Way to replace string in word DOC ?

[goodywp]

Hi all,

I know that the word document is GUI application and obviously so far to my knowledge can not be replacing string directly in command line. Someone suggested using 3rd party utility.

Does anyone has some idea, suggestion or good experience on this matter?

Your input shall be greatly appreciated as always...

Thanks

goodywp

[aGerman]

It's possible to automate MS Word, provided it was installed on the machine where you use the script. The ActiveX interface can't be accessed by Batch but a JScript hybrid could come in handy in that case. I'll try to write some lines of code this evening...

Steffen

[aGerman]

Okay here it goes ...

Save with extension .bat

Code: Select all

@if (0)==(0) echo off &setlocal EnableExtensions DisableDelayedExpansion &set "wordrepl=cscript //nologo //e:jscript %~fs0"

:: Usage:
::  %wordrepl%  FileName  Find  Replace  [/i]  [/w]  [/a]  [/b]  [/e]  [/p]
::    FileName    path of the Word document
::    Find        text to search for
::    Replace     text used for the replacement
::    /i          ignore case
::    /w          match whole words only
::    /a          advanced: use wildcards and (kind of) regex
::                  http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/word-help/find-and-replace-text-by-using-regular-expressions-advanced-HA102350661.aspx
::    /b          match words beginning with the search string
::    /e          match words ending with the search string
::    /p          match phrase, ignore all white space and control characters between words
:: returns 0 if the script succeeded
::         1 if no replacement was performed (e.g. search string not found)
::         2 if an error occurred (e.g. MS Word not installed, file not found, file read-only, file password-protected, etc.)


:::::: BATCH ::::::
%wordrepl% "test.docx" "ABC" "xyz" /i /w
echo %errorlevel%
pause


:::::: JSCRIPT ::::::
goto :eof @end
if (WScript.Arguments.Unnamed.Count != 3 || WScript.Arguments.Count() > 9) WScript.Quit(2);

var namedParams = null, bMatchCase = true, bMatchWholeWord = false, bMatchWildcards = false, wdApp = null, wdDoc = null, wdFind = null, oFSO = null, oFile = null, bRet = false;

try {
  oFSO = WScript.CreateObject('Scripting.FileSystemObject');
  oFile = oFSO.OpenTextFile(oFSO.GetAbsolutePathName(WScript.Arguments.Unnamed(0)), 8, false);
  oFile.Close();

  wdApp = WScript.CreateObject('Word.Application'); /* open the Word application */
  wdApp.Visible = false; /* without window */
  wdApp.Application.DisplayAlerts = 0;

  wdDoc = wdApp.Documents.Open(oFSO.GetAbsolutePathName(WScript.Arguments.Unnamed(0))); /* open the document */
  if (wdDoc.ReadOnly == true) throw true;

  wdFind = wdDoc.Content.Find;
  namedParams = WScript.Arguments.Named

  /* https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/microsoft.office.interop.word.find_members.aspx */
  if (namedParams.Exists('b')) wdFind.MatchPrefix = true;
  if (namedParams.Exists('e')) wdFind.MatchSuffix = true;
  if (namedParams.Exists('p')) wdFind.MatchPhrase = true;

  /* replace text (https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/microsoft.office.interop.word.find.execute.aspx) */
  if (namedParams.Exists('i')) bMatchCase = false;
  if (namedParams.Exists('w')) bMatchWholeWord = true;
  if (namedParams.Exists('a')) bMatchWildcards = true;
  bRet = wdFind.Execute(
    WScript.Arguments.Unnamed(1), /* FindText */
    bMatchCase,                   /* MatchCase */
    bMatchWholeWord,              /* MatchWholeWord */
    bMatchWildcards,              /* MatchWildcards */
    false,                        /* MatchSoundsLike */
    false,                        /* MatchAllWordForms */
    true,                         /* Forward */
    1,                            /* Wrap (1 = wdFindContinue) */
    false,                        /* Format */
    WScript.Arguments.Unnamed(2), /* ReplaceWith */
    2                             /* Replace (2 = wdReplaceAll) */
  );

  wdDoc.Close(bRet == true ? -1 : 0); /* save (if the replacement was successful) and close the document */
  wdDoc = null;
  wdApp.Quit(); /* quit the Word application */
  wdApp = null;
  WScript.Quit(bRet == false ? 1 : 0);
}
catch (e) {
  if (wdDoc != null) wdDoc.Close(0); /* close unsaved */
  if (wdApp != null) wdApp.Quit();
  WScript.Quit(2);
}

The first line is mandatory and the JScript portion has to be the last part of the script as always in Batch-JScript-Hybrids.
It's only a proof of concept and I was only able to test using Word 2003.

Steffen

//EDIT 2018-06-17: code slightly improved, return value changed
//EDIT 2018-06-18: added options /b, /e, and /p

[goodywp]

Okay here it goes ...

Save with extension .bat

Code: Select all

@if (0)==(0) echo off &setlocal EnableExtensions DisableDelayedExpansion &set "wordrepl=cscript //nologo //e:jscript %~fs0"

:: Usage:
::  %wordrepl%  FileName  Find  Replace  [/i]  [/w]  [/a]  [/b]  [/e]  [/p]
::    FileName    path of the Word document
::    Find        text to search for
::    Replace     text used for the replacement
::    /i          ignore case
::    /w          match whole words only
::    /a          advanced: use wildcards and (kind of) regex
::                  http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/word-help/find-and-replace-text-by-using-regular-expressions-advanced-HA102350661.aspx
::    /b          match words beginning with the search string
::    /e          match words ending with the search string
::    /p          match phrase, ignore all white space and control characters between words
:: returns 0 if the script succeeded
::         1 if no replacement was performed (e.g. search string not found)
::         2 if an error occurred (e.g. MS Word not installed, file not found, file read-only, file password-protected, etc.)


:::::: BATCH ::::::
%wordrepl% "test.docx" "ABC" "xyz" /i /w
echo %errorlevel%
pause


:::::: JSCRIPT ::::::
goto :eof @end
if (WScript.Arguments.Unnamed.Count != 3 || WScript.Arguments.Count() > 9) WScript.Quit(2);

var namedParams = null, bMatchCase = true, bMatchWholeWord = false, bMatchWildcards = false, wdApp = null, wdDoc = null, wdFind = null, oFSO = null, oFile = null, bRet = false;

try {
  oFSO = WScript.CreateObject('Scripting.FileSystemObject');
  oFile = oFSO.OpenTextFile(oFSO.GetAbsolutePathName(WScript.Arguments.Unnamed(0)), 8, false);
  oFile.Close();

  wdApp = WScript.CreateObject('Word.Application'); /* open the Word application */
  wdApp.Visible = false; /* without window */
  wdApp.Application.DisplayAlerts = 0;

  wdDoc = wdApp.Documents.Open(oFSO.GetAbsolutePathName(WScript.Arguments.Unnamed(0))); /* open the document */
  if (wdDoc.ReadOnly == true) throw true;

  wdFind = wdDoc.Content.Find;
  namedParams = WScript.Arguments.Named

  /* https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/microsoft.office.interop.word.find_members.aspx */
  if (namedParams.Exists('b')) wdFind.MatchPrefix = true;
  if (namedParams.Exists('e')) wdFind.MatchSuffix = true;
  if (namedParams.Exists('p')) wdFind.MatchPhrase = true;

  /* replace text (https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/microsoft.office.interop.word.find.execute.aspx) */
  if (namedParams.Exists('i')) bMatchCase = false;
  if (namedParams.Exists('w')) bMatchWholeWord = true;
  if (namedParams.Exists('a')) bMatchWildcards = true;
  bRet = wdFind.Execute(
    WScript.Arguments.Unnamed(1), /* FindText */
    bMatchCase,                   /* MatchCase */
    bMatchWholeWord,              /* MatchWholeWord */
    bMatchWildcards,              /* MatchWildcards */
    false,                        /* MatchSoundsLike */
    false,                        /* MatchAllWordForms */
    true,                         /* Forward */
    1,                            /* Wrap (1 = wdFindContinue) */
    false,                        /* Format */
    WScript.Arguments.Unnamed(2), /* ReplaceWith */
    2                             /* Replace (2 = wdReplaceAll) */
  );

  wdDoc.Close(bRet == true ? -1 : 0); /* save (if the replacement was successful) and close the document */
  wdDoc = null;
  wdApp.Quit(); /* quit the Word application */
  wdApp = null;
  WScript.Quit(bRet == false ? 1 : 0);
}
catch (e) {
  if (wdDoc != null) wdDoc.Close(0); /* close unsaved */
  if (wdApp != null) wdApp.Quit();
  WScript.Quit(2);
}

The first line is mandatory and the JScript portion has to be the last part of the script as always in Batch-JScript-Hybrids.
It's only a proof of concept and I was only able to test using Word 2003.

Steffen

//EDIT 2018-06-17: code slightly improved, return value changed
//EDIT 2018-06-18: added options /b, /e, and /p

Thanks soooo..... much and I shall try it out in several word versions and let you know...

[aGerman]

I found some kind of bug in the return value of the Find.Execute method that makes the return value of the script rather ambiguous. E.g if you have the word abcx in your document and you want to replace abc, but only the whole word (using option /w). The Execute method returns true because it found abc in abcx even though it didn't perform the replacement because the whole word consists of abc plus x. That means the script behaves correctly but it would return 0 without any replacement done. I can't fix it because I just use Microsoft's Execute method.
FWIW Meanwhile I was able to test the script at work with Office 2013 installed. It seems to work out.

Steffen

[goodywp]

I found some kind of bug in the return value of the Find.Execute method that makes the return value of the script rather ambiguous. E.g if you have the word abcx in your document and you want to replace abc, but only the whole word (using option /w). The Execute method returns true because it found abc in abcx even though it didn't perform the replacement because the whole word consists of abc plus x. That means the script behaves correctly but it would return 0 without any replacement done. I can't fix it because I just use Microsoft's Execute method.
FWIW Meanwhile I was able to test the script at work with Office 2013 installed. It seems to work out.

Steffen

Thanks Steffen!!! not find time to try it out yet...

[goodywp]

I found some kind of bug in the return value of the Find.Execute method that makes the return value of the script rather ambiguous. E.g if you have the word abcx in your document and you want to replace abc, but only the whole word (using option /w). The Execute method returns true because it found abc in abcx even though it didn't perform the replacement because the whole word consists of abc plus x. That means the script behaves correctly but it would return 0 without any replacement done. I can't fix it because I just use Microsoft's Execute method.
FWIW Meanwhile I was able to test the script at work with Office 2013 installed. It seems to work out.

Steffen

Thanks Steffen!!! not find time to try it out yet...

I tried these steps as below:
1) open Word2013
2) type ABC then save it as wordtest.doc in the same folder as WINWORD.exe C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office15
3) Modify your script as

Code: Select all

.............
%wordrepl% "wordtest.doc" "ABC" "xyz" /i /w
echo %errorlevel%
pause
.............

4) and save it as word_convert.bat in C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office15
5) under C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office15 run word_convert.bat
return 2 (if an error occurred (e.g. MS Word not installed, file not found, file read-only, file password-protected, etc.)

My questions to you, Do I need to save the word document as wordtest.docx as in your scripts via save as type Strict OpenXML Document or Word XML DOcument ?
Anyway, tried both saving and after run, still got the return 2 value same as first time...

Could you please let me know your works fine scenarios or point out my wrong doing...

Thanks

Tried in another computer and works!!!!

[Squashman]

Don't try and read and write to any type of system or Program Files folder. You need elevated privileges to do that.

[aGerman]

It doesn't matter if you saved the document as .doc or as .docx as long as you specify the same file name and extension in the script. But why did you save the document in the program files directory? Usually you'd need elevated permissions to do any write operations there (and saving the changed file is a write operation). Also there is no need to have the script in this folder.
If you don't have both the script and the document in the same folder then you need to specify the whole path of your document in the script.

Steffen

[goodywp]

Don't try and read and write to any type of system or Program Files folder. You need elevated privileges to do that.

Thanks for your reminding. I just a temporary used for a testing. Did the rest on another folder.

[goodywp]

It doesn't matter if you saved the document as .doc or as .docx as long as you specify the same file name and extension in the script. But why did you save the document in the program files directory? Usually you'd need elevated permissions to do any write operations there (and saving the changed file is a write operation). Also there is no need to have the script in this folder.
If you don't have both the script and the document in the same folder then you need to specify the whole path of your document in the script.

Steffen

Thanks Steffen!

Is any way to replace more than one string in the scripts?
say I want to replace ABC to xyz
and also EFG to uvw
Thanks

[aGerman]

Just use the %wordrepl% macro twice in your script. Follow the link in the Usage comment to learn more about the capabilities of a single call.

Steffen

[goodywp]

Just use the %wordrepl% macro twice in your script. Follow the link in the Usage comment to learn more about the capabilities of a single call.

Steffen

Yes!! works perfectly...