Word Macro for removing parentheses around footnote numbers

LLLCa947 · #1 11-20-2024, 05:04 PM

Hi, I am hoping someone can help.

I have a very long document with hundreds of footnotes. The footnote numbers are in round brackets (eg "(1)"). I need to remove the brackets but leave the footnote mark numbers in place.

Word will let me find a footnote mark (^f) but not use it in the replace box so I cannot find (^f) and replace with ^f. I cannot figure out how to do this using find and replace without doing a global find and replace for every bracket in the document (thereby also deleting the brackets I need to keep) or by doing it one-by-one which - will take forever.

Is it possible to do this quickly with either a global find and replace or a macro?

Many thanks!

macropod · #2 11-20-2024, 10:09 PM

Assuming the footnote references and parentheses are superscripted - which is the norm - you should be able to do that with a wildcard Find/Replace, where:
Find = [\(\)]
with the superscript font attribute
Replace = nothing

LLLCa947 · #3 11-20-2024, 11:10 PM

Hi, thanks for the response.

I tried using this find and request command but it made 0 replacements. To clarify I put [\(\)] in the find box and nothing in the replace box. I went into format/font and ticked superscipt in the find box. I then tried ticking "use wildcards" but this also failed to make any changes.

Is it possible that I am doing this incorrectly somehow? The footnote numbers are superscript numbers, but they are also linked footnote references. When I hover over the numbers they show a little box with the footnote text. I'm not sure if this makes a difference to the type of command needed?

macropod · #4 11-21-2024, 01:07 AM

Are your footnote references and parentheses actually superscripted? The steps you described are correct for superscripted parentheses - regardless of whether they're associated with footnote references.

LLLCa947 · #5 11-21-2024, 01:17 AM

Thanks for replying. I think I see the problem. The footnote number is superscripted but the parentheses are not. They are just ordinary text.

macropod · #6 11-21-2024, 01:31 AM

OK, in which case, omit the superscript attribute from the Find expression. Do note that the result if you use Replace All will be the deletion of all parentheses in the document.

Alternatively, you could use a macro like:

Code:

Sub ClrFtNtParens()
Application.ScreenUpdating = False
With ActiveDocument.Range
  With .Find
    .ClearFormatting
    .Replacement.ClearFormatting
    .Text = "(^f)"
    .Forward = True
    .Wrap = wdFindStop
    .Format = False
    .MatchWildcards = False
  End With
  Do While .Find.Execute
    .Characters.First.Delete
    .Characters.Last.Delete
    .Collapse wdCollapseEnd
  Loop
End With
Application.ScreenUpdating = True
End Sub

LLLCa947 · #7 11-21-2024, 01:44 AM

Yes, I can't delete every parenthesis unfortunately.

The macro worked perfectly! You have saved me many hours of work. Thank you so much Paul, I sincerely appreciate your help.

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