applying italics to all instances of a word

Scrivener Scrivener for macOS
1

Hello,
I don’t know if you can, but I need your help:

I am trying to add italics to all instances of a single word in my (long) document. I can’t figure out how to do it.
Thank you.

Best,

Cyril Wohrer

2

Hi Cyril

Someone might correct me, but I am 99.99% sure that users can’t search and replace by format.

You can get round the issue by using Markdown, Compile, and Transformations.

  1. Search for your word: Mintymontymoo

  2. Replace Mintymotymoo with Mintymontymoo (the asterisks are Markdown code for italics. If you use asterisks for other reasons elsewhere in your text, you can use underscores instead)

3.When it is time to Compile, click on Transformations and choose the option to “Convert Markdown to bold and italics” (this means that Mintymontymoo will be compiled as Mintymontymoo, with the asterisks being automatically removed)

[attachment=0]italics.png[/attachment]

You might want to test this with a sample file before you proceed to make global changes, especially to check the compile format you plan to use with your final document.

Hope this helps.

Bestest

Briar Kit

3

Thank you very much for your reply.

You lost me, though, at the earlier part of your instruction:

  1. Search for your word: Mintymontymoo

  2. Replace Mintymotymoo with Mintymontymoo (the asterisks are Markdown code for italics. If you use asterisks for other reasons elsewhere in your text, you can use underscores instead)

Can you be more specific about “Replace”? Do I go to Edit>Find>“Project Search” OR “Project replace”?

Part 3 of your instruction seems easy to do. But, as I said, I’m stuck at the end of 1 and including 2.

Sorry to waste your time.

Cyril Wohrer

4

Hello

Personally, I would load the whole manuscript in scrivenings mode so that all the text was available as a single unit.

I’d then use CMD F to bring up Find & Replace.

I’d enter the word in Find and enter the same word in Replace but with the asterisks closed up to the word.
Find: xxxxx
Replace: xxxxx

Obviously you need to set the Find Options you want.

Once done, compiling with transformations should do what you want.

I’d definitely start with a small sample file to test and perfect the process; especially before editing a long document.

I’d also make a backup of the whole project before making a substantial change: good to have a safety net.

Hope this helps. Not a waste of time at all. A pleasure to help (or try to help) a fellow writer. Lots of people have been kind enough to help me.

Bestest

Briar Kit