Simplify Your Google Docs: Removing Specific Text from H3 Headings with Google Apps Script

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Introduction

Do you often find yourself needing to clean up specific headings in your Google Docs? Maybe your document has numerous H3 headings that start with “Question” followed by a number, and you want to streamline these headings by removing the redundant word and number. This manual task can be time-consuming and prone to errors. Luckily, Google Apps Script provides a powerful way to automate this process. In this blog post, we’ll introduce a script that identifies H3 headings starting with “Question” and a number, removes the specified text, and leaves you with cleaner, more concise headings.

The Script

Here’s the complete removeQuestionAndNumberFromH3 function:

function removeQuestionAndNumberFromH3() {
  // Get the active document
  var doc = DocumentApp.getActiveDocument();
  var body = doc.getBody();
  
  // Get all the paragraphs in the document
  var paragraphs = body.getParagraphs();
  
  for (var i = 0; i < paragraphs.length; i++) {
    var paragraph = paragraphs[i];
    
    // Check if the paragraph is an H3
    if (paragraph.getHeading() === DocumentApp.ParagraphHeading.HEADING3) {
      var text = paragraph.getText();
      
      // Check if the paragraph starts with "Question"
      var regex = /^Question\s+\d+/;
      if (regex.test(text)) {
        // Remove "Question" and the following number
        var newText = text.replace(regex, '').trim();
        paragraph.setText(newText);
      }
    }
  }
}

Step-by-Step Guide

Step 1: Open Google Apps Script

  1. Open your Google Doc.
  2. Click on Extensions > Apps Script.

Step 2: Add the Script

  1. Delete any code in the script editor and replace it with the provided code.
  2. Save the script with a descriptive name, such as RemoveQuestionAndNumberFromH3.

Step 3: Run the Script

  1. Click the play button (Run) to execute the script.
  2. Grant the necessary permissions if prompted.

How It Works

  1. Access the Document: The script starts by getting the active Google Doc and its body.
  2. Iterate Through Paragraphs: It then loops through all the paragraphs in the document.
  3. Identify H3 Headings: Within the loop, it checks if a paragraph is an H3 heading.
  4. Check for “Question”: It uses a regular expression to check if the paragraph starts with the word “Question” followed by a number.
  5. Remove “Question” and Number: If the paragraph matches, the script removes the word “Question” and the following number, then updates the paragraph text.

Benefits

  • Efficiency: Automates the repetitive task of editing headings.
  • Consistency: Ensures consistent formatting throughout your document.
  • Time-Saving: Reduces the time spent on manual editing, allowing you to focus on more important tasks.

Conclusion

Google Apps Script is a versatile tool that can significantly enhance your productivity by automating mundane tasks. The removeQuestionAndNumberFromH3 function is a simple yet effective script that helps you clean up your document’s headings effortlessly. Feel free to modify and expand this script to suit your specific needs.