[Solved] Change font size with Find & Replace

[kabing]

I have a document, where, for a certain section, I want to change all the text in 10 point font to 12 point. There are words in 14 point scattered throughout the text that I want to leave at 14 point, so I can't just select the section and change the font size. I've tried Search and Replace, using the Format button to specify 10 point text to find and 12 point to replace, but I keep getting told that the search key was not found. This is true across OpenOffice, LibreOffice, and NeoOffice. I could have sworn I've done this in the past, but maybe I'm remembering using find and replace for other formatting changes. Is this a bug? Am I doing something wrong?

[Zizi64]

Use Styles (paragraph styles, character styles).

The "manual formatting" is an uneffective method...

[kabing]

I use styles a fair amount, but I don't see how that will help me here. The text in question is from a document I didn't create, and the creator did not use different styles for the 10 and 14 point text.

[Zizi64]

You must change now the size of some characters. And then (maybe) you need change to bold some characters... And then...

Better way to thinking before you create a document. You need design it (make a plan) and make the Styles what you want to use in a document. And then (later) it will enough to change the properties of two or three Styles, but no need to change proprties of 3000 pieces direct formatted characters.

In my opinion: You need REDESIGN your document.

[acknak]

... I've tried Search and Replace, using the Format button to specify 10 point text to find and 12 point to replace, but I keep getting told that the search key was not found. ...

It seems to work alright for me with AOO 4.1.1.

Edit > Find & Replace
Search for: empty
Options: all unchecked
Format > Font > Npt

Click "Find" to test; click "Find All" to select all text with size N.

With all the matches selected, change the size or apply a style as usual.

[kabing]

Thanks, Acknak. Unfortunately, it doesn't work for me, also with AOO 4.1.1. When I select or hover over some of the text, the dropbox at the top tells me it is 10 point, but when I search for 10 point, it says it doesn't find any. If it matters, the text originated in a docx document, which was opened in AOO, the needed text copied and then pasted into an odt document. It's a purchased, copyrighted resource, so I can't post a sample, at least not without getting permission from the author.

Fortunately I have discovered that I can search for a particular font and replace with that font and a specified size. (The size 14 text was set to a different font in the original document).

Better way to thinking before you create a document. You need design it (make a plan) and make the Styles what you want to use in a document. And then (later) it will enough to change the properties of two or three Styles, but no need to change proprties of 3000 pieces direct formatted characters.

In my opinion: You need REDESIGN your document.

Zizi64, I understand that, but I did not create the original document. To do what you suggest, I still need to be able to search for text by font size to apply the new styles, and that's not working for me.

[kabing]

Hmm...even searching just by font name and replacing with font and size specifications doesn't work consistently: frequently the size isn't changed at all.

[acknak]

Can you attach a small sample from the document?

[kabing]

I'll check with the author and get back to you. This is a process I go through every week (it's devotional material for a bulletin insert), so it would be helpful if I can track it down. Thanks!

[Bill]

Try checking the "Including styles" option. That's the only way I could get Find & Replace to find text where the font size is set in a paragraph style or character style. Without that option, Find & Replace only finds text where the font size is set by direct formatting.

[acknak]

Good point. I've had the same experience with "Include styles". I didn't mention it since it was mentioned that styles weren't in use here but maybe the docx import automatically applies styles under the table. Definitely worth a try.

[kabing]

Thanks, all. Checking "Include Styles" did indeed fix the problem...as long as I click "Replace All" doing a single "Replace" doesn't work for some reason. The trick is that "Include Styles" only shows up once I've chosen a formatting option.

[jrkrideau]

This is a process I go through every week (it's devotional material for a bulletin insert), so it would be helpful if I can track it down. Thanks!

Better yet, if possible set up a template for the person and persuade them to do things correctly the first time. Oh, and good luck.