How to batch process this macro?

Question

I am hoping to use the below macro (courtesy of Jay Freedman in this link) in batch processing hundreds of files in a folder. How can I do this? I tried using GM's batch processing add-in but I think the add-in's "user defind process" batch process feature needs the code to have a function name. Does anyone have any solutions with or without using GM's batch processing add-in? I'm using Windows OS, Word 2019. Many thanks!

Sub DeleteTwoCharWordsWithExceptions() 

    Dim ExceptDic As Object 

    Dim exceptlist As Variant 

    Dim idx As Long 

    Dim rg As Range 

    Set ExceptDic = CreateObject("Scripting.Dictionary") 

    exceptlist = Split("in|of|to|is|it|on|no|us|at|un|go|an|my|up|me|as|he|we|so|be|by|or|do|if|hi|bi|ex|ok", "|") 

    ' load the dictionary with words from exceptlist 

    For idx = 0 To UBound(exceptlist) - 1 

        ExceptDic.Add exceptlist(idx), exceptlist(idx) 

    Next idx 

    Set rg = ActiveDocument.Range 

    With rg.Find 

        .MatchWildcards = True 

        .Text = "<??>[ .,\?\)^13]" 

        .Format = False 

        .Forward = True 

        .Wrap = wdFindStop 

        While .Execute 

            If Not ExceptDic.Exists(Trim(rg.Text)) Then 

                rg.Text = "" 

                rg.Collapse wdCollapseEnd 

                DoEvents 

            End If 

        Wend 

    End With 

End Sub

Answer 1

To use the macro (which I have not tested) with my batch add-in, it would have to be edited as follows:

Function DeleteTwoCharWordsWithExceptions(oDoc As Document) As Boolean
Dim ExceptDic As Object
Dim exceptlist As Variant
Dim idx As Long
Dim rg As Range

On Error GoTo Err\_Handler  
Set ExceptDic = CreateObject("Scripting.Dictionary")  
exceptlist = Split("in|of|to|is|it|on|no|us|at|un|go|an|my|up|me|as|he|we|so|be|by|or|do|if|hi|bi|ex|ok", "|")  

' load the dictionary with words from exceptlist  
For idx = 0 To UBound(exceptlist) - 1  
    ExceptDic.Add exceptlist(idx), exceptlist(idx)  
Next idx  

Set rg = oDoc.Range  
With rg.Find  
    .MatchWildcards = True  
    .Text = "<??>[ .,\?\)^13]"  
    .Format = False  
    .Forward = True  
    .Wrap = wdFindStop  
    While .Execute  
        If Not ExceptDic.Exists(Trim(rg.Text)) Then  
            rg.Text = ""  
            rg.Collapse wdCollapseEnd  
            DoEvents  
        End If  
    Wend  
End With  
DeleteTwoCharWordsWithExceptions = True  

lbl_Exit:
Exit Function
Err_Handler:
DeleteTwoCharWordsWithExceptions = False
Resume lbl_Exit
End Function

Answer 2

Try

Sub DeleteTwoCharWordsWithExceptions()

Dim ExceptDic As Object

Dim exceptlist As Variant

Dim idx As Long

Dim rg As Range

Dim myFile As String

Dim PathToUse As String

Dim myDoc As Document

Set ExceptDic = CreateObject("Scripting.Dictionary")

exceptlist = Split("in|of|to|is|it|on|no|us|at|un|go|an|my|up|me|as|he|we|so|be|by|or|do|if|hi|bi|ex|ok", "|")

' load the dictionary with words from exceptlist

For idx = 0 To UBound(exceptlist) - 1

ExceptDic.Add exceptlist(idx), exceptlist(idx) 

Next idx

PathToUse = "C:\Test" 'Modify as required

myFile = Dir$(PathToUse & "*.doc*")

While myFile <> ""

Set myDoc = Documents.Open(PathToUse & myFile) 

Set rg = myDoc.Range 

With rg.Find 

    .MatchWildcards = True 

    .Text = "<??>[ .,\?\)^13]" 

    .Format = False 

    .Forward = True 

    .Wrap = wdFindStop 

    While .Execute 

        If Not ExceptDic.Exists(Trim(rg.Text)) Then 

            rg.Text = "" 

            rg.Collapse wdCollapseEnd 

            DoEvents 

        End If 

    Wend 

End With 

myDoc.Close SaveChanges:=wdSaveChanges 

myFile = Dir$() 

Wend

End Sub

Answer 3

Hi Graham,

Thank you for your code! I tried it out but it didn't work straight away. It initially only processed the first file in the folder, and got an error message saying "Unable to execute the process you defined. Ensure the procedure named "DeleteTwoCharWordsWithExceptions" exists in the Normal template and try again." I created a docm template file in the Startup folder and tried to run the code from there and it worked ok! My problem is now solved, thank you again!

Answer 4

Hi Doug, thank you for your reply, I inserted your code as a module in VBA editor, added the folder address where it says "C:\Test" 'Modify as required", and clicked on run macro, but nothing happened. It doesn't look like it's processing anything.