free-anchored-text.js

// Modified from https://community.adobe.com/t5/indesign/release-all-anchored-objects-at-once/td-p/3807944?page=1

var items = app.activeDocument.allPageItems, count = 0

if(confirm("Okay to attempt to free the contents of ~roughly~ " + items.length + " anchored text boxes, styling them as 'Reference'?")) {

  if(app.activeDocument.paragraphStyles.item('Reference') == null) {
    app.activeDocument.paragraphStyles.add({ name: 'Reference' });
  }

  while(item = items.pop()) {
    if(item.isValid &&
      item.hasOwnProperty('anchoredObjectSettings') &&
      item.parent instanceof Character &&
      item.hasOwnProperty('texts') &&
      (t=item.anchoredObjectSettings).isValid) {
      var contents = item.texts[0].contents + "\r"
      var parent = item.parent
      try {
        parent.contents = contents
        parent.appliedParagraphStyle = 'Reference'
        count = count + 1
      } catch (error) {
        alert(error)
      }
    }
  }

  alert('Freed the contents of ' + count + ' anchored text boxes')
}