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Getting Started

Overview

Format Replace is a new approach to the builtin "Find and replace" in Google Doc™ with features to make editing in Docs much easier and efficient.

Many document formatting needs require styling characters, words or phrases in a particular set of styles across the document. Using Google Doc™'s "Find and replace" Ctrl+H can help you replace, but does not have any kind of styling functionality. There is always that need to find all the occurrences of characters, words, or phrases and uniquely style them as required in the document without the manual and painstaking Paint format. Now, with Format Replace, you can find, style, or style and replace a single character/text or multiple occurrences of the same with a click, regardless of document size.

When using this add-on, you should NOT continue working on the document by typing or deleting text until you have completed your current operation in this add-on. If you do, that will change the current document structure this add-on is working with and thus will require a new search to continue using this add-on for formatting or replacing. So, if you type or delete text in middle of using this add-on, simply search again before you continue. If you continue working without a new search, this app may throw an error or try to continue working, but we don't encourage this as the result will not be guaranteed.

Installation

Installing our add-on follows the standard procedure for every Google Workspace™ application.

You can start the installation in two ways:

  • Install Format Replace from the app page on Google Workspace Marketplace™. Continue from step 4 below.

  • Install Format Replace add-on from Google Docs:

  1. Open Google Docs™.

  2. Access the Add-ons section:

    • On the right sidebar: Click the plus sign "Get add-ons".
    • On the top menu: Go to "Extensions" > "Add-ons" > "Get add-ons".

  3. Search for Format Replace: Type in the top search bar "format replace" to search, and click Format Replace from the result to open the app page.

  4. Initiate installation: Click "Install" and then "Continue" to proceed with the installation. Read the "Request access" message and click "Allow" to grant Format Replace the necessary permissions.

  5. Complete the installation: Click "Done" to finish the installation. If you don't see Format Replace in your Extensions menu after installation, try refreshing Google Docs™.

Application launch

To use Format Replace, from Google Doc™'s top menu select "Extensions" > "Format Replace" > "Find Format Replace." See diagram below: launch add-on

Features

Format Replace is a Google Docs™ add-on that let you edit your documents faster by helping you find, format, or format and replace with a single click.

It consists of three main parts:

  • A search section which provides a way for you to find characters, words, or phrases that you need to format or replace.
  • An edit section which enables you to edit the found character, words or phrases to your formatting preference.
  • An actions section that helps you apply your intending actions to your document.

Format Replace add-on

This interface follows the usual icons and meanings implemented in Google Doc™ to ensure the consistency of your experience in Docs.

Usage

The idea is to search for characters, words, or phrases in your documents, the result of the search is returned and you can format or replace the found result as desired. Details on how to find, format or replace are explained in their respective sections.

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