Sub ReferenceDittoExpander()
' Paul Beverley - Version 13.03.26
' Finds dittos used instead of author names and expands them

Dim dittoText(3) As String
dittoText(1) = "- - - "
dittoText(2) = "^+^+^+ "
dittoText(3) = "- - -^t"

myCount = 0
For i = 1 To 3
  If dittoText(i) > "" Then
    Set rng = ActiveDocument.Content
    With rng.Find
      .ClearFormatting
      .Replacement.ClearFormatting
      .text = dittoText(i)
      .Wrap = wdFindStop
      .Replacement.text = ""
      .Forward = True
      .MatchWildcards = False
      .MatchWholeWord = False
      .Execute
    End With
    
    Do While rng.Find.found = True
      myCount = myCount + 1
      Set rng2 = rng.Duplicate
      rng2.MoveStart , -1
      rng2.Collapse wdCollapseStart
      rng2.expand wdParagraph
      For Each wd In rng2.words
        If Val(wd) > 1000 Then Exit For
      Next wd
      rng2.End = wd.start
      rng.text = rng2.text
      rng.Select
      rng.Collapse wdCollapseEnd
      rng.Find.Execute
      DoEvents
    Loop
  End If
Next i

MsgBox "Changed: " & myCount
End Sub