| Build Number | Database | OS | | :---------: | :--------: | :---------: | |3523 | MariaDB|Windows | I have been trying to create documents based on Word templates. In the end this (sort of) worked, but I came across a few issues/questions that I wanted to check here. Hopefully some of you have had some experience with this. 1. Is the "MS Word document (XML format)" the same as the Word file with the .docx filetype? I tried merging with a .docx file, but that didn't work, the tags were not replaced with data. The file was simply downloaded including all tags. 2. Should the Word template be editable? I managed to create a document template using a .doc file, but this was displayed read-only in the configurator so I could not edit it. Therefore, I had to make each adjustment to the template in the original file and then delete the old template and 'upload' the revised Word file as the new template. Doable but cumbersome, it would be more practical if the Word file could be edited directly from the configurator. Or it would also be okay if the template is placed somewhere in the file structure and could be edited there, without adjustments needed in the configurator. But I could not find the location. I realize that some of this might be solved or improved by using User Defined Documents. I plan to do so but that is the next step. For now I am curious whether this is how it was designed or if I am doing something wrong.

Document merge with MS Word templates

nhofkes

Build Number	Database	OS
3523	MariaDB	Windows

I have been trying to create documents based on Word templates. In the end this (sort of) worked, but I came across a few issues/questions that I wanted to check here. Hopefully some of you have had some experience with this.

Is the “MS Word document (XML format)” the same as the Word file with the .docx filetype?
I tried merging with a .docx file, but that didn’t work, the tags were not replaced with data. The file was simply downloaded including all tags.
Should the Word template be editable? I managed to create a document template using a .doc file, but this was displayed read-only in the configurator so I could not edit it. Therefore, I had to make each adjustment to the template in the original file and then delete the old template and ‘upload’ the revised Word file as the new template. Doable but cumbersome, it would be more practical if the Word file could be edited directly from the configurator. Or it would also be okay if the template is placed somewhere in the file structure and could be edited there, without adjustments needed in the configurator. But I could not find the location.

I realize that some of this might be solved or improved by using User Defined Documents. I plan to do so but that is the next step. For now I am curious whether this is how it was designed or if I am doing something wrong.

kklosson

I do have a feature that enables the user to create a document and include tags. Everything works including using .docx documents. For static documents, in my early days, many AwareIM versions back, I could open the document in the configurator, but at some point, that stopped working and these days I have to modify the document outside of the configurator and upload it. So, I have no solution on that. I you need help getting things to work, I will be happy to review what I have done to see where you might have an error. Also happy to Zoom and review your configuration. Probably the fastest way to the goal.

nhofkes

kklosson Thank you for the offer. I have meanwhile discovered that if I use a .docx file as template, it works as long as I define it as an MS Word document, not the “MS Word (XML)” type document. Strange, because as far I know the .docx format is in fact an XML document.

Unfortunately, when using a .docx template the resulting file that is provided by the server (i.e. downloaded to the end user’s computer) is still a .doc file and not a .docx file. Apparently the original .docx file is converted to .doc by the server in the process of creating the merged file. Do you have that too or can you get the server to provide a generated .docx file?
(If relevant: both my server and the user computer are running on Windows).

Furthermore, I managed to implement the User Defined Document feature, which enables me to edit and replace the template from the end user’s computer instead of the configutor. This solves the 2nd issue. As an additional benefit I can now define multiple templates and then select the one that I want to use, so there is much more flexibility.