parsing MS word docs -- tutorial request

[bp.tralfamadore]

All,

I am trying to write a script that will parse and extract data from a
MS Word document. Can / would anyone refer me to a tutorial on how to
do that? (perhaps from tables). I am aware of, and have downloaded
the pywin32 extensions, but am unsure of how to proceed -- I'm not
familiar with the COM API for word, so help for that would also be
welcome.

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks for your attention and
patience.

::bp::

 

[Okko Willeboordsed]

Get a copy of; Python Programming on Win32, ISBN 1-56592-621-8
Use Google and VBA for help

 

[Mike Driscoll]

Get a copy of;  Python Programming on Win32, ISBN 1-56592-621-8
Use Google and VBA for help

Also check out MSDN as the win32 module is a thin wrapper so most of
the syntax on MSDN or in VB examples can be directly translated to
Python. There's also a PyWin32 mailing list which is quite helpful:

http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-win32

Mike

 

[Reedick, Andrew]

-----Original Message-----

From: [email protected] [mailtoython-
[email protected]] On Behalf Of
(e-mail address removed)
Sent: Tuesday, October 28, 2008 10:26 AM
To: (e-mail address removed)
Subject: parsing MS word docs -- tutorial request

All,

I am trying to write a script that will parse and extract data from a
MS Word document. Can / would anyone refer me to a tutorial on how to
do that? (perhaps from tables). I am aware of, and have downloaded
the pywin32 extensions, but am unsure of how to proceed -- I'm not
familiar with the COM API for word, so help for that would also be
welcome.

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks for your attention and
patience.

::bp::

Word Object Model:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb244515.aspx

Google for sample code to get you started.

 

[Kay Schluehr]

All,

I am trying to write a script that will parse and extract data from a
MS Word document.  Can / would anyone refer me to a tutorial on how to
do that?  (perhaps from tables).  I am aware of, and have downloaded
the pywin32 extensions, but am unsure of how to proceed -- I'm not
familiar with the COM API for word, so help for that would also be
welcome.

Any help would be appreciated.  Thanks for your attention and
patience.

::bp::

One can convert MS-Word documents into some class of XML documents
called MHTML. If I remember correctly those documents had an .mht
extension. The result is a huge amount of ( nevertheless structured )
markup gibberish together with text. If one spends time and attention
one can find pattern in the markup ( we have XML and it's human
readable ).

A few years ago I used this conversion to implement roughly following
thing algorithm:

1. I manually highlighted one or more sections in a Word doc using a
background colour marker.
2. I searched for the colour marked section and determined the
structure. The structure information was fed into a state machine.
3. With this state machine I searched for all sections that were
equally structured.
4. I applied a href link to the text that was surrounded by the
structure and removed the colour marker.
5. In another document I searched for the same text and set an anchor.

This way I could link two documents ( those were public specifications
being originally disconnected ).

Kay

 

[Terry Reedy]

One can convert MS-Word documents into some class of XML documents
called MHTML. If I remember correctly those documents had an .mht
extension. The result is a huge amount of ( nevertheless structured )
markup gibberish together with text. If one spends time and attention
one can find pattern in the markup ( we have XML and it's human
readable ).

A related solution is to use OpenOffice to convert to
OpenDocumentFormat, a zipped multiple XML format, and then use ODFPY to
parse the XML and access the contents as linked objects.
http://opendocumentfellowship.com/development/projects/odfpy

 

[bp.tralfamadore]

Thanks everyone -- very helpful!
I really appreciate your help -- that is what makes the world a
wonderful place.

peace.

::bp::