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Stripping Rich Text Encoding

Discussion created by JonathanCoulter on Mar 10, 2018
Latest reply on Mar 11, 2018 by beverly

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Anyone know of a plug-in or script that will strip all rich text encoding from a field so all that I have left is plain 'ole text. I need to be able to run this on a Windows system. MonkeyBread apparently can do it on a MAC but it doesn't work on a PC.

My data source is not a file from a word processor. I am interfacing with a SQL database used by a chemical formulation software package. They store their notation fields in simple RTF format. I need to pull notes from their system, strip off the RTF, and display as a text field in my solution.

I don't need anything fancy, nor do I need to convert it back to RTF. I just need to convert RTF to simple text.

Thanks !!

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13 Replies

beverly Mar 10, 2018 10:05 AM
What does the field look like in Web Viewer? Does it seem like “text”?

Sent from miPhone
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JonathanCoulter @ beverly on Mar 10, 2018 10:19 AM
No. This is what shows in Web Viewer for one of the records:

{\rtf1\fbidis\ansi\ansicpg1252\deff0\deflang1033{\fonttbl{\f0\fnil\fcharset0 MS Sans Serif;}} \viewkind4\uc1\pard\ltrpar\f0\fs17 1/11/2018 \par Reviewed the final gasket swell results for FM-10133-004, and PVC is recommending a Buna B175 or Buna KA-6712. We don't carry this valve configuration for this product. I looked at the gasket swell results for the Butyl U133 (VLS5003) and the results are within the PVC guidelines and not much lower than those for either Buna gaskets. I would therefore, recommend we continue production with the Butyl U133 (VLS5003).. The gasket swell results are attached in the Links. \par }
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monkeybreadsoftware @ JonathanCoulter on Mar 10, 2018 10:36 AM
Well, for getting the plain text out of this, I could make a cross platform function if needed.
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beverly @ JonathanCoulter on Mar 10, 2018 10:36 AM
Thank you for the verification! That narrows my research.
Beverly
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beverly @ JonathanCoulter on Mar 10, 2018 11:06 AM
I suppose I would use something that can convert to HTML via javascript:
- https://github.com/iarna/rtf-to-html
- https://www.npmjs.com/package/convert-rich-text
... more ...
( I have not tested/used these methods ).
But that would preserve the styles. Do you care if these styles are not preserved?
Beverly
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JonathanCoulter @ beverly on Mar 10, 2018 11:10 AM
Thanks Beverly. I'm not interested in keeping the styles. In fact, I would prefer not to. I take a look at these and see if I can make them work.

Appreciate the help!
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beverly @ JonathanCoulter on Mar 10, 2018 11:26 AM
OK. there may be functions out there (such as one would find for using RegEx and converting):
function convertToPlain(rtf) {

    rtf
= rtf.replace(/
par[d]?/g, "");

    rtf
= rtf.replace(/\{\*?
}||
\n?[A-Za-z]\n?(?:-?\d+)?[ ]?/g, "")


return rtf.replace(/
'[0-9a-zA-Z]/g, "").trim();
}
Perhaps there might be a way to create FM custom function(s) out of something like this?

some alternatives:
MBS seems to have some RTF functions in the Plug-in:
- https://www.mbsplugins.eu/component_RichText.shtml
So does 24U Software:
- https://www.24usoftware.com/SimpleFile/
360Works:
- http://360works.com/filemaker-pdf-plugin/
Beverly
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JonathanCoulter @ beverly on Mar 10, 2018 11:40 AM
Awesome Beverly!

MonkeyBread is a fantastic plug-in, and one that we already use. But their RTF functions are limited to MAC. But we use it for a lot of other things.

The other two look interesting but since I'm not converting a file it would take extra steps. If I can't get one other other possibilities you found to work, I may have to explore writing to a file, converting, and bringing it back into a field.

Thanks again! Appreciate the help!
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beverly @ JonathanCoulter on Mar 10, 2018 11:47 AM
OK, Jonathan! IF you must export the "text", I recommend using the TextEncode() to preserve the text and place into a container field. Then use Export Field Contents script step. This makes it 'safer' to have an external file that the other methods need.
Beverly
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steve_ssh @ beverly on Mar 11, 2018 12:38 PM
beverly wrote:

OK. there may be functions out there (such as one would find for using RegEx and converting):
function convertToPlain(rtf) {

rtf
= rtf.replace(/
par[d]?/g, "");

rtf
= rtf.replace(/\{\*?
}||
\n?[A-Za-z]\n?(?:-?\d+)?[ ]?/g, "")

return rtf.replace(/
'[0-9a-zA-Z]/g, "").trim();
}
Perhaps there might be a way to create FM custom function(s) out of something like this?

beverly, The function above appears to be JavaScript -- is that correct? Great lead!

If so, I note that that the BaseElements plugin (cross-platform) has the following function to perform JavaScript:

• https://baseelementsplugin.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/204528287-BE-EvaluateJavaScript

I can not speak for the function above, because I am not familiar with rtf markup, but it seems like it would be worth following Beverly's suggestion to create a CF (or script) that applies the above JS snippet via the BE plugin.

The trickiest part might simply be making sure that the JS code did not get too munged by the time it is displayed here in the forum. It might help to break down this endeavor by first working with the JavaScript code outside of the use of any plugin, and, once any issues are fixed, then try executing it through a plugin.

JonathanCoulter if any of the above is unclear, or if you run into snags, should you try it, please feel free to reach out.

HTH, and kind regards,

-steve
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beverly @ steve_ssh on Mar 11, 2018 1:18 PM
It could be javascript. But I was thinking more of the patterns. Since we don't have "native" RegEx, there would need to be some work to make "native" CFs!

I don't think it's any particular RTF functions, because the rtf is passed to the function. But the replace() & trim() functions probably are javascript:
For those unfamiliar with RTF (Rich Text Format), it's just another TEXT format.
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rich_Text_Format
- https://www.loc.gov/preservation/digital/formats/fdd/fdd000473.shtml
Beverly
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steve_ssh @ beverly on Mar 11, 2018 1:07 PM
Thanks beverly.

Your reply makes me realize that it shouldn't even be necessary to use JavaScript here.

It might still require a plugin for a quick win, i.e. just grabbing the regex in the code you offered and running it in a plugin.

The OP is already using MBS, which appears to have very extensive support for RegExp.

I've little doubt that monkeybreadsoftware will quickly make good on the offer to update the Win version of the plugin to support the need here, but if not (or in the meantime), using MBS to execute the regex in your post looks like a good option to try. No Javascript required -- my bad for reaching for a favorite tool when something simpler was right there in front of us.

Kind regards,
-steve
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beverly @ steve_ssh on Mar 11, 2018 1:18 PM
I found, but don't know if this works (custom function):
- https://www.briandunning.com/cf/1941 regex(pText; _pExpr)
BE plugin also does RegEx:
- https://baseelementsplugin.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/221272628-BE-RegularExpression
2empowerFM (Text toolkit):
- http://www.dracoventions.com/products/2empowerFM/family/regex.php
And if you wish search for RegEx on this forum. Lot's of lovely posts, including micro-services and possibly other methods.
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