Determining if an in-text table reference was created with Word's native cross reference feature

scienceguy · #1 10-22-2021, 11:05 AM

Hello,

I am trying to create an application, which verifies if an in-text table (or figure, equation) reference was created using Microsoft Word's "cross reference" feature. For example, in a Word document, if there was a sentence that stated, "Please see Table 1 for further details," I want the application to verify that the author used Word's insert cross-reference feature and didn't just simply type "Table 1." Basically, is there a field code associated with "Table 1?"

Finding all of the "Table" occurrences is easy enough. However, I cannot figure out how to determine if they are associated with a table using Word's cross-reference feature. I have started my code in Excel, because I eventually want to create a spreadsheet of all of the occurrences, once I figure out the other part.

Here is my code so far. Any help would be appreciated!

Thanks,
Roy

Code:

Sub findRef()
'
Dim wdApp As Object
Dim wdDoc As Object
Dim aRng As Object
Dim strFile As String

With Application.FileDialog(msoFileDialogOpen)

  If .Show = -1 Then
    strFile = .SelectedItems(1)
  End If

End With

If strFile = "" Then
    Exit Sub
End If

On Error Resume Next
Set wdApp = GetObject(, "Word.Application")
If Err.Number <> 0 Then

    Set wdApp = CreateObject("Word.Application")
    wdApp.Visible = False

End If

Set wdDoc = wdApp.Documents.Open(Filename:=strFile, AddToRecentFiles:=False, Visible:=False)

Set aRng = wdDoc.Range
    
With aRng.Find
    .ClearFormatting
    .Text = "Table?[0-9]"
    .MatchWildcards = True
        Do While .Execute  ' Loop until Word can no longer find the search string
        
            'if aRng.text =  cross reference field code ...
        
        Loop
End With
    
wdDoc.Close False

Set aRng = Nothing
Set wdDoc = Nothing
wdApp.Quit
Set wdApp = Nothing


End Sub

Guessed · #2 10-24-2021, 09:10 PM

Roy

If you are doing a search for 'Table #' and the document is correctly created, there will be multiple instances that your macro might find, all of which will needed to be handled/ignored by your code.
Table Captions, when done correctly are composed of two parts. The text "Table " followed by a Seq field with the series name 'Table" such that the field code starts with {Seq Table ...}
Cross references to a table caption are usually a Ref field with the name of a bookmark so the field looks something like {Ref _Ref86060324 \h} where the _Ref# is automatically 'randomly' generated when you use the Insert Cross Reference dialog.
List of Tables is also another instance where you would expect to see lots of Table #'s appear but you most likely will ignore these completely.

The following code is pulling all instances into the workbook. You would probably want to expand on this code to exclude the hits you don't want.

Code:

Sub findRef()
  Dim wdApp As Object, wdDoc As Object, aRng As Object, strFile As String
  Dim aSheet As Worksheet, iRow As Integer
  
  Set aSheet = ThisWorkbook.ActiveSheet
  aSheet.Range("A1:D1") = Split("Doc,Page,Text,FieldCode", ",")
  iRow = 1
  
  With Application.FileDialog(msoFileDialogOpen)
    If .Show = -1 Then
      strFile = .SelectedItems(1)
    End If
  End With
  
  If strFile = "" Then Exit Sub
  
  On Error Resume Next
  Set wdApp = GetObject(, "Word.Application")
  If Err.Number <> 0 Then Set wdApp = CreateObject("Word.Application")
  wdApp.Visible = False
  
  Set wdDoc = wdApp.Documents.Open(Filename:=strFile, AddToRecentFiles:=False, Visible:=False)
  Set aRng = wdDoc.Range
  With aRng.Find
    .ClearFormatting
    .Text = "Table?[0-9]{1,3}"
    .MatchWildcards = True
    .MatchCase = False
    Do While .Execute  ' Loop until Word can no longer find the search string
      iRow = iRow + 1
      aSheet.Range("A" & iRow) = strFile
      aSheet.Range("B" & iRow) = aRng.Information(3)    'wdActiveEndPageNumber = 3
      aSheet.Range("C" & iRow) = aRng.Text
      aRng.MoveStart Unit:=1, Count:=-1                 'wdCharacter = 1
      aRng.MoveEnd Unit:=1, Count:=1
      If aRng.Fields.Count > 0 Then
        aSheet.Range("D" & iRow) = aRng.Fields(1).Code.Text
      Else
        aSheet.Range("D" & iRow) = "No field"
      End If ''
      aRng.Collapse Direction:=0      'wdCollapseEnd
    Loop
  End With
      
  wdDoc.Close False
  
  Set aRng = Nothing
  Set wdDoc = Nothing
  wdApp.Visible = True
  wdApp.Quit
  Set wdApp = Nothing

End Sub

scienceguy · #3 10-25-2021, 04:44 AM

Thanks, Andrew! You are awesome!!

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