How to convert RTF to Docx in Python

Question

I'm using doxygen to generate rtf output, but I need the rtf converted to docx in an automated way using python to run on a build system.

• Input: example.rtf

• Output: example.docx

I don't want to change any of the styling, formatting, or content. Just do a direct conversion. The same way it would be done manually by opening the.rtf in word and then doing SaveAs.docx

Answer 1

I spent a lot of time and energy trying to figure this out, so I thought I would post the question and solution for the community. It was actually very simple in the end, but took a long time to find the correct information to accomplish this.

This solution requires the following:

• Python 3.x
• PyWin32 module
• Windows 10 environment (haven't tried it with other flavors of Windows)

#convert rtf to docx and embed all pictures in the final document
def ConvertRtfToDocx(rootDir, file):
    word = win32com.client.Dispatch("Word.Application")
    wdFormatDocumentDefault = 16
    wdHeaderFooterPrimary = 1
    doc = word.Documents.Open(rootDir + "\\" + file)
    for pic in doc.InlineShapes:
        pic.LinkFormat.SavePictureWithDocument = True
    for hPic in doc.sections(1).headers(wdHeaderFooterPrimary).Range.InlineShapes:
        hPic.LinkFormat.SavePictureWithDocument = True
    doc.SaveAs(str(rootDir + "\\refman.docx"), FileFormat=wdFormatDocumentDefault)
    doc.Close()
    word.Quit()

As rtf can't have embedded images, this also takes any images from RTF and embeds them into the resulting word docx, so there are no external image reference dependencies.

Answer 2

It worked for me to convert.rtf ->.doc ->.docx (Optionally I attached Step 3 to convert to.pdf)

You need to pip install:

pip install pywin32
pip install docx2pdf (optional if you need to have pdf)

Step 1: convert.rtf ->.doc

from glob import glob
import re
import os
import win32com.client as win32
from win32com.client import constants


def rtf_to_doc(file_path):
    word = win32.gencache.EnsureDispatch('Word.Application')
    doc = word.Documents.Open(file_path)
    doc.Activate()

    # Rename path with .doc
    new_file_abs = os.path.abspath(file_path)
    new_file_abs = re.sub(r'\.\w+$', '.doc', new_file_abs)

    # Save and Close
    word.ActiveDocument.SaveAs(
        new_file_abs, FileFormat=constants.wdFormatDocument
    )
    doc.Close(False)

Step 2: convert.doc ->.docx

import re
import os
from win32com.client import constants
import win32com.client as win32

def doc_to_docx(file_path):
    word = win32.gencache.EnsureDispatch('Word.Application')
    doc = word.Documents.Open(file_path)
    doc.Activate()

    # Rename path with .docx
    new_file_abs = os.path.abspath(file_path)
    new_file_abs = re.sub(r'\.\w+$', '.docx', new_file_abs)

    # Save and Close
    word.ActiveDocument.SaveAs(
        new_file_abs, FileFormat=constants.wdFormatXMLDocument
    )
    doc.Close(False)

Step 3 (optional if PDF is needed).docx ->.pdf

from docx2pdf import convert

def docx_to_pdf(ori_file, new_file):
     convert(ori_file, new_file)