SFDocuments.Document service
The SFDocuments library provides methods and properties to facilitate the management and manipulation of Office documents.
Methods that are applicable for all types of documents (Text Documents, Sheets, Presentations, etc) are provided by the SFDocuments.Document service. Some examples are:
- Opening, closing and saving documents
- Accessing standard or custom properties of documents
The properties, methods or arguments marked with (*) are NOT applicable to Base documents.
Methods and properties that are specific to certain Office components are stored in separate services, such as SFDocuments.SF-Calc and SFDocuments.SF-Base.
Although the Basic language does not offer inheritance between object classes, the latter services may be considered as subclasses of the SFDocuments.Document service. Such subclasses can invoke the properties and methods described below.
Service invocation
Before using the Document service the ScriptForge library needs to be loaded or imported:
• Basic macros require to load ScriptForge library using the following statement:
GlobalScope.BasicLibraries.loadLibrary("ScriptForge")
• Python scripts require an import from scriptforge module:
from scriptforge import CreateScriptService
Below are three variants of how the Document service can be invoked.
In Basic
Using the getDocument method from the ScriptForge.UI service:
Dim ui As Object, oDoc As Object
Set ui = CreateScriptService("UI")
Set oDoc = ui.GetDocument("Untitled 1")
Alternatively you can use the methods CreateDocument and OpenDocument from the UI service.
Set oDocA = ui.CreateDocument("Calc")
Set oDocB = ui.OpenDocument("C:\Documents\MyFile.odt")
Directly if the document is already open.
Dim oDoc As Object
Set oDoc = CreateScriptService("SFDocuments.Document", "Untitled 1") 'Default = ActiveWindow
From a macro triggered by a document event.
Sub RunEvent(ByRef poEvent As Object)
Dim oDoc As Object
Set oDoc = CreateScriptService("SFDocuments.DocumentEvent", poEvent)
' (...)
End Sub
The Document service is closely related to the UI and FileSystem services.
Except when the document was closed by program with the CloseDocument method (it is then superfluous), it is recommended to free resources after use:
Set oDoc = oDoc.Dispose()
In Python
from scriptforge import CreateScriptService
ui = CreateScriptService("UI")
doc = ui.GetDocument("Untitled 1")
# (...)
doc.Dispose()
docA = ui.CreateDocument("Calc")
docB = ui.OpenDocument("C:\Documents\MyFile.odt")
doc = CreateScriptService("SFDocuments.Document", "Untitled 1")
def RunEvent(event)
doc = CreateScriptService("SFDocuments.DocumentEvent", Event)
# (...)
The use of the prefix "SFDocuments." while calling the service is optional.
Properties
| Name | Readonly | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| CustomProperties (*) | No | Dictionary service | Returns a ScriptForge.Dictionary object instance. After update, can be passed again to the property for updating the document.Individual items of the dictionary may be either strings, numbers, (Basic) dates or com.sun.star.util.Duration items. |
| Description (*) | No | String | Gives access to the Description property of the document (also known as "Comments") |
| DocumentProperties (*) | Yes | Dictionary service | Returns a ScriptForge.Dictionary object containing all the entries. Document statistics are included. Note that they are specific to the type of document. As an example, a Calc document includes a "CellCount" entry. Other documents do not. |
| DocumentType | Yes | String | String value with the document type ("Base", "Calc", "Writer", etc) |
| ExportFilters | Yes | String array | Returns a list with the export filter names applicable to the current document as a zero-based array of strings. Filters used for both import/export are also returned. |
| ImportFilters | Yes | String array | Returns a list with the import filter names applicable to the current document as a zero-based array of strings. Filters used for both import/export are also returned. |
| IsBaseIsCalcIsDrawIsImpressIsMathIsWriter | Yes | Boolean | Exactly one of these properties is True for a given document. |
| Keywords (*) | No | String | Gives access to the Keywords property of the document. Represented as a comma-separated list of keywords |
| Readonly (*) | Yes | Boolean | True if the document is actually in read-only mode |
| Subject (*) | No | String | Gives access to the Subject property of the document. |
| Title (*) | No | String | Gives access to the Title property of the document. |
| XComponent | Yes | UNO Object | The UNO object com.sun.star.lang.XComponent or com.sun.star.comp.dba.ODatabaseDocument representing the document |
Example:
In Basic
The example below prints all the properties of a document. Note that the oDoc object returned by the UI.OpenDocument method is a SFDocuments.Document object.
Dim ui as Variant : Set ui = CreateScriptService("UI")
Dim oDoc as Object
Set oDoc = ui.OpenDocument("C:\Documents\MyFile.ods")
Dim propDict as Object
Set propDict = oDoc.DocumentProperties
Dim keys as Variant : propKeys = propDict.Keys
Dim k as String, strProp as String
For Each k In propKeys
strProp = strProp & k & ": " & propDict.Item(k) & CHR$(10)
Next k
MsgBox strProp
oDoc.CloseDocument()
In Python
To access document properties in a Python script the user needs to directly access them using their names, as shown below:
doc = ui.GetDocument(r"C:\Documents\MyFile.ods")
msg = doc.Title + '\n' + doc.Description + '\n' + doc.Keywords
bas = CreateScriptService("Basic")
bas.MsgBox(msg)
doc.CloseDocument()
| List of Methods in the Document Service | ||
|---|---|---|
| Activate CloseDocument CreateMenu ExportAsPDF | PrintOut RemoveMenu RunCommand Save | SaveAs SaveCopyAs SetPrinter |
Activate
Returns True if the document could be activated. Otherwise, there is no change in the actual user interface. It is equivalent to the Activate method of the UI service.
This method is useful when one needs to give focus for a document that is minimised or hidden.
Syntax:
svc.Activate(): bool
Example:
The example below considers that the file "My-File.ods" is already open but not active.
In Basic
Dim oDoc As Object
Set oDoc = CreateScriptService("Document", "MyFile.ods")
oDoc.Activate()
In Python
doc = CreateScriptService("Document", "MyFile.ods")
doc.Activate()
Keep in mind that you can invoke the Document service by passing to CreateScriptService either "Document" or "SFDocuments.Document"
CloseDocument
Closes the document. If the document is already closed, regardless of how the document was closed, this method has no effect and returns False.
The method will also return False if the user declines to close it.
Returns True if the document was successfully closed.
Syntax:
svc.CloseDocument(saveask: bool = True): bool
Parameters:
saveask : If True (default), the user is invited to confirm if the changes should be written on disk. This argument is ignored if the document was not modified.
Example:
In Basic
If oDoc.CloseDocument(True) Then
' ...
End If
In Python
if doc.CloseDocument(True):
# ...
CreateMenu
Creates a new menu entry in the menubar of a given document window.
This method returns an instance of the SFWidgets.Menu service.
The menu created is only available during the current Office session and is not saved neither in the document nor in the global application settings. Hence closing the document window will make the menu disappear. It will only reappear when the macro that creates the menu is executed again.
Syntax:
svc.CreateMenu(menuheader: str, [before: any], submenuchar: str = ">"): svc
Parameters:
menuheader: The toplevel name of the new menu.
before: The name (as a string) or position (as an integer starting at 1) of an existing menu before which the new menu will be placed. If no value is defined for this argument, the menu will be created at the last position in the menubar.
submenuchar: The delimiter used to create menu trees when calling methods as AddItem from the Menu service. The default value is ">".
Example:
In Basic
Dim oDoc as Object, oMenu as Object
Set oDoc = CreateScriptService("Document")
Set oMenu = oDoc.CreateMenu("My Menu")
With oMenu
' Add items to the menu
.AddItem("Item A")
.AddItem("Item B")
' ...
' After creating the menu, the service instance can be disposed of
.Dispose()
End With
In Python
doc = CreateScriptService("Document")
menu = doc.CreateMenu("My Menu")
menu.AddItem("Item A")
menu.AddItem("Item B")
# ...
menu.Dispose()
Refer to the SFWidgets.Menu help page to learn more about how to create/remove menus in Office document windows.
ExportAsPDF
Exports the document directly as a PDF file to the specified location. Returns True if the PDF file was successfully created.
The export options can be set either manually using the File - Export As - Export as PDF dialog or by calling the methods GetPDFExportOptions and SetPDFExportOptions from the Session service.
Syntax:
svc.ExportAsPDF(filename: str, overwrite: bool = False, opt pages: str, opt password: str, opt watermark: str): bool
Parameters:
filename: The full path and file name of the PDF to be created. It must follow the SF-FileSystem.FileNaming notation.
overwrite: Specifies if the destination file can be overwritten (Default = False). An error will occur if overwrite is set to False and the destination file already exists.
pages: String specifying which pages will be exported. This argument uses the same notation as in the dialog File - Export As - Export as PDF.
password: Specifies a password to open the PDF file.
watermark: Text to be used as watermark in the PDF file, which will be drawn in every page of the resulting PDF.
Example:
In Basic
The following example exports the current document as a PDF file, defines a password and overwrites the destination file if it already exists.
oDoc.ExportAsPDF("C:\User\Documents\myFile.pdf", Password := "1234", Overwrite := True)
The code snippet below gets the current PDF export options and uses them to create the PDF file.
Dim exportSettings as Object, oSession as Object
oSession = CreateScriptService("Session")
exportSettings = oSession.GetPDFExportOptions()
' Sets to True the option to export comments as PDF notes
exportSettings.ReplaceItem("ExportNotes", True)
oSession.SetPDFExportOptions(exportSettings)
oDoc.ExportAsPDF("C:\User\Documents\myFile.pdf")
In Python
doc.ExportAsPDF(r"C:\User\Documents\myFile.pdf", password = "1234", overwrite = True)
session = CreateScriptService("Session")
exportSettings = oSession.GetPDFExportOptions()
exportSettings.ReplaceItem("ExportNotes", True)
session.SetPDFExportOptions(exportSettings)
doc.ExportAsPDF(r"C:\User\Documents\myFile.pdf")
PrintOut
This method sends the contents of the document to the default printer or to the printer defined by the SetPrinter method.
Returns True if the document was successfully printed.
Syntax:
svc.PrintOut(pages: str = "", copies: num = 1): bool
Parameters:
pages: The pages to print as a string, like in the user interface. Example: "1-4;10;15-18". Default is all pages.
copies: The number of copies. Default is 1.
Example:
In Basic
If oDoc.PrintOut("1-4;10;15-18", Copies := 2) Then
' ...
End If
In Python
if doc.PrintOut(copies=3, pages='45-88'):
# ...
RemoveMenu
Removes a toplevel menu from the menubar of a given document window.
Returns True if the specified menu could be removed. If the specified menu does not exist, the method returns False.
This method can be used to remove any menu entry from the document window, including default menus. However, none of these changes in the menubar are saved to the document or to the application settings. To restore the menubar to the default settings, simply close and reopen the document window.
Syntax:
svc.RemoveMenu(menuheader: str): bool
Parameters:
menuheader: The toplevel name of the menu to be removed.
Example:
In Basic
Dim oDoc as Object
Set oDoc = CreateScriptService("Document")
oDoc.RemoveMenu("My Menu")
In Python
doc = CreateScriptService("Document")
doc.RemoveMenu("My Menu")
Refer to the SFWidgets.Menu help page to learn more about how to create/remove menus in Office document windows.
RunCommand
Runs a UNO command on the document window associated with the service instance. A few typical commands are: Save, SaveAs, ExportToPDF, Undo, Copy, Paste, etc.
The document itself does not need to be active to be able to run commands.
Commands can be run with or without arguments. Arguments are not validated before running the command. If the command or its arguments are invalid, then nothing will happen.
For a complete list of UNO commands that can be run in Office, refer to the Wiki page Development/DispatchCommands.
Syntax:
svc.RunCommand(command: str, [args: any])
Parameters:
command: Case-sensitive string containing the UNO command name. The inclusion of the prefix ".uno:" in the command is optional. The command itself is not checked for correctness. If nothing happens after the command call, then the command is probably wrong.
args: For each argument to be passed to the command, specify a pair containing the argument name and value.
Example:
In Basic
The following example runs the SelectData command in a Calc file named "MyFile.ods", which will result in the selection of the data area based on the currently selected cell. Note that this command does not require any arguments.
Set oDoc = CreateScriptService("Document", "MyFile.ods")
oDoc.RunCommand("SelectData")
Below is an example that runs the UNO command ReplaceAll and passes values for its arguments SearchString and ReplaceString. Running this command will replace all occurrence of the string "abc" by "ABC" in the current sheet.
' Arguments passed to the command:
' SearchString = "abc"
' ReplaceString = "ABC"
oDoc.RunCommand(".uno:ReplaceAll", "SearchString", "abc", "ReplaceString", "ABC")
Note that calling the command ReplaceAll without arguments will open the Find and Replace dialog.
In Python
doc = CreateScriptService("Document", "MyFile.ods")
doc.RunCommand("SelectData")
doc.RunCommand(".uno:ReplaceAll", "SearchString", "abc", "ReplaceString", "ABC")
In Python it is also possible to call RunCommand using keyword arguments:
doc.RunCommand(".uno:ReplaceAll", SearchString = "abc", ReplaceString = "ABC")
Each Office component has its own set of commands available. One easy way to learn commands is going to Tools - Customise - Keyboard. When you position your mouse over a function in the Function list, a tooltip will appear with the corresponding UNO command.
Save
Stores the document to the file location from which it was loaded. The method is ignored if the document was not modified.
Returns False if the document could not be saved. An error is raised if the file is open as read-only, or if it is a new file that has not been saved yet.
The document itself does not need to be active to run this method.
Syntax:
svc.Save(): bool
Example:
In Basic
If Not oDoc.Save() Then
' ...
End If
In Python
if not doc.Save():
# ...
SaveAs
Stores the document to the given file location. The new location becomes the new file name on which simple Save method calls will be applied.
Returns False if the document could not be saved. An error is raised when overwriting the destination is rejected or when the destination has its read-only attribute set.
The document itself does not need to be active to run this method.
Syntax:
svc.SaveAs(filename: str, overwrite: bool = False, password: str = '', filtername: str = '', filteroptions: str = ''): bool
Parameters:
filename: A string containing the file name to be used. It must follow the SF-FileSystem.FileNaming notation.
overwrite: If True, the destination file may be overwritten (default = False).
password (*): A non-space string to protect the document.
filtername (*): The name of a filter that should be used for saving the document. If this argument is passed, then the filter must exist.
filteroptions (*): An optional string of options associated with the filter.
Example:
In Basic
oDoc.SaveAs("C:\Documents\NewCopy.odt", overwrite := True)
In Python
doc.SaveAs(r"C:\Documents\NewCopy.odt", overwrite = True)
SaveCopyAs
Stores a copy of or export the document to the given file location. The actual location is unchanged.
Returns False if the document could not be saved. An error is raised when overwriting the destination is rejected or when the destination has its read-only attribute set.
The document itself does not need to be active to run this method.
Syntax:
svc.SaveCopyAs(filename: str, overwrite: bool = False, password: str = '', filtername: str = '', filteroptions: str = ''): bool
Parameters:
filename: A string containing the file name to be used. It must follow the SF-FileSystem.FileNaming notation.
overwrite: If True, the destination file may be overwritten (default = False).
password (*): A non-space string to protect the document.
filtername (*): The name of a filter that should be used for saving the document. If this argument is passed, then the filter must exist.
filteroptions (*): An optional string of options associated with the filter.
Example:
In Basic
oDoc.SaveCopyAs("C:\Documents\Copy2.odt", Overwrite := True)
In Python
doc.SaveCopyAs(r"C:\Documents\Copy2.odt", overwrite = True)
SetPrinter
Defines the printer options for the document.
Returns True when successful.
Syntax:
svc.SetPrinter(opt printer: str, opt orientation: str, paperformat: str): bool
Parameters:
printer: The name of the printer queue where to print to. When absent, the default printer is set.
orientation: Either PORTRAIT or LANDSCAPE. When absent, left unchanged with respect to the printer settings.
paperformat: Specifies the paper format as a string value that can be either A3, A4, A5, LETTER, LEGAL or TABLOID. Left unchanged when absent.
Example:
In Basic
oDoc.SetPrinter(Orientation := "PORTRAIT")
In Python
doc.SetPrinter(paperformat='TABLOID')
All ScriptForge Basic routines or identifiers that are prefixed with an underscore character "-" are reserved for internal use. They are not meant be used in Basic macros or Python scripts.