Reformatting multiple paragraphs of text using the formatting of a sample object by creating multiple candidate combinations and selecting a closest match

A method for copying a text format pattern, the method comprising:

• receiving a selection of a sample object from a user, the sample object including multiple sample paragraphs of which at least two sample paragraphs have different format patterns;
• in response to receiving a format copying instruction from the user, reformatting a target object with a format pattern of the entire sample object, wherein the target object is also selected by the user and contains N number of target paragraphs;
• determining a corresponding relationship between the sample paragraphs and the target paragraphs by:
• generating one sample combination by dividing the sample paragraphs into M number of sample groups according to their order and format pattern, each sample group includes adjacent sample paragraphs of the same format pattern;
• determining a plurality of all possible combinations of the N number of target paragraphs and the M number of sample groups, wherein each of the N number of target paragraphs is assigned to only one of the M number of sample groups for each possible combination;
• calculating a deviation between the one sample combination and each of the possible combinations, the deviation is the sum of the number of operations of deleting a target paragraph from a sample group for each of the possible combinations and the number of operations of adding a target paragraph to a sample group for each of the possible combinations in order for each of the possible combinations to match the one sample combination;
• selecting two or more preferred combinations from the plurality of possible combinations based on the deviation between the one sample combination and each of the possible combinations, wherein the two or more preferred combinations comprises the smallest deviation;
• selecting one matching combination from the two or more preferred combinations, the one matching combination having the same combination of target paragraphs and sample groups as the one sample combination;
• and
• applying the format pattern of the sample paragraphs to the target paragraphs based on the corresponding relationship and based on the single matching combination.

A method for copying a text format pattern, the method comprising:

• in response to receiving a format copying instruction from a user, reformatting a set of target paragraphs with a format pattern of a set of sample paragraphs each of which is selected by the user;
• generating a single sample combination by dividing the set of sample paragraphs into M number of sample groups according to their order and format pattern, each sample group includes adjacent sample paragraphs of the same format pattern;
• determining a plurality of all possible combinations of the N number of target paragraphs and the M number of sample groups, wherein each of the N number of target paragraphs is assigned to only one of the M number of sample groups for each possible combination;
• calculating a similarity between the single sample combination and each of the possible combinations, the similarity is the sum of the number of operations of removing a target paragraph from a sample group for each of the possible combinations and the number of operations of adding a target paragraph to a sample group for each of the possible combinations in order for each of the possible combination to match the single sample combination;
• selecting two or more preferred combinations from the plurality of possible combinations based on the similarity between the single sample combination and each of the possible combinations, wherein the two or more preferred combinations comprises the smallest similarity;
• selecting a single matching combination from the two or more preferred candidate combinations, the single matching combination having the same combination of target paragraphs and sample groups as the single sample combination;
• and
• applying the format pattern of the set of sample paragraphs to the set of target paragraphs based on the single matching combination.