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Mister L · 02-13-2024, 07:21 PM

I am not sure whether this is possible just with regex, I've found some regex + javascript solutions but I don't know how to do that.

I'm hoping to make some kind of system for inserting a pagebreak marker at pre-determined intervals to make a page-list in books which have no paper equivalent.

My idea is, using regex, count X number of characters (including spaces, but text only, no code), and insert a marker after each set, which I can then turn into a properly numbered and formatted epub3 pagebreak.

So for instance, every 1490-1500 characters, insert the marker (or whatever).

Ideally, I want to avoid inserting it inside words or inside any html code, but it can go between words or between paragraphs.

Ideal results:

(1498 characters)word next word. OK

(1500 characters) OK

(1500 characters) OK

(1500 characters) OK

Undesirable results:

(1499 characters)</p> AVOID

(1498 characters)word AVOID IF POSSIBLE

If there is no way to exclude mid-word insertions I will figure something out but I definitely want to avoid insertions inside html tags.

I tried:

search
((.){20,25})
replace
\1

Search options:
No regex options selected
Text only

(I was using smaller numbers to make it easier to test), but for some reason it does not exclude the code.

I also tried this, hoping to avoid mid-word insertions:
((\w|\s){20,25}\s|\w+\s|$)

But it seems to select only one word + space, regardless of character count, and it excludes punctuation (including apostrophes).

If this is not possible by regex, is it the kind of thing that could be added as a feature, where the number of characters per "page" could be user-defined?

Alternately, if there is any easier way to make digital-only pagebreaks that I haven't heard about I am all ears.

Thanks in advance if anyone has any ideas.

02-13-2024, 07:21 PM	#762
Mister L Groupie Posts: 179 Karma: 91148 Join Date: Jun 2010 Device: Sony 350	I am not sure whether this is possible just with regex, I've found some regex + javascript solutions but I don't know how to do that. I'm hoping to make some kind of system for inserting a pagebreak marker at pre-determined intervals to make a page-list in books which have no paper equivalent. My idea is, using regex, count X number of characters (including spaces, but text only, no code), and insert a marker after each set, which I can then turn into a properly numbered and formatted epub3 pagebreak. So for instance, every 1490-1500 characters, insert the marker <span class="pbk" /> (or whatever). Ideally, I want to avoid inserting it inside words or inside any html code, but it can go between words or between paragraphs. Ideal results: (1498 characters)word <span class="pbk" />next word. OK (1500 characters)</p><span class="pbk" /><p> OK (1500 characters)<span class="pbk" /></p><p> OK (1500 characters)</p><p><span class="pbk" /> OK Undesirable results: (1499 characters)<<span class="pbk" />/p><p> AVOID (1498 characters)wo<span class="pbk" />rd AVOID IF POSSIBLE If there is no way to exclude mid-word insertions I will figure something out but I definitely want to avoid insertions inside html tags. I tried: search ((.){20,25}) replace \1<span class="pbk" /> Search options: No regex options selected Text only (I was using smaller numbers to make it easier to test), but for some reason it does not exclude the code. I also tried this, hoping to avoid mid-word insertions: ((\w\|\s){20,25}\s\|\w+\s\|$) But it seems to select only one word + space, regardless of character count, and it excludes punctuation (including apostrophes). If this is not possible by regex, is it the kind of thing that could be added as a feature, where the number of characters per "page" could be user-defined? Alternately, if there is any easier way to make digital-only pagebreaks that I haven't heard about I am all ears. Thanks in advance if anyone has any ideas.