Find (w/Long String)

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The find and replace text strings that can be defined using the Find and Replace utility in Word or with VBA are limited to 255 characters. The 255 character replace string is easily overcome by copying the replace string text to the clipboard and using the character code "^c" in the "Replace with:" window of the dialog box or as the .Replacement.Text value in you macro code.

Another handy method for defining any replacement text string and even a graphic is to use AutoText. Fellow MVP Graham Mayor has posted instructions for using this method here: Replace w/AutoText

Unfortunately the character code ^c doesn't work in the "Find what" window. Even find strings constructed using wildcards are limited to 255 characters as shown below.

If you try to set a find or replace strings that are > 255 characters in length in VBA, a run-time error is generated.

I worked with Dave Lett and Helmut Weber, who both contribute regularly in the Word VBA newsgroup, to develop a macro that would perform a find and replace routine where the text you are looking for exceeds 255 characters. The process involves defining the .Find.Text string as the first 250 characters of your text. If this segment is found, then the selection is extended to include the entire length of your specified text and then a comparison is made of the find text string and extended selection. If a match occurs, the selection.text is replaced with the specified replacement text. In this solution, both the find and replace strings are defined in a separate document.

Here is the macro code:

Sub LongStringFindReplace()
Dim oSourceDoc As Document
Dim srchTxt As String
Dim replaceRng As Range
Dim i As Long
Set oSourceDoc = Documents.Open(FileName:="C:\Long String Source.doc")
'Establish find string
srchTxt = oSourceDoc.Paragraphs(1).Range.Text
srchTxt = Left(srchTxt, Len(srchTxt) - 1) 'Remove paragraph mark
'Establish replace text and copy to clipboard
Set replaceRng = oSourceDoc.Paragraphs(2).Range
replaceRng.MoveEnd Unit:=wdCharacter, Count:=-1 'Remove paragraph mark
replaceRng.Copy
oSourceDoc.Close
ActiveDocument.Range(0, 0).Select
If Len(srchTxt) > 250 Then
i = Len(srchTxt) - 250
With Selection.Find
    .Text = Left(srchTxt, 250)
    .Forward = True
    .Wrap = wdFindContinue
    Do While .Execute
      'Move end of selection to match length of srchTxt
      Selection.MoveEnd Unit:=wdCharacter, Count:=i
      'Compare selection to search string
      If Selection.Text = srchTxt Then
        'replace selction with clipboard contents
        Selection.Paste
      Else
        Selection.MoveRight
      End If
    Loop
End With
Else
ResetFRParameters
With Selection.Find
    .Text = srchTxt
    .Replacement.Text = "^c"
    .Forward = True
    .Wrap = wdFindContinue
    .Execute Replace:=wdReplaceAll
End With
End If
End Sub

Sub ResetFRParameters()
With Selection.Find
.ClearFormatting
.Replacement.ClearFormatting
.Text = ""
.Replacement.Text = ""
.Forward = True
.Wrap = wdFindContinue
.Format = False
.MatchCase = False
.MatchWholeWord = True
.MatchWildcards = False
.MatchSoundsLike = False
.MatchAllWordForms = False
End With
End Sub

Need help applying macros? See fellow MVP Graham Mayor's Guide for Installing Macros

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