is Google Apps Script?

Google Apps Script is a JavaScript-based platform that lets you automate tasks across Google Workspace apps, like Google Docs, Sheets, and Gmail. With Apps Script, you can write custom functions, automate repetitive tasks, and even build full applications within the Google ecosystem. In this case, we’ll use it to enhance the functionality of Google Docs by removing unwanted numbered lines.

Script to Remove Numbered Lines

Below is the Apps Script that you’ll use to remove lines in your Google Doc that contain only a number followed by a period.

function removeNumberedLines() {
  const doc = DocumentApp.getActiveDocument();
  const body = doc.getBody();
  const paragraphs = body.getParagraphs();

  paragraphs.forEach(paragraph => {
    const text = paragraph.getText();
    // Regular expression to match lines that contain only a number followed by a period
    if (/^\d+\.$/.test(text)) {
      paragraph.removeFromParent();
    }
  });
}

How the Script Works

  1. Retrieve the Document: The DocumentApp.getActiveDocument() method retrieves the currently active Google Doc, where you want to perform the cleanup.
  2. Access Document Content: The getBody() function provides access to the main content of the document, allowing us to loop through each line (or paragraph).
  3. Identify Numbered Lines: Using a regular expression (/^\d+\.$/), the script identifies lines that contain only a number followed by a period. The ^ and $ characters ensure that the entire line matches this format, so lines like “1.” or “27.” are selected, but a line with additional content like “1. Introduction” is ignored.
  4. Remove Matching Lines: If a line matches the criteria, it’s removed from the document using removeFromParent().

Setting Up the Script

  1. Open Google Docs: Start by opening the document where you want to remove the numbered lines.
  2. Access Google Apps Script:
    • Go to Extensions > Apps Script.
    • This will open the Apps Script editor in a new tab.
  3. Paste the Code: Copy the script code provided above and paste it into the editor.
  4. Save the Script: Give your project a name (e.g., “Remove Numbered Lines”) and save it.
  5. Run the Function:
    • Select removeNumberedLines from the dropdown list in the toolbar and click the Run button.
    • The script will request permission to access your Google Docs—grant it as prompted.

Use Case Example

Imagine you have a document where each line is simply a number followed by a period, like this:

1.
2.
3.

Running this script will instantly clean up all those lines, leaving you with a neater, easier-to-read document. It’s especially useful if you regularly work with documents that contain placeholder lines or auto-generated numbering.

Customizing the Script

If you need to tweak the script for a different format, you can easily modify the regular expression:

  • To match numbers with more specific criteria, you could add limits (e.g., match only up to two-digit numbers).
  • To remove lines that start with a number followed by text (e.g., “1. Introduction”), adjust the regular expression to capture additional text.

Conclusion

With just a few lines of Google Apps Script, you can automate the removal of unwanted numbered lines from your Google Docs, saving yourself valuable time. This is a great example of how a little bit of scripting can make a big difference in your workflow. Try it out, and watch your productivity in Google Docs improve!