Word VBA Search and Replace Running very Slow, Consuming to many resources
I have an 800+ page document created by a modelling program. This document consists primarily of a series numbered sentences (not numbered lists). There can be 10,000 numbered lines which will be converted into 5000-7000 numbered lists of varying lengths.
The VBA for Word script (see below) searches for the first numbered paragraph following and un-numbered paragraph, then looks for the last numbered paragraph before an un-numbered paragraph, then converts the range to a numbered list. This sequence is repeated till the end of the document.
The procedure works as expected. The problem is, it consumes 65-95% of CPU, most of the physical memory and takes 5-15 hours to run.
Any thoughts on improving the performance by at least a magnitude (well at least half or quarter the time) would be greatly appreciated.
Sample Document Before Processing:
Sample Document After Processing:
VBA Procedure:
' Cleanup Numbered Lists
Sub UpdateNumbering()
Dim rng0, rng1, rng2 As Range
Dim sRegEx()
Dim index As Long
Dim StoryEnd As Long
Dim EscCnt As Long
Dim TotPCnt As Long
' Note name of Method being called
UpdateStatusBar ("UpdateNumbering")
CalledFrom = LastSubroutineVisited
LastSubroutineVisited = "UpdateNumbering"
' Cleanup [Space}[Tab} variances, Convert to [Tab] Only
Set rng0 = Selection.Range
Set rng1 = rng0
rng0.WholeStory
rng1.WholeStory
StoryEnd = rng1.End
With rng1.Find
.ClearFormatting
.Replacement.ClearFormatting
.Text = "\. {1,}^9"
.Replacement.Text = ".^t"
.Forward = True
.Wrap = wdFindStop
.MatchWildcards = True
.MatchCase = False
.MatchWholeWord = False
.MatchAllWordForms = False
.MatchSoundsLike = False
.Execute Replace:=wdReplaceAll
End With
' Cleanup #.[Space] to #.[Tab]
With rng1.Find
.ClearFormatting
.Replacement.ClearFormatting
.Text = "(^13[0-9]{1,}\.) {1,}"
.Replacement.Text = "\1^t"
.Forward = True
.Wrap = wdFindStop
.MatchWildcards = True
.MatchCase = False
.MatchWholeWord = False
.MatchAllWordForms = False
.MatchSoundsLike = False
.Execute Replace:=wdReplaceAll
End With
' Define number formats to be cleaned up
sRegEx = Array("(^13[0-9]{1,2}\.^9)", _
"(^13^9[0-9]{1,2}\.^9)")
' Loop through each RegEx
For index = 0 To 1
' Status Update
UpdateStatusBar ("UpdateNumbering: Pass #" & CStr(index + 1))
LastSubroutineVisited = "UpdateNumbering: Pass #" & CStr(index + 1)
' Find Begin of Doc
' Selection.HomeKey Unit:=wdStory, Extend:=wdExtend
' Selection.Collapse Direction:=wdCollapseStart
EscCnt = 0
TotPCnt = ActiveDocument.Paragraphs.Count
Do
' Find First Line of Next Numbered List
With rng0.Find
.ClearFormatting
.Text = sRegEx(index)
.Forward = True
.Wrap = wdFindStop
.MatchWildcards = True
.MatchCase = False
.MatchWholeWord = False
.MatchAllWordForms = False
.MatchSoundsLike = False
.Execute
If .Found = False Then Exit Do
End With
' Status Update
UpdateStatusBar ("UpdateNumbering: Pass #" & CStr(index + 1) & " - " & _
Format(ActiveDocument.Range(0, Selection.Paragraphs(1).Range.End).Paragraphs.Count / _
TotPCnt, "Percent") & " Percent Complete")
' Mark beginning of List
rng0.Select
Selection.Collapse Direction:=wdCollapseStart
Selection.MoveDown Unit:=wdParagraph
Set rng1 = Selection.Range
rng1.SetRange Start:=rng1.Start + 1, End:=rng1.End
' Find and Mark last entry in Numbered List
Do
Selection.MoveDown Unit:=wdParagraph
Selection.Expand Unit:=wdParagraph
Set rng2 = Selection.Range
rng2.SetRange Start:=rng2.Start - 1, End:=rng2.End
' Level 1 Numbering
With rng2.Find
.ClearFormatting
.Text = sRegEx(index)
.Forward = True
.Wrap = wdFindStop
.MatchWildcards = True
.MatchCase = False
.MatchWholeWord = False
.MatchAllWordForms = False
.MatchSoundsLike = False
.Execute
If .Found = False Then Exit Do
End With
Selection.Collapse Direction:=wdCollapseStart
Loop
rng1.SetRange Start:=rng1.Start - 1, End:=rng2.Start
' Remove Numbering
With rng1.Find
.ClearFormatting
.Replacement.ClearFormatting
.Text = "[0-9]{1,2}\.^t{1,}" 'allow for 0 or more tabs
.Replacement.Text = ""
.Forward = True
.Wrap = wdFindStop
.MatchWildcards = True
.MatchCase = False
.MatchWholeWord = False
.MatchAllWordForms = False
.MatchSoundsLike = False
.Execute Replace:=wdReplaceAll
End With
rng1.SetRange Start:=rng1.Start + 1, End:=rng1.End
' Update Numbered List
rng1.ListFormat.ApplyListTemplate _
ListTemplate:=ListGalleries(wdNumberGallery).ListTemplates(1)
rng1.End = rng1.End + 1
rng0.SetRange Start:=rng1.End, End:=StoryEnd
EscCnt = EscCnt + 1 ' Debug
' If EscCnt > 50 Then Exit Do ' Debug
Loop
Next
LastSubroutineVisited = CalledFrom
Err_Handler:
If (Err.Number <> 0) Then
Call Handle_Error
Err.Clear
End If
End Sub
' Update the Status Bar
Private Sub UpdateStatusBar(status As String)
ActiveDocument.Application.StatusBar = status
End Sub
' Inform user and break into debug mode.
Private Sub Handle_Error()
Dim msgbox_Reply As Integer
msgbox_Reply = MsgBox("An unexpected error has occured:" & vbCrLf & vbCrLf _
& "Subroutine: " & LastSubroutineVisited & vbCrLf & vbCrLf _
& "Error Number: " & Err.Number & vbCrLf _
& "Error Description: " & Err.Description & vbCrLf & vbCrLf _
& "VBA will now enter debug mode.", vbCritical + vbOKOnly, "Error")
' Turn on screen updating.
ActiveDocument.Application.ScreenUpdating = True
' Application.WindowState = wdWindowStateMaximize
' Break into debug mode.
Stop
End Sub
Here is the Final Version of the Code thanks to @TechnoDabbler:
' Cleanup Numbered Lists
Sub UpdateNumbering()
Dim rng0, rng1 As Range
Dim oRegEx As New RegExp
Dim oPar As Paragraph
Dim bNewList As Boolean
Dim sRegEx As String
Dim sTemps As MatchCollection
Dim index1, index2 As Long
Dim TotPCnt As Long
Dim tStart As Variant
tStart = Now()
' Note name of Method being called
UpdateStatusBar ("UpdateNumbering")
CalledFrom = LastSubroutineVisited
LastSubroutineVisited = "UpdateNumbering"
' Cleanup [Space}[Tab} variances, Convert to [Tab] Only
Set rng0 = Selection.Range
Set rng1 = rng0
With rng1.Find
.ClearFormatting
.Replacement.ClearFormatting
.Text = "\. {1,}^9"
.Replacement.Text = ".^t"
.Forward = True
.Wrap = wdFindStop
.MatchWildcards = True
.MatchCase = False
.MatchWholeWord = False
.MatchAllWordForms = False
.MatchSoundsLike = False
.Execute Replace:=wdReplaceAll
End With
' Cleanup #.[Space] to #.[Tab]
With rng1.Find
.ClearFormatting
.Replacement.ClearFormatting
.Text = "(^13[0-9]{1,}\.) {1,}"
.Replacement.Text = "\1^t"
.Forward = True
.Wrap = wdFindStop
.MatchWildcards = True
.MatchCase = False
.MatchWholeWord = False
.MatchAllWordForms = False
.MatchSoundsLike = False
.Execute Replace:=wdReplaceAll
End With
' Define number formats to be cleaned up
sRegEx = "^\t*[0-9]+\.\t+"
' Init Variables
index2 = 0
TotPCnt = ActiveDocument.Paragraphs.Count
With oRegEx
.Pattern = sRegEx
.Global = False
End With
bNewList = False
For Each oPar In ActiveDocument.Paragraphs
' Status Update
index2 = index2 + 1
If index2 Mod 10 = 0 Then
ActiveDocument.Application.StatusBar = _
"UpdateNumbering:" & _
Format(index2 / TotPCnt, "Percent") & " Percent Complete"
End If
' Find First Line of Next Numbered List
If oRegEx.Test(oPar.Range.Text) Then
' Extend the Range of the List and Clean up
Set rng0 = oPar.Range
Set sTemps = oRegEx.Execute(oPar.Range.Text)
index1 = Len(sTemps(0).Value)
rng0.End = rng0.Start + index1
rng0.Delete
If Not bNewList Then
' Mark beginning of List
bNewList = True
Set rng1 = oPar.Range
End If
rng1.End = oPar.Range.End
ElseIf bNewList Then
' Update Numbered List
rng1.ListFormat.ApplyListTemplate _
ListTemplate:=ListGalleries(wdNumberGallery).ListTemplates(1)
bNewList = False
End If
DoEvents
Next oPar
If bNewList Then
' Update Numbered List
rng1.ListFormat.ApplyListTemplate _
ListTemplate:=ListGalleries(wdNumberGallery).ListTemplates(1)
End If
LastSubroutineVisited = CalledFrom
Err_Handler:
If (Err.Number <> 0) Then
Call Handle_Error
Err.Clear
End If
End Sub
Solution
This may be one solution. You may have to tune the regex pattern depending on your document. Performance seems reasonable:
Option Explicit
Public Sub ConvertDocument()
Dim vParagraph As Paragraph
Dim vRegExp As New RegExp
vRegExp.Pattern = "^[0-9]+.\t"
Application.ScreenUpdating = False
For Each vParagraph In ActiveDocument.Paragraphs
If vRegExp.Test(vParagraph.Range.Text) Then
vParagraph.Range.ListFormat.ApplyNumberDefault
End If
ActiveDocument.UndoClear
DoEvents
Next
Application.ScreenUpdating = True
End Sub
Below is the test data generator that I used; change the for loop to generate more or less test data.
Public Sub TestDataPopulate()
Dim vCounter As Long
Dim vParagraph As Paragraph
Application.ScreenUpdating = False
For vCounter = 1 To 50
Set vParagraph = ActiveDocument.Paragraphs.Add
vParagraph.Range.Text = "Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt " & _
"ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco " & vbCrLf & _
"Lorem ipsum dolor" & vbCrLf & _
vbCrLf & _
"1." & vbTab & "Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet" & vbCrLf & _
"2." & vbTab & "consectetur adipiscing elit" & vbCrLf & _
"3." & vbTab & "sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt" & vbCrLf & _
vbCrLf
ActiveDocument.UndoClear
Next
Application.ScreenUpdating = True
End Sub
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