Serving Word

1
Serving Word

• Using HTML, XML, and CSS to
• Dynamically Generate Word Documents
• Samuel R. Neff
• B-Line Express

2
Agenda

• Automation
• Document Properties
• HTML, XML, CSS
• Formatting
• Labels
• Columns
• Headers, Footers
• Images
• Alternatives

3
Automation

• Control one application from another
• Use COM object Word.Application
• Complete flexibility and power
• Limitations
• Unattended execution
• Slow
• CF COM Support (all versions)

4
Document Properties

• Small quantities of data
• Very fast and easy to use
• Safe for servers
• Limitations
• CF COM Support (all versions)
• Java version incomplete (Apache POI)

5
HTML, XML, CSS

• Familiar
• Fast
• Flexible

6
Hello Word
Example helloword.cfm
7
Basic Formatting

• Sections
• Pages
• Margins

• _at_page Section1
• size8.5in 11.0in
• margin1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in
• div.Section1
• pageSection1

Example letter01.cfm
8
Paragraph Formatting
Example letter02.cfm
9
Labels
Example labels01.cfm
10
Advanced Labels

• Different sizes and layouts
• Page Margin
• Row Height
• Paragraph Margins
• Number of Columns
• Spacers
• Reuse code
• Despite varying content
• ColdFusion Components
• Not all labels can be generated

Examples labels02.cfm, labels03.cfm,
WordLabelGenerator.cfc
11
Columns
Example columns01.cfm
12
Multi-File Documents
Examples MultipartMIME_Example.htm,
MultipartMIME.cfc
13
Headers Footers
Example columns02.cfm
14
Images

• Use standard ltimggt tag
• Include image in the file list
• Include image in Multipart MIME message
• Component automatically encodes as Base64

Example columns03.cfm
15
Resources

• Save as Web Page
• Microsoft Office HTML and XML Reference
• http//msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url
  /library/en-us/dnoffxml/html/ofxml2k.asp
• RFCs 2045 and 2046
• http//www.ietf.org/rfc/rfc2045.txt
• http//www.ietf.org/rfc/rfc2046.txt

16
Conclusions

• HTML/XML/CSS Faster and more stable than COM
• Can be used for most dynamic Word applications
• Builds upon existing developers' skill set

17
Questions

• sam_at_blinex.com