How to search and replace string in DOTM file using python

Question

Working with a project where i want to search and replace a specific string in word DOTM file. However searching within DOTM files i got to work with docx2python but replacing the searched word is still a headache. Can replacing be done in DOTM files?

Answer 1

Paragraphs in a docx file are made of text runs . MS Word will break up text runs arbitrarily, often in the middle of a word.

<w:r>
    <w:t>work to im</w:t>
</w:r>
<w:r>
    <w:t>prove docx2python</w:t>
</w:r>

These breaks are due to style differences, version differences, spell-check state, etc. This makes things like algorithmic search-and-replace problematic. I often use docx templates with placeholders (eg, #CATEGORY_NAME# ) then replace those placeholders with data. This won't work if your placeholders are broken up (eg, #CAT , E , GORY_NAME# ).

Docx2python v2 merges such runs in the XML as a pre-processing step. Specifically, Docx2Python merges runs with identical formatting AS DOCX2PYTHON SEES FORMATTING, that is, Docx2Python will ignore version data, spell-check state, etc. but respect supported formatting elements like bold, italics, font-size, etc.

With argument html=False , Docx2Python will merge nearly all runs (some like links are kept separate intentionally) to make most paragraphs one run.

These examples should make everything clear. Check out replace_docx_text and other functions in the Docx2Python utilities.py module.

from docx2python.main import docx2python
from docx2python.utilities import get_links, replace_docx_text, get_headings


class TestSearchReplace:
    def test_search_and_replace(self) -> None:
        """Apples -> Pears, Pears -> Apples

        Ignore html differences when html is False"""
        html = False
        input_filename = "apples_and_pears.docx"
        output_filename = "pears_and_apples.docx"
        assert docx2python(input_filename, html=html).text == (
            "Apples and Pears\n\nPears and Apples\n\n"
            "Apples and Pears\n\nPears and Apples"
        )
        replace_docx_text(
            input_filename,
            output_filename,
            ("Apples", "Bananas"),
            ("Pears", "Apples"),
            ("Bananas", "Pears"),
            html=html,
        )
        assert docx2python(output_filename, html=html).text == (
            "Pears and Apples\n\nApples and Pears\n\n"
            "Pears and Apples\n\nApples and Pears"
        )

    def test_search_and_replace_html(self) -> None:
        """Apples -> Pears, Pears -> Apples

        Exchange strings when formatting is consistent across the string. Leave
        alone otherwise.
        """
        html = True
        input_filename = "apples_and_pears.docx"
        output_filename = "pears_and_apples.docx"
        assert docx2python(input_filename, html=html).text == (
            "Apples and Pears\n\n"
            "Pears and Apples\n\n"
            'Apples and <span style="background-color:green">Pears</span>\n\n'
            "Pe<b>a</b>rs and Apples"
        )
        replace_docx_text(
            input_filename,
            output_filename,
            ("Apples", "Bananas"),
            ("Pears", "Apples"),
            ("Bananas", "Pears"),
            html=html,
        )
        assert docx2python(output_filename, html=html).text == (
            "Pears and Apples\n\n"
            "Apples and Pears\n\n"
            'Pears and <span style="background-color:green">Apples</span>\n\n'
            "Pe<b>a</b>rs and Pears"
        )