AlterCase

Change the case of text in a Text frame

AlterCase is an Ovation Pro script file to change the case of text within a document. Ovation Pro already offers a few different approaches to changing the case within the document.

Firstly, there is Swap Case, which is usually connected to Shift+Ctrl+S key shortcut. This action moves through the text in the frame and swaps the case of each character, so if it was originally an upper case character it will be changed to lower case, and vice versa. Note that this action physically changes the characters within the Text Frame.

Also, available within Ovation Pro is the ability to alter the case within a style. There are four options available;

• Normal - This doesn't alter the case at all.
• Title - With Title selected the first letter of each word is displayed as upper case and the remaining letters are displayed as lower case.
• All caps - All characters are displayed in upper case.
• All lower - All characters are displayed in lower case.

The main point to note about the above Style options is that when applied to text, it only changes how the characters are displayed in the document. So if your text was all lower case and a style applied to it changes that to display it as upper case, it is worth remembering that the actual characters with in Text frame will be unchanged.

What this AlterCase script offers

So what does this AlterCase script offer, and why might it be needed? Well, it allows similar results as the options offered by a Style - upper case, lower case and title. The difference is that it actually changes the character within the Text frame.

Why would that be needed - In some cases it can be useful that the text is physically changed as required so should the text be exported from Ovation Pro it is in the required case.

How to install and use this script

This script is for the RISC OS version of Ovation Pro - as the Windows version now offers these function natively.

Copy this script file into the Library director inside Ovation Pro.
ie: !OvnPro.Library

After copying into the Library directory, Ovation Pro will then need to be restarted for the script to be active.

To actually use the actions available you will need to set up some macros (usually as Key macros, but could equally be button macros).

1. To setup a key macro, open the macros window Menu to Misc->Macros...
2. Click the 'Key' radio icon.
3. Click 'New...' to open the New key window
4. Press the required key sequence that you wish to use
5. and finally enter the required macro definition from the list below into the writable icon.
6. Click the 'Save' button to permanently store the new macro(s), or just click 'OK' to use the macros for this session only.

Macro definitions

The functions will operate on a region of Selected Text, or on the next character after the caret.