Google Apps Script that updates the format of list items in a Google Document to the default format

Google Apps Script that updates the format of list items in a Google Document to the default format, you can use the following approach. This script will iterate through all elements in the document, identify list items, and apply default formatting to them. “Default formatting” can vary based on your requirements, but for the sake of this example, we’ll reset basic attributes like font size, font family, and remove any bold or italic styling.

Here’s how you can write such a script:

1. Open Google Apps Script:
   • Go to Google Apps Script and start a new project.
2. Name Your Project:
   • You might name your project something like “Reset List Format”.
3. Replace the Code in the Script Editor:
   • In the script editor, replace the contents of the Code.gs file with the following script:

function resetListFormatting() {
  var doc = DocumentApp.getActiveDocument(); // Gets the active document
  var body = doc.getBody(); // Gets the body of the document
  var numElements = body.getNumChildren(); // Gets the number of elements in the document
  
  // Default formatting settings (customize as needed)
  var defaultFontSize = 11;
  var defaultFontFamily = "Arial";
  
  for (var i = 0; i < numElements; i++) {
    var element = body.getChild(i);
    if (element.getType() === DocumentApp.ElementType.LIST_ITEM) {
      var listItem = element.asListItem();
      
      // Apply default formatting to the list item
      listItem.setBold(false)
              .setItalic(false)
              .setFontSize(defaultFontSize)
              .setFontFamily(defaultFontFamily);
      
      // Add any additional formatting resets here
    }
  }
}

4. Save Your Script:
   • Click the disk icon or File > Save, and give your project a name if you haven’t already.
5. Run the Script:
   • Click on the play button (▶) next to the function resetListFormatting in the toolbar. The first time you run the script, you will need to authorize it. Follow the on-screen instructions to grant the necessary permissions.
6. Check Your Document:
   • Open your Google Document and run the script. You can run the script directly from the Google Apps Script interface if you’re working on the active document. Otherwise, if you want to apply this script to any document from within the document itself, consider using it within a bound script to that document or publishing it as an add-on for easier access.

This script resets the formatting of all list items to the specified defaults. You can customize the defaultFontSize, defaultFontFamily, and other formatting options according to your needs. If you have specific formatting attributes you want to reset or apply, you can add those to the script where indicated.