Google Sheets multiple search and replace from a l

Question

I am looking for a solution to search for certain strings in a Google Sheet and, when found, replace them with another string from a list in another sheet.

For better understanding, I prepared a Sheet for you:

https://docs.google.com/a/vicampo.de/spreadsheets/d/1mETtAY72K6ST-hg1qOU9651265nGq0qvcgvzMRqHDO8/edit?usp=sharing

So here's the exact task I want to achieve:

In every single cell in column A of sheet "Text", look for the strings given in column A in sheet "List" and, when found, replace it with the corresponding string in column B of the sheet "List".

See my Example: Look in cell A1 for the string "Lorem" and replace it with "Xlorem", then look for the string "Ipsum" and replace it with "Xipsum", then look for the string "amet" and replace it with "Xamet" then move on to cell B1 and start again looking for the strings...

I have tried different functions and managed to do this with a function for one cell. But how to do it in a loop?

Thanks everyone who is interested in helping out with this problem!

Answer 1

Although there must be 'nicer' solutions, a quick solution (as long is the number of cells with the words you want replaced is not too long), would be:

=ArrayFormula(regexreplace(regexreplace(regexreplace(A1:A; List!A1; List!B1); List!A2; List!B2); List!A3; List!B3))

Answer 2

This formula must be copied down:

=JOIN(" ";
ArrayFormula(
IFERROR(VLOOKUP(TRANSPOSE(SPLIT(A1;" "));List!A:B;2;0);TRANSPOSE(SPLIT(A1;" ")))))

The disadvantage is that it doesn't match punctuation, so word 'Lorem' will be found, but 'Lorem:' won't. But a good reason to use this formula is that you can fill more words in list 2, even paste 'Lorem:' so it could be matched too.

Answer 3

An improvement on JPV's answer, which is orders of magnitude faster and works with arbitrary query and replacement strings:

=ArrayFormula(SUBSTITUTE(SUBSTITUTE(SUBSTITUTE(A1:A, List!A1, List!B1), List!A2, List!B2), List!A3, List!B3))

Using this format, a 15,000 cell spreadsheet with an 85-length replacement list will update in just a few seconds. Simply assemble the formula string using your scripting language of choice and you're good to go!

Answer 4

Probably the best for you, in this case, should be creating a new function to your Google Spreadsheet. It tends to be, in the general case, more simple, clear and powerfull than that kind of complex formulas that should do the same.

In this particular case, I have the same problem, so you can use the same function:

Click on "Tools" menu, then click on the "Script Editor" option. Into the script editor, erase the draft and paste this function:

function preg_quote( str ) {
  // http://kevin.vanzonneveld.net
  // +   original by: booeyOH
  // +   improved by: Ates Goral (http://magnetiq.com)
  // +   improved by: Kevin van Zonneveld (http://kevin.vanzonneveld.net)
  // +   bugfixed by: Onno Marsman
  // *     example 1: preg_quote("$40");
  // *     returns 1: '\$40'
  // *     example 2: preg_quote("*RRRING* Hello?");
  // *     returns 2: '\*RRRING\* Hello\?'
  // *     example 3: preg_quote("\\.+*?[^]$(){}=!<>|:");
  // *     returns 3: '\\\.\+\*\?\[\^\]\$\(\)\{\}\=\!\<\>\|\:'

  return (str+'').replace(/([\\\.\+\*\?\[\^\]\$\(\)\{\}\=\!\<\>\|\:])/g, "\\$1");
}

function ARRAYREPLACE(input,fromList,toList,caseSensitive){
  /* default behavior it is not case sensitive */
  if( caseSensitive == undefined ){
    caseSensitive = false;
  }
  /* if the from list it is not a list, become a list */
  if( typeof fromList != "object" ) {
    fromList = [ fromList ];
  }
  /* if the to list it is not a list, become a list */
  if( typeof toList != "object" ) {
    toList = [ toList ];
  }
  /* force the input be a string */
  var result = input.toString();

  /* iterates using the max size */
  var bigger  = Math.max( fromList.length, toList.length) ;

  /* defines the words separators */
  var arrWordSeparator = [ ".", ",", ";", " " ];

  /* interate into the lists */
  for(var i = 0; i < bigger; i++ ) {
    /* get the word that should be replaced */
    var fromValue = fromList[ ( i % ( fromList.length ) ) ]
    /* get the new word that should replace */
    var toValue = toList[ ( i % ( toList.length ) ) ]

    /* do not replace undefined */
    if ( fromValue == undefined ) {
      continue;
    }
    if ( toValue == undefined ) {
      toValue = "";
    }

    /* apply case sensitive rule */
    var caseRule = "g";
    if( !caseSensitive ) {
      /* make the regex case insensitive */
      caseRule = "gi";
    }

    /* for each end word char, make the replacement and update the result */
    for ( var j = 0; j < arrWordSeparator.length; j++ ) {

      /* from value being the first word of the string */
      result =  result.replace( new RegExp( "^(" + preg_quote( fromValue + arrWordSeparator[ j ] ) + ")" , caseRule ), toValue + arrWordSeparator[ j ] );

      /* from value being the last word of the string */
      result =  result.replace( new RegExp( "(" + preg_quote( arrWordSeparator[ j ] + fromValue ) + ")$" , caseRule ), arrWordSeparator[ j ] + toValue );

      /* from value in the middle of the string between two word separators */
      for ( var k = 0; k < arrWordSeparator.length; k++ ) {
        result =  result.replace( 
          new RegExp( 
            "(" + preg_quote( arrWordSeparator[ j ] + fromValue + arrWordSeparator[ k ] ) + ")" , 
            caseRule 
          ), 
          /* need to keep the same word separators */
          arrWordSeparator[ j ] + toValue + arrWordSeparator[ k ] 
        );
      }
    }

    /* from value it is the only thing in the string */
    result =  result.replace( new RegExp( "^(" + preg_quote( fromValue ) + ")$" , caseRule ), toValue );
  }
  /* return the new result */
  return result;
}

Just save your script and the new function it will be available to you. Now, you have the function that replaces all the first values list by the second value list.

=ARRAYREPLACE(C2,A1:A4,B1:B4)

for example, takes the C2 text and replaces all the elements found in the A1:A4 list by the equivalent into the B1:B4 list.