How to loop through a RangeCollection in Word JS API? - ms-word

Question

I want to add a Find function in my Word Add-in. By clicking a button, the Word will scroll to the first place of the word need to be searched, and by clicking again, the Word will scroll to the next place. I figured out how to find the first one, but I can't loop through the RangeCollection of the search results of the word. I am looking for some functions similar to getNext()
Below is the code to find first "and". It works:
async function scroll() {
await Word.run(async (context) => {
context.document.body.search("and", { matchWholeWord: true, matchCase: false }).getFirst().select();
await context.sync()
}
)}
However, if I want to find the second or more, I can't do this:
async function scroll() {
await Word.run(async (context) => {
context.document.body.search("and", { matchWholeWord: true, matchCase: false }).getFirst().getNext().select();
await context.sync()
} )}
I read the document and there is no getNext() for RangeCollection. Hope somebody knows how to work around it. Thank you!

Answer 1

There are a few workarounds.
Solution 1
Load RangeCollection.items and record the index. Example:
var index = 0;
async function selectNext(...) {
...
var ranges = context.document.body.search(...);
ranges.load('items');
await context.sync();
if (index >= ranges.items.length) {
index = 0;
}
ranges.items[index++].select();
await context.sync();
...
}
This solution respects the index, but not the current selection position. So if you prefer to search downward instead of searching the next, here's solution 2.
Solution 2
Load RangeCollection.items and call Range.compareLocationWith. Example:
var ranges = context.document.body.search(...);
ranges.load('items');
await context.sync();
var selection = context.document.getSelection();
var compareResults = ranges.items.map(range => range.compareLocationWith(selection));
await context.sync();
for(var index in compareResults) {
if (compareResults[index].value == 'After') {
ranges.items[index].select();
await context.sync();
break;
}
}
Of course you would need additional code and polish it to make it a real product, but these are the rough ideas. Please see if they work for you.