EscribalText Doc
Character formatting
This group of instructions changes how the text itself looks: bold, italic, underline, strikethrough, small caps, font and size, text color, highlight, subscript/superscript, character spacing, and horizontal stretch. Each instruction finds the paragraphs whose text you want to affect and applies the formatting to their text.
Prerequisite: before using any of these instructions, the workflow must already have a DOCX document created or opened (with Create text doc), which these instructions will act upon.
These concepts recur across every instruction in this group; they are explained here once.
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Document: indicates which document in the workflow the instruction applies to. If left empty, the current document is used.
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Dynamic values (
@name): in any text field you can type@followed by the name of a value saved earlier in the workflow, and it will be replaced by that value. For example, if you saved a color inbrandColor, you can type@brandColorin the Color field. -
Search text — which text is affected: every instruction has a Search text field that decides which text it changes. The formatting is applied to the text of every paragraph whose text contains the search text. If Search text is left empty, the instruction applies to all paragraphs in the document.
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Enable — turning formatting on or off: several instructions (bold, italic, small caps, strikethrough, underline, vertical alignment) have an Enable switch. Set it to Yes to apply the formatting, or No to remove it from the matching text.
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Case sensitive: decides whether the Search text match distinguishes between upper- and lower-case. It is off by default (so
Titlealso matchestitle). -
Measurement units and colors: font size and character spacing are given in points (pt); horizontal scale is a percentage; colors are given as hex codes (for example
FF0000for red), with or without a leading#. -
Save a result (Save count in): every instruction in this group can store how many paragraphs it affected under a name you choose, so a later instruction can reuse it. Leaving the field empty saves nothing. The number counts matched paragraphs, not occurrences of the search text: a paragraph that contains the search text three times counts once, and with Search text empty the number is simply how many paragraphs the document has. It is useful to check whether a search matched anything at all — pair it with a Condition to skip later steps when the count is
0. The paragraph-formatting group offers the same field. -
“From variable” fields: the
@nametrick only works in text fields. So that a numeric field (like Size or Spacing) or a yes/no field (like Enable) can also take its value from a saved value, each one has a companion “from variable” field:- If you leave it empty, the value typed in the normal field is used.
- If you fill it in with the name of a saved value, the engine ignores the normal field and uses that variable’s value.
This is mainly for chaining instructions (one instruction saves a value, the next one reads it). If you only work with fixed values, you can ignore these fields.
- Apply Bold .docx
- Apply Italic .docx
- Apply Small Caps .docx
- Apply Strikethrough .docx
- Apply Underline .docx
- Apply Vertical Alignment .docx
- Clear Character Format .docx
- Set Character Spacing .docx
- Set Font And Size .docx
- Set Highlight Color .docx
- Set Horizontal Scale .docx
- Set Text Color .docx
Apply Bold .docx
Makes the matching text bold, or removes bold from it.
When to use it: to emphasize words or headings in bold.
| Parameter | Meaning | Default | Required |
|---|---|---|---|
| Document | Document the instruction applies to | (current document) | No |
| Search text | The text of paragraphs containing this text is affected; empty = all. Supports @name |
(empty) | No |
| Enable | Yes applies bold, No removes it | Yes (apply) | No |
| Case sensitive | Whether the search-text match is case-sensitive | No | No |
| Enable (from variable) | Reads the yes/no value from a saved value | (empty) | No |
| Case sensitive (from variable) | Reads the yes/no value from a saved value | (empty) | No |
| Save count in | Name under which to save how many paragraphs were modified | (empty) | No |
Apply Italic .docx
Makes the matching text italic, or removes italic from it.
When to use it: to italicize titles, quotations, or emphasized words.
| Parameter | Meaning | Default | Required |
|---|---|---|---|
| Document | Document the instruction applies to | (current document) | No |
| Search text | The text of paragraphs containing this text is affected; empty = all. Supports @name |
(empty) | No |
| Enable | Yes applies italic, No removes it | Yes (apply) | No |
| Case sensitive | Whether the search-text match is case-sensitive | No | No |
| Enable (from variable) | Reads the yes/no value from a saved value | (empty) | No |
| Case sensitive (from variable) | Reads the yes/no value from a saved value | (empty) | No |
| Save count in | Name under which to save how many paragraphs were modified | (empty) | No |
Apply Small Caps .docx
Displays the matching text in small capitals (lowercase letters shown as smaller uppercase letters), or removes the effect.
When to use it: for a formal look in headings, names, or acronyms.
| Parameter | Meaning | Default | Required |
|---|---|---|---|
| Document | Document the instruction applies to | (current document) | No |
| Search text | The text of paragraphs containing this text is affected; empty = all. Supports @name |
(empty) | No |
| Enable | Yes applies small caps, No removes it | Yes (apply) | No |
| Case sensitive | Whether the search-text match is case-sensitive | No | No |
| Enable (from variable) | Reads the yes/no value from a saved value | (empty) | No |
| Case sensitive (from variable) | Reads the yes/no value from a saved value | (empty) | No |
| Save count in | Name under which to save how many paragraphs were modified | (empty) | No |
Apply Strikethrough .docx
Draws a line through the matching text, or removes it.
When to use it: to mark text as deleted or no longer valid.
| Parameter | Meaning | Default | Required |
|---|---|---|---|
| Document | Document the instruction applies to | (current document) | No |
| Search text | The text of paragraphs containing this text is affected; empty = all. Supports @name |
(empty) | No |
| Enable | Yes applies strikethrough, No removes it | Yes (apply) | No |
| Case sensitive | Whether the search-text match is case-sensitive | No | No |
| Enable (from variable) | Reads the yes/no value from a saved value | (empty) | No |
| Case sensitive (from variable) | Reads the yes/no value from a saved value | (empty) | No |
| Save count in | Name under which to save how many paragraphs were modified | (empty) | No |
Apply Underline .docx
Underlines the matching text with a chosen line style and color, or removes the underline.
When to use it: to underline text, optionally with a double, dotted, thick, or wavy line.
| Parameter | Meaning | Default | Required |
|---|---|---|---|
| Document | Document the instruction applies to | (current document) | No |
| Search text | The text of paragraphs containing this text is affected; empty = all. Supports @name |
(empty) | No |
| Enable | Yes applies the underline, No removes it | Yes (apply) | No |
| Type | Underline style: single, double, dotted, thick, or wave. Supports @name |
single |
No |
| Color | Underline color as a hex code; empty = same color as the text. Supports @name |
(empty) | No |
| Case sensitive | Whether the search-text match is case-sensitive | No | No |
| Enable (from variable) | Reads the yes/no value from a saved value | (empty) | No |
| Case sensitive (from variable) | Reads the yes/no value from a saved value | (empty) | No |
| Save count in | Name under which to save how many paragraphs were modified | (empty) | No |
Important behavior: an unrecognized Type falls back to single. When |
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| Enable is No, the underline is removed and Type and Color are ignored. |
Apply Vertical Alignment .docx
Raises the matching text to superscript or lowers it to subscript, or removes the effect.
When to use it: for footnote marks and exponents (superscript) or chemical formulas (subscript).
| Parameter | Meaning | Default | Required |
|---|---|---|---|
| Document | Document the instruction applies to | (current document) | No |
| Search text | The text of paragraphs containing this text is affected; empty = all. Supports @name |
(empty) | No |
| Position | superscript (raised) or subscript (lowered) |
superscript |
No |
| Enable | Yes applies the effect, No removes it | Yes (apply) | No |
| Case sensitive | Whether the search-text match is case-sensitive | No | No |
| Enable (from variable) | Reads the yes/no value from a saved value | (empty) | No |
| Case sensitive (from variable) | Reads the yes/no value from a saved value | (empty) | No |
| Save count in | Name under which to save how many paragraphs were modified | (empty) | No |
Important behavior: any Position other than subscript is treated as |
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superscript. |
Clear Character Format .docx
Removes all character-level formatting (bold, italic, underline, color, size, and so on) from the matching text, leaving the text itself untouched.
When to use it: to reset text back to the plain default formatting.
| Parameter | Meaning | Default | Required |
|---|---|---|---|
| Document | Document the instruction applies to | (current document) | No |
| Search text | The text of paragraphs containing this text is affected; empty = all. Supports @name |
(empty) | No |
| Case sensitive | Whether the search-text match is case-sensitive | No | No |
| Case sensitive (from variable) | Reads the yes/no value from a saved value | (empty) | No |
| Save count in | Name under which to save how many paragraphs were modified | (empty) | No |
Set Character Spacing .docx
Expands or condenses the space between characters in the matching text, measured in points.
When to use it: to loosen or tighten letter spacing for a heading or a design effect.
| Parameter | Meaning | Default | Required |
|---|---|---|---|
| Document | Document the instruction applies to | (current document) | No |
| Search text | The text of paragraphs containing this text is affected; empty = all. Supports @name |
(empty) | No |
| Spacing (pt) | Space between characters: positive = expanded, negative = condensed, 0 = remove any spacing |
0 |
No |
| Case sensitive | Whether the search-text match is case-sensitive | No | No |
| Spacing (from variable) | Reads the spacing from a saved value | (empty) | No |
| Case sensitive (from variable) | Reads the yes/no value from a saved value | (empty) | No |
| Save count in | Name under which to save how many paragraphs were modified | (empty) | No |
Important behavior: a value of 0 removes any character-spacing override, |
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| returning to the default spacing. |
Set Font And Size .docx
Sets the font family and/or the font size of the matching text.
When to use it: to change the typeface, the size, or both, for specific text.
| Parameter | Meaning | Default | Required |
|---|---|---|---|
| Document | Document the instruction applies to | (current document) | No |
| Search text | The text of paragraphs containing this text is affected; empty = all. Supports @name |
(empty) | No |
| Font | Font family name (for example Arial); empty = leave the font unchanged. Supports @name |
(empty) | No |
| Size (pt) | Font size in points; 0 = leave the size unchanged |
0 (unchanged) |
No |
| Case sensitive | Whether the search-text match is case-sensitive | No | No |
| Size (from variable) | Reads the size from a saved value | (empty) | No |
| Case sensitive (from variable) | Reads the yes/no value from a saved value | (empty) | No |
| Save count in | Name under which to save how many paragraphs were modified | (empty) | No |
| Important behavior: Font and Size are independent — you can set one, both, | |||
or neither. An empty Font leaves the typeface as it was; a Size of 0 leaves |
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| the size as it was. |
Set Highlight Color .docx
Applies a highlighter color behind the matching text, or removes the highlight.
When to use it: to highlight text as you would with a marker pen.
| Parameter | Meaning | Default | Required |
|---|---|---|---|
| Document | Document the instruction applies to | (current document) | No |
| Search text | The text of paragraphs containing this text is affected; empty = all. Supports @name |
(empty) | No |
| Color | Highlight color: yellow, green, blue, cyan, red, magenta, darkBlue, darkCyan, darkGreen, darkMagenta, darkRed, darkYellow, darkGray, lightGray, black, white, or none. (pink is an alias for magenta, gray for darkGray. Names are case-insensitive.) Supports @name |
yellow |
No |
| Case sensitive | Whether the search-text match is case-sensitive | No | No |
| Case sensitive (from variable) | Reads the yes/no value from a saved value | (empty) | No |
| Save count in | Name under which to save how many paragraphs were modified | (empty) | No |
Important behavior: none removes the highlight; an unrecognized color falls |
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back to yellow. |
Set Horizontal Scale .docx
Stretches or compresses the width of the matching characters, as a percentage of their normal width.
When to use it: to make text wider or narrower without changing its height.
| Parameter | Meaning | Default | Required |
|---|---|---|---|
| Document | Document the instruction applies to | (current document) | No |
| Search text | The text of paragraphs containing this text is affected; empty = all. Supports @name |
(empty) | No |
| Percentage | Character width as a percent: over 100 = wider, under 100 = narrower |
100 |
No |
| Case sensitive | Whether the search-text match is case-sensitive | No | No |
| Percentage (from variable) | Reads the percentage from a saved value | (empty) | No |
| Case sensitive (from variable) | Reads the yes/no value from a saved value | (empty) | No |
| Save count in | Name under which to save how many paragraphs were modified | (empty) | No |
Important behavior: a Percentage of 0 or less does nothing. |
Set Text Color .docx
Sets the color of the matching text.
When to use it: to color words, headings, or emphasized text.
| Parameter | Meaning | Default | Required |
|---|---|---|---|
| Document | Document the instruction applies to | (current document) | No |
| Search text | The text of paragraphs containing this text is affected; empty = all. Supports @name |
(empty) | No |
| Color | Text color as a hex code (for example FF0000 for red). Supports @name |
000000 (black) |
No |
| Case sensitive | Whether the search-text match is case-sensitive | No | No |
| Case sensitive (from variable) | Reads the yes/no value from a saved value | (empty) | No |
| Save count in | Name under which to save how many paragraphs were modified | (empty) | No |
Important behavior: the color may be written with or without a leading #. |
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