create .docx files (MS-WORD with WIN32::OLE)

[gadi99]

Hello all, Here is what I seek: My Perl reads an input file with about 80 rows of data. For each row I need to create a new DOCX with some of the data from that input row. All MS-WORD files go the same folder. I spent a couple of days trying to figure this out but couldn't. Please, could any of you provide me with a simple example of a very simple Perl pgm that automatically creates 2 docx files, enters in them a constant and a variable from the input file, and saves them, without the user's intervention. I can't save the docx files. I get error: "Can't call method "SaveAs" on an undefined value at DOC.pl line 18, <INPUTFILE> line 1."

use strict;
use warnings;
use Win32::OLE;
use Win32::OLE::Const 'Microsoft Word';
my $path   = 'E:/MASAV/DOC/';
my $input  = 'input.txt';
my $in_file = $path . $input;
my $counter = 4534;
my $My_Word = Win32::OLE->new('Word.Application')
            or die "Problem with MS-WORD";
open (INPUTFILE, "<$in_file")|| die "Can not open $in_file\n";
while(<INPUTFILE>) {
chomp $_;
$counter++;
my $docx_name = $counter.".docx";
$My_Word->{'Visible'} = 0;
$My_Word->{DisplayAlerts} = 0;
my $My_Save = $My_Word->ActiveDocument->SaveAs(
{FileName => $docx_name, FileFormat =>   wdFormatDocument});
$My_Word->{ActiveDocument}->Close;
}
$My_Word->Quit;

[poj]

You need to Add a document ;

use strict;
use warnings;
use Win32::OLE;
use Win32::OLE::Const 'Microsoft Word';

my $My_Word = Win32::OLE->new('Word.Application')
   or die "Problem with MS-WORD";
my $counter = 4534;
my $path = 'C:/temp/';

while(<DATA>) {
  chomp $_;
  $counter++;
  my $docx_name = $path.$counter.".docx";
  $My_Word->Documents->Add || die("Unable to create document ", Win32:
+:OLE->LastError());
  $My_Word->{'Visible'} = 0;
  $My_Word->{DisplayAlerts} = 0;
  $My_Word->Selection->TypeText ({ Text => $_ });

  $My_Word->ActiveDocument->SaveAs( $docx_name );
  $My_Word->{ActiveDocument}->Close;
  print "Created $docx_name\n";
}
$My_Word->Quit;

__DATA__
First Document
Second Document
Third Document

poj

[Corion]

$My_Word->Documents->Add returns the document. In my experience it's much better to work with that returned document directly instead of resorting to ->ActiveDocument.

[rpnoble419]

Have you looked at creating open document format file instead. You use the OpenOffice-OODoc module. This will give you a solution that works with MS Word and allows you to port your solution to equipment where Office is not installed.

[gadi99]

To get on well in life, all you need to know is who to turn to, and when it comes to Perl, you Monks are the ones. THANK YOU very much, poj! Your response solved my problem. Gadi

[gadi99]

Thank you, rpnoble419. I work in a very small environment where Office is installed, so POJ's solution was very satisfactory. Thanks again to all you Monks. Gadi