Word Automation using VB.NET Articles, samples and tutorials

Word Automation using VB.NET

Index
Introduction
Working with Word interop
Start with code
Read content of Word file
Create a new word file and write in it
Print a document without opening it
Convert word document to HTML page

introduction
Recently i have worked with Interop objects, may be you have heard about this word. Interop are unmanaged object. basically COM Interop is a
technique to included COM objects in .NET to interact objects. Component Object Model (COM) interop expose object and it's functionality to other components
and use them to host various applications

Working with Word interop
In this article we are going to deal with Word interop objects. we can automate word files using this interoperability.
to automate word programmatically we need to add it's word interop assemblies.
we need Office 2003 or 2007 and VB.NET (here i used office 2003)

now open Visual studio and create new project in VB.NET. After that go to solution explorer Rightclick and add reference
new window will open go to COM tab and select "Microsoft Word 11.0 Object Library" if you have 2007 then you should select "Microsoft Word 12.0 Object Library"
here is snap
Word_Ref

Start with code
At the top of page we need to import reference


Imports word = Microsoft.Office.Interop.Word

yes, we import namespace now start with the actual operation.

Read content of Word file
here is our first task to read content of word file.
we need to create a object of Document and application. here is code


 'Open new instance
 dim objApp as New Word.Application 'create new object of word application
 dim objDoc as New Word.Document 'create new object of word document

 objDoc = objApp.Documents.Open(//word file path to open file)
 objDoc.Activate()
 MessageBox.Show(objDoc.Content.Text) 'Shows the content from word file

 'Dispose the word objects
 objDoc.Close()
 objApp.Quit()
 objDoc = Nothing
 objApp = Nothing

Create a new word file and write in it
we can create a new word file using word automation and write text in it


 'Open new instance
  objApp = New Word.Application
  objDoc = New Word.Document

 objDoc = objApp.Documents.Add() 'add new word file to documents collection
 objDoc.Activate() ' activate newly created file
 objApp.Selection.TypeText("This the First text") 'insert string in word file
 objDoc.SaveAs(//Path of file to save) 'save word file


  'Dispose the word objects
  objDoc.Close()
  objApp.Quit()
  objDoc = Nothing
  objApp = Nothing

Print a document without opening it


 Dim objApp As Word.Application
 Dim objDoc As Word.Document
 objApp = New Word.Application()
 objDoc = objApp.Documents.Open("//Path of a file to Open")    
 objDoc.PrintOut( _
 Background:=True, _
 Append:=False, _
 Range:=Word.WdPrintOutRange.wdPrintCurrentPage, _
 Item:=Word.WdPrintOutItem.wdPrintDocumentContent, _
 Copies:="1", _
 Pages:="1", _
 PageType:=Word.WdPrintOutPages.wdPrintAllPages, _
 PrintToFile:=False, _
 Collate:=True, _
 ManualDuplexPrint:=False)
  
 objDoc.Close();
 objApp.Quit();
   
 objDoc = Nothing
 objApp = Nothing

Convert word document to HTML page
we can convert word file to web page using word automation


 Dim objApp As Word.Application
    Dim objDoc As Word.Document
    objApp = New Word.Application()
    objDoc = objApp.Documents.Open("//Path of a file to Open")    
    
    oDoc.SaveAs(FileName:=.FileName.ToString.Replace(".doc", ".htm"), FileFormat:=Word.WdSaveFormat.wdFormatHTML)
    oDoc.Saved = True
    oDoc.Close(SaveChanges:=False)
    oDoc = Nothing

Real world fact
Word is heavy interop object and it is unmanaged resource so GC unable to understand and collect it after use, we have to make force code to
collect the object from meory.
for this perticular code i have used Close() and Quit() methods to dispose word objects.
Word automation may slow down the system processes.

Thanks
Suggestion are most welcome

Thanks
koolprasad2003

Word Automation using VB.NET

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