SFDocuments.Writer service
The SFDocuments shared library provides a number of methods and properties to facilitate the management and handling of Office documents.
Some methods are generic for all types of documents and are inherited from the SF-Document module, whereas other methods that are specific for Writer documents are defined in the SF-Writer module.
Service invocation
Before using the Writer 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
The Writer service is closely related to the UI service of the ScriptForge library. Below are a few examples of how the Writer service can be invoked.
In Basic
The code snippet below creates a Writer service instance that corresponds to the currently active Writer document.
Dim oDoc As Object
Set oDoc = CreateScriptService("SFDocuments.Writer", "Untitled 1") ' Default = ActiveWindow
Another way to create an instance of the Writer service is using the UI service. In the following example, a new Writer document is created and oDoc is a Writer service instance:
Dim ui As Object, oDoc As Object
Set ui = CreateScriptService("UI")
Set oDoc = ui.CreateDocument("Writer")
Or using the OpenDocument method from the UI service:
Set oDoc = ui.OpenDocument("C:\Me\MyFile.odt")
It is also possible to instantiate the Writer service using the CreateScriptService method:
Dim oDoc As Object
Set oDoc = CreateScriptService("SFDocuments.Writer", "MyFile.odt")
In the example above, "MyFile.odt" is the name of an open document window. If this argument is not provided, the active window is considered.
It is recommended to free resources after use:
Set oDoc = oDoc.Dispose()
However, if the document was closed using the CloseDocument method, it becomes unnecessary to free resources using the command described above.
In Python
myDoc = CreateScriptService("Writer") ' Default = ActiveWindow
ui = CreateScriptService("UI")
myDoc = ui.CreateDocument("Writer")
myDoc = ui.OpenDocument(r"C:\Documents\MyFile.odt")
myDoc = CreateScriptService("SFDocuments.Writer", "MyFile.odt")
myDoc.Dispose()
The use of the prefix "SFDocuments." while calling the service is optional.
Definitions
Properties
Methods
| List of Methods in the Writer Service | ||
|---|---|---|
| Forms | PrintOut | … |
Forms
Depending on the parameters provided this method will return:
- A zero-based Array (or a tuple in Python) with the names of all the forms contained in the document (if the form argument is absent)
- A SFDocuments.Form service instance representing the form specified as argument.
This method is applicable only for Writer documents. Calc and Base documents have their own Forms method in the Calc and Base services, respectively.
Syntax:
svc.Forms(): str[0..*]
svc.Forms(form: str = ''): svc
svc.Forms(form: int): svc
Parameters:
form: The name or index corresponding to a form stored in the document. If this argument is absent, the method will return a list with the names of all forms available in the document.
Example:
In the following examples, the first line gets the names of all forms in the document and the second line retrieves the Form object of the form named "Form-A".
In Basic
Set FormNames = oDoc.Forms()
Set FormA = oDoc.Forms("Form-A")
In Python
form-names = doc.Forms()
form-A = doc.Forms("Form-A")
PrintOut
Send the contents of the document to the printer. The printer may be previously defined by default, by the user or by the SetPrinter method of the Document service. Returns True when successful.
Syntax:
svc.PrintOut(opt pages: str = "", opt copies: num = 1, opt printbackground: bool = True, opt printblankpages: bool = False, opt printevenpages: bool = True, opt printoddpages: bool = True, opt printimages: bool = True): bool
Parameters:
pages: The pages to print as a string, like in the user interface. Example: "1-4;10;15-18". Default = all pages
copies: The number of copies, default is 1.
printbackground: Prints the background image when True (default).
printblankpages: When False (default), omits empty pages.
printevenpages: Prints even pages when True (default).
printoddpages: Print odd pages when True (default).
printimages: Print graphic objects when True (default).
Example:
In Basic
oDoc.PrintOut("1-4;10;15-18", Copies := 2, PrintImages := False)
In Python
doc.PrintOut(printblankpages = True, copies = 3)
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.