How to Transform Bullet Points into Plain Text Paragraphs in Google Docs Using Apps Script

Google Docs is a powerful tool for collaboration and document editing. While it offers many built-in features, sometimes you might need to perform specific tasks that aren’t directly supported out of the box. One such task is converting bullet points into plain text paragraphs. In this blog post, I’ll guide you through creating a Google Apps Script that automates this process.

Why Remove Bullet Points?

There are several scenarios where converting bullet points to paragraphs can be useful. For example, when preparing a formal document or report, you might start with bullet points as a drafting aid but need to present the final content in a more narrative, paragraph-based format.

Step-by-Step Guide to Writing the Script

Step 1: Access the Script Editor

To start, open your Google Docs document. Go to the Extensions menu and select Apps Script. This will open a new tab where you can write and manage scripts.

Step 2: Write the Script

In the Apps Script editor, you’ll start with a blank project. Copy and paste the following code into the editor:

function removeBullets() {
  var document = DocumentApp.getActiveDocument();
  var body = document.getBody();
  var totalElements = body.getNumChildren();

  for (var i = 0; i < totalElements; i++) {
    var element = body.getChild(i);
    if (element.getType() === DocumentApp.ElementType.LIST_ITEM) {
      var text = element.getText();
      var paragraph = body.insertParagraph(i, text);
      body.removeChild(element);
      i--;  // Adjust the index since we remove an element
      totalElements--;  // Adjust the total number of elements
    }
  }
}

This script cycles through each element in your document. When it finds a bullet point (a list item), it takes the text from the bullet, creates a new paragraph at the same position, and then removes the original bullet point.

Step 3: Save and Run the Script

After pasting the script, click the floppy disk icon or select File > Save to save your script. To run it, click the play button next to removeBullets. The first time you run a script, Google will ask you to authorize the script to access your Google Docs. Follow the prompts to grant the necessary permissions.

Step 4: Add a Custom Menu (Optional)

For easier access, you can add a custom menu to your Google Docs interface that allows you to run the script directly from the document:

function onOpen() {
  var ui = DocumentApp.getUi();
  ui.createMenu('Custom Menu')
    .addItem('Remove Bullet Points', 'removeBullets')
    .addToUi();
}

Save the script again and reload your document. You will see a new menu titled ‘Custom Menu’ in your Google Docs toolbar with an option to ‘Remove Bullet Points’.

Conclusion

Using Google Apps Script to enhance your Google Docs experience is a powerful way to automate and streamline your workflows. This particular script helps you convert bullet points into text paragraphs, which can be particularly useful in formalizing draft documents or converting structured content into a narrative form. Experiment with Google Apps Script and discover how it can improve your productivity and document management tasks