Handling Microsoft Word file format: Difference between revisions

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=Handling Microsoft Word (file format)=
__NOTOC__


This page discusses various available options for working with [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft_Word#File_formats Microsoft Word] ''[en.wikipedia.org]'' documents in your Qt application. Please also read the general considerations outlined on the [[Handling Document Formats]] page.
[[Category:Developing_with_Qt]]


''<font size="0.9em"><font color="#335">Note that this information is collaboratively collected by the community, with no promise of completeness or correctness. In particular, use your own research and judgment when evaluating third-party libraries or tools!</font></font>''
 
 
This page discusses various available options for working with [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft_Word#File_formats Microsoft Word] documents in your Qt application. Please also read the general considerations outlined on the [[Handling_Document_Formats | Handling Document Formats]] page.
 
 
 
{| style="background-color:LightCyan;" cellpadding="20" cellspacing="0" border="1"
| Note that this information is collaboratively collected by the community, with no promise
of completeness or correctness. In particular, use your own research and judgment
when evaluating third-party libraries or tools!
|}


One needs to distinguish between two different formats (this page deals with both of them):
One needs to distinguish between two different formats (this page deals with both of them):


{| class="infotable line" style="width: 95%; margin-left: 2.5%"
 
{| class="wikitable"
|
|
! Legacy “Word Document” format
! Legacy "Word Document" format
! “Office Open <span class="caps">XML</span> Document” format
! "Office Open XML Document" format
|-
|-
| ''classification:''
| ''classification:''
| binary
| binary
| <span class="caps">XML</span>-based
| XML-based
|-
|-
| ''main filename extension:''
| ''main filename extension:''
| <span style="font: 1em monospace">.doc</span>
| .doc
| <font face="monospace">.docx</font>
| .docx
|-
|-
| ''main internet media type:''
| ''main internet media type:''  
| <span style="font: 0.9em monospace">application/vnd.ms-word</span>
| application/vnd.ms-word
| <span style="font: 0.9em monospace">application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document</span>
| application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document
|-
|-
| ''default format of Word:''
| ''default format of Word:''  
| until Word 2003
| until Word 2003
| since Word 2007
| since Word 2007
|}
|}


==Reading / Writing==
== Reading / Writing ==


===Using Word itself===
=== Using Word itself ===


If you are exclusively targeting the Windows platform and Microsoft Word will be installed on all target machines, then you can use [http://doc.qt.io/qt-4.8/activeqt.html Qt’s ActiveX framework] ''[qt.io]'' to access Word’s .doc and .docx processing functionality through <span class="caps">OLE</span> automation. For an introductory code example (and a way to list the <span class="caps">API</span> provided by Word’s <span class="caps">COM</span> object), consult [[Using ActiveX Object in QT|this how to]] ''[qt.io]'' (focuses on Microsoft Excel, but it works the same way for Word).
If you are exclusively targeting the Windows platform and Microsoft Word will be installed on all target machines, then you can use [http://doc.qt.io/qt-4.8/activeqt.html Qt’s ActiveX framework] to access Word’s .doc and .docx processing functionality through OLE automation. For an introductory code example (and a way to list the API provided by Word's COM object), consult [http://wiki.qt.io/Using_ActiveX_Object_in_QT this how to] (focuses on Microsoft Excel, but it works the same way for Word).


{| class="infotable line" style="width: 95%; margin-left: 2.5%"
{| class="wikitable"
|
|
! <span class="caps">DLL</span> file name
! DLL file name
! <span class="caps">COM</span> object name
! COM object name
! platforms
! platforms
! license
! license  
|-
|-
|
| [http://office.microsoft.com/word/ '''Microsoft Word''']  
[http://office.microsoft.com/word/ '''Microsoft Word'''] ''[office.microsoft.com]''
| ?  
| ?
| Word.Application
| <font face="monospace">Word.Application</font>
| Windows
| Windows
| <font color="#458">commercial</font>
| <span style="color:Navy">commercial</span>
|}
|}


===Using independent parser/writer libraries===
=== Using independent parser/writer libraries ===


{| class="infotable line" style="width: 95%; margin-left: 2.5%"
 
 
{| class="wikitable"
|
|
! <span class="caps">API</span>
! API  
! <font face="monospace">.doc</font>
! .doc
! <font face="monospace">.docx</font>
! .docx
! reading
! reading
! writing
! writing
Line 62: Line 74:
! license
! license
|-
|-
|
| [http://'''…''']
[http:// '''…''']
| …  
| …
| …  
| …
| …  
| …
| …  
| …
| …  
| …
| …  
| …
| …  
| …
|-
|-
|
| [http://www.abisource.com/projects/ '''wv''']  
[http://www.abisource.com/projects/ '''wv'''] ''[abisource.com]''
| C  
| C
| <span style="color:Green">yes </span>
| <font color="#580">yes</font>
| <span style="color:DarkRed"> no </span>
| <font color="#920">no</font>
| <span style="color:Green">yes </span>
| <font color="#580">yes</font>
| <span style="color:DarkRed">no </span>
| <font color="#920">no</font>
| Win, Mac, Linux  
| Win, Mac, Linux
| GPL <span style="color:Navy">[strong copyleft] </span>
| <span class="caps">GPL</span> <font color="#458">[strong copyleft]</font>
|}
|}


===Using manual <span class="caps">XML</span> processing===
=== Using manual XML processing ===
Files using the XML-based (.docx) format could be processed using Qt's XML handling classes (see [[Handling_Document_Formats | Handling Document Formats]]).


Files using the <span class="caps">XML</span>-based (.docx) format could be processed using Qt’s <span class="caps">XML</span> handling classes (see [[Handling Document Formats]]).
{| style="background-color:moccasin;" cellpadding="20" cellspacing="0" border="1"
| TODO: Expand this section.
|}


''<font size="0.9em"><font color="#530"><span class="caps">TODO</span>: Expand this section.</font></font>''
=== Using batch conversion tools ===
If all else fails, there is always the option of using an existing tool to automatically convert between Microsoft Word files and a more manageable format, and let your Qt application deal with that format instead. The conversion tool could be bundled with your application or specified as a prerequisite, and controlled via [[Doc:QProcess]]. Some possibilities are:


===Using batch conversion tools===


If all else fails, there is always the option of using an existing tool to automatically convert between Microsoft Word files and a more manageable format, and let your Qt application deal with that format instead. The conversion tool could be bundled with your application or specified as a prerequisite, and controlled via [[doc/QProcess|QProcess]]. Some possibilities are:


{| class="infotable line" style="width: 95%; margin-left: 2.5%"
{| class="wikitable"
!
|
! <font face="monospace">.doc</font> to
! .doc to
! <font face="monospace">.docx</font> to
! .docx to  
! … to <font face="monospace">.doc</font>
! … to .doc  
! … to <font face="monospace">.docx</font>
! … to .docx
! platforms
! platforms  
! license
|-
|-
|
| [http://www.abisource.com '''AbiWord''']  
[http://www.abisource.com '''AbiWord'''] ''[abisource.com]''
| .txt .rtf .html .dbk .odt .docx …  
| <font face="monospace">.txt .rtf .html .dbk .odt .docx …</font>
| .txt .rtf .html .dbk .odt …  
| <font face="monospace">.txt .rtf .html .dbk .odt …</font>
| -
|
| .txt .rtf .html .dbk .odt .doc …
| <font face="monospace">.txt .rtf .html .dbk .odt .doc …</font>
| Win, Mac, Linux, …  
| Win, Mac, Linux, …
| <span class="caps">GPL</span> <font color="#458">[strong copyleft]</font>
|-
|-
|
| [http://www.abisource.com/projects '''wvWare''']  
[http://www.abisource.com/projects '''wvWare'''] ''[abisource.com]''
| .txt .rtf .html .dbk …  
| <font face="monospace">.txt .rtf .html .dbk …</font>
| -
|
| -
|
| -
|
| Win, Mac, Linux, …  
| Win, Mac, Linux, …
| <span class="caps">GPL</span> <font color="#458">[strong copyleft]</font>
|-
|-
|
[http:// '''…''']
| <font face="monospace">…</font>
| <font face="monospace">…</font>
| <font face="monospace">…</font>
| <font face="monospace">…</font>
| …
| …
| …
| …
| …
| …
| …
| …
|}
|}


''Notes:''<br />
''Notes:''
AbiWord can be used like this for batch conversion: <code>abiword —to=outputfile.rtf inputfile.doc</code>


==Displaying / User-Interacting==
== Displaying / User-Interacting ==


===Using Word itself===
=== Using Word itself ===


''<font size="0.9em"><font color="#530"><span class="caps">TODO</span>: If you know whether Word provides a “viewer” ActiveX control that can be embedded in a Qt application through ActiveQT, please fill out this section (include links to relevant resources!)</font></font>''
{| style="background-color:moccasin;" cellpadding="20" cellspacing="0" border="1"
| TODO: If you know whether Word provides a "viewer" ActiveX control that can be embedded in a Qt application through ActiveQT, please fill out
this section (include links to relevant resources!)
|}


===Manual solution===
=== Manual solution ===
 
{| style="background-color:moccasin;" cellpadding="20" cellspacing="0" border="1"
''<font size="0.9em"><font color="#530"><span class="caps">TODO</span>: Tips for implementing a custom Microsoft Word viewer widget, using Qt and the Microsoft Word parsing libraries mentioned above</font></font>''
| TODO: Tips for implementing a custom Microsoft Word viewer widget, using Qt and the Microsoft Word parsing libraries mentioned above
|}


<font color="#fff">.</font>


==See Also==
== See Also ==


* [[Handling Document Formats]]
* [[Handling_Document_Formats | Handling Document Formats]]
** ''other Microsoft Office formats:''
** ''other Microsoft Office formats:''
*** [[Handling Microsoft PowerPoint file format|Microsoft Powerpoint]]
*** [[Handling Microsoft PowerPoint file format | Microsoft Powerpoint]]
*** [[Handling Microsoft Excel file format|Microsoft Excel]]
*** [[Handling Microsoft Excel file format | Microsoft Excel]]
** ''other “Text Document” formats:''
** ''other "Text Document" formats:''
*** [[Handling HTML|<span class="caps">HTML</span>]]
*** [[Handling_HTML | HTML]]
*** [[Handling PDF|<span class="caps">PDF</span>]]
*** [[Handling_PDF | PDF]]
*** [[Handling OpenDocument Text|OpenDocument Text]]
*** [[Handling_OpenDocument_Text | OpenDocument Text]]
*** [[Handling RTF|<span class="caps">RTF</span>]]
*** [[Handling_RTF | RTF]]
 
===Categories:===
 
* [[:Category:Developing with Qt|Developing_with_Qt]]

Latest revision as of 06:54, 31 March 2015



This page discusses various available options for working with Microsoft Word documents in your Qt application. Please also read the general considerations outlined on the Handling Document Formats page.


Note that this information is collaboratively collected by the community, with no promise

of completeness or correctness. In particular, use your own research and judgment when evaluating third-party libraries or tools!

One needs to distinguish between two different formats (this page deals with both of them):


Legacy "Word Document" format "Office Open XML Document" format
classification: binary XML-based
main filename extension: .doc .docx
main internet media type: application/vnd.ms-word application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document
default format of Word: until Word 2003 since Word 2007

Reading / Writing

Using Word itself

If you are exclusively targeting the Windows platform and Microsoft Word will be installed on all target machines, then you can use Qt’s ActiveX framework to access Word’s .doc and .docx processing functionality through OLE automation. For an introductory code example (and a way to list the API provided by Word's COM object), consult this how to (focuses on Microsoft Excel, but it works the same way for Word).

DLL file name COM object name platforms license
Microsoft Word ? Word.Application Windows commercial

Using independent parser/writer libraries

API .doc .docx reading writing platforms license
wv C yes no yes no Win, Mac, Linux GPL [strong copyleft]

Using manual XML processing

Files using the XML-based (.docx) format could be processed using Qt's XML handling classes (see Handling Document Formats).

TODO: Expand this section.

Using batch conversion tools

If all else fails, there is always the option of using an existing tool to automatically convert between Microsoft Word files and a more manageable format, and let your Qt application deal with that format instead. The conversion tool could be bundled with your application or specified as a prerequisite, and controlled via Doc:QProcess. Some possibilities are:


.doc to .docx to … to .doc … to .docx platforms
AbiWord .txt .rtf .html .dbk .odt .docx … .txt .rtf .html .dbk .odt … - .txt .rtf .html .dbk .odt .doc … Win, Mac, Linux, …
wvWare .txt .rtf .html .dbk … - - - Win, Mac, Linux, …

Notes:

AbiWord can be used like this for batch conversion:

abiword to=outputfile.rtf inputfile.doc

Displaying / User-Interacting

Using Word itself

TODO: If you know whether Word provides a "viewer" ActiveX control that can be embedded in a Qt application through ActiveQT, please fill out

this section (include links to relevant resources!)

Manual solution

TODO: Tips for implementing a custom Microsoft Word viewer widget, using Qt and the Microsoft Word parsing libraries mentioned above


See Also