Replacing paragraph formatting before column break also changes the next paragraph after the break

[jjmartin1340]

I have a large document with 2 columns per page. I want to change the formatting of the last paragraph in each column. When I use Replace to change ^p^n to ^p^n with new formatting for the replacement, it also changes the formatting of the first paragraph in the next column. Is there any way I can make it change only the paragraph before the break?

[macropod]

You would need to use a macro for that, as it appears the column break is attached to the paragraph following it. Such a macro might be coded as:

Sub Demo()
Application.ScreenUpdating = False
With ActiveDocument.Range
  With .Find
    .ClearFormatting
    .Replacement.ClearFormatting
    .Text = "^p^n"
    .Replacement.Text = ""
    .Forward = True
    .Wrap = wdFindStop
    .Format = False
    .MatchCase = False
    .MatchWholeWord = False
    .MatchWildcards = False
    .MatchSoundsLike = False
    .MatchAllWordForms = False
    .Execute
  End With
  Do While .Find.Found
    .Paragraphs.First.Style = "My Style"
    If .End = ActiveDocument.Range.End Then Exit Sub
    .Collapse wdCollapseEnd
    .Find.Execute
  Loop
End With
Application.ScreenUpdating = True
End Sub

For PC macro installation & usage instructions, see: http://www.gmayor.com/installing_macro.htm.

[jjmartin1340]

I've been thinking about this for about a year, and just now the answer came to me.
I don't use the @ character in my document.
So I Replaced: ^p^n with @^p^n.
Now the last paragraph in each column contains @.
Now I Replaced @ with @ with the desired formatting.
Then I verified the formatting.
Then I Replaced @ with nothing, thus removing it.
Now the last paragraph in each column is properly formatted, without affecting the next paragraph.

Why did it take me so long to think of such a simple method?
I fall back on my standard answer these days: "I'm 74 years old".

[macropod]

Originally Posted by jjmartin1340

Why did it take me so long to think of such a simple method?
I fall back on my standard answer these days: "I'm 74 years old".

Sometimes it just takes a bit of 'thinking outside the box'. At 74, you should have a head start on that