Automate Microsoft Office with Python - Mil-OSS

Why?• In an OSS Conference - why even discuss MicrosoftOffice?• Interoperability• Practicality• Capabilities• If using Microsoft Office – why even discussautomation with non-Office tools?• Capabilities• Integration• Future-proofing• Best practices (separation of code and data)• Ideological (one step closer to software freedom)GTRI_B-‹#›

How?• Tools to be demonstrated• Python• Cpython – standard Python interpreter• IronPython - .Net Python interpreter• Libraries• pywin32 - Win32Com, Win32API• pyodbc – SQL database handler• xlrd – Excel file reader• Utilities• ipythonGTRI_B-‹#›

Python Flavors• CPython• Currently, the reference implementation for the Python language• Interfaces well with C extensions• Jython• Java-based implementation• Provides simple access to Java libraries• IronPython• .NET framework implementation• Surprisingly good performance• PyPy• Python written in Python• Very good Just-In-Time (JIT) compiler• Could be the future of PythonGTRI_B-‹#›

General Approach• pywin32 (Win32Com, Win32API)• Developed by Mark Hammond• Python Programming on Win32import win32com.cliento = win32com.client.Dispatch("Object.Name")# or o = win32com.client.gencache.EnsureDispatch("Object.Name")o.Method()o.property = "New Value"print o.propertyGTRI_B-‹#›

Powerpoint AutomationGTRI_B-‹#›

Powerpoint Automation (How?)• ipython – interactive interpreter• very popular in scientific processing• hooks for remote display of results• Custom code• attaches to ipython session• pulls line- and image-oriented data from ipython• queries Powerpoint presentation for current slide• locates objects with specific alt-text• modifies objects for proper displayGTRI_B-‹#›

Outlook Automation• Developed Dialer Application• Needed contact info from Outlookimport win32com.clientoutlook_app = win32com.client.gencache.EnsureDispatch("Outlook.Application")mapi = outlook_app.GetNamespace("MAPI")contacts = mapi.GetDefaultFolder(win32com.client.constants.olFolderContacts)print ‘number of contacts=‘, len(contacts.Items)for index in range(len(contacts.Items)):contact = contacts.Items.Item(index + 1)GTRI_B-‹#›

Word Automationimport win32com.client# launch or connect to Microsoft Word.word_app = win32com.client.Dispatch("Word.Application")word_app.Visible = True92 Lorem86 Sed fa103 Curabi101 Nulla113 Sed codoc = word_app.ActiveDocument# iterate through the paragraphsfor para in doc.Paragraphs:range = para.Rangeprint '%3d %s' % (range.Words.Count, range.Text[0:6])GTRI_B-‹#›

Excel Automation• Lots of options• COM• ODBC• export as CSV, HTML• If using Excel file in read-onlymode, consider xlrd library.• Extract data from Excel spreadsheets (.xls and.xlsx, versions 2.0 onwards) on any platform.Pure Python (2.6 to 2.7). Strong support forExcel dates. Unicode-aware.import xlrdbook = xlrd.open_workbook(SOME_EXCEL_FILE_NAME)sheet = book.sheet_by_index(0) # first sheet# iterate row-by-rowfor row in range(sheet.nrows):# grab a single cellcell = sheet.cell_value(row, SOME_COLUMN_INDEX)GTRI_B-‹#›

Access Automation• Simplest approach• install pyodbc library• treat Access file as normal SQL databasefrom pyodbc import connectfn = path_to_access_mdb_filedb = connect(r'DRIVER={Microsoft Access Driver (*.mdb, *.accdb)};DBQ=%s' % fn )cursor = db.cursor()cursor.execute(SOME_SQL_QUERY)for row in cursor.fetchall():blah ...GTRI_B-‹#›

Visio Automation (PyWin32)import win32com.clientfrom win32com.client import constantswin32com.client.gencache.EnsureDispatch("Visio.Application")visapp = win32com.client.Dispatch("Visio.Application")doc = visapp.Documents.Add("")page = visapp.ActivePagestencilname = "basic_u.vss"stencildocflags = constants.visOpenRO | constants.visOpenDockedstencildoc = visapp.Documents.OpenEx(stencilname , stencildocflags )masterrect = stencildoc.Masters.ItemU("rectangle")mastercircle = stencildoc.Masters.ItemU("circle")masterconnector= stencildoc.Masters.ItemU("dynamic connector")shape1 = page.Drop(masterrect, 1,1)for i in range(3):shape2 = page.Drop(mastercircle, 3+2*i,3+2*i)connector = page.Drop(masterconnector, -1,-1)connector.CellsU("BeginX").GlueTo(shape1.CellsSRC(1, 1, 0))connector.CellsU("EndY").GlueTo(shape2.CellsSRC(1, 1, 0))shape1 = shape2GTRI_B-‹#›

Visio Automation (IronPython)import clrclr.AddReference("Microsoft.Office.Interop.Visio")import Microsoft.Office.Interop.Visio as IVisiovisapp = IVisio.ApplicationClass()doc = visapp.Documents.Add("")page = visapp.ActivePagestencilname = "basic_u.vss"stencildocflags = IVisio.VisOpenSaveArgs.visOpenRO | IVisio.VisOpenSaveArgs.visOpenDockedstencildoc = visapp.Documents.OpenEx(stencilname , stencildocflags )masterrect = stencildoc.Masters.ItemU("rectangle")mastercircle = stencildoc.Masters.ItemU("circle")masterconnector= stencildoc.Masters.ItemU("dynamic connector")shape1 = page.Drop(masterrect, 1,1)for i in range(3):shape2 = page.Drop(mastercircle, 3+2*i,3+2*i)connector = page.Drop(masterconnector, -1,-1)connector.CellsU("BeginX").GlueTo(shape1.CellsSRC(1, 1, 0))connector.CellsU("EndY").GlueTo(shape2.CellsSRC(1, 1, 0))shape1 = shape2GTRI_B-‹#›

Resource GuideStandard Python(CPython)IronPython (alternativePython interpreter forMicrosoft .Netenvironment)Win32Com and Win32APIipythonxlrdhttp://python.orghttp://ironpython.nethttp://sourceforge.net/projects/pywin32/http://ipython.orghttp://pypi.python.org/pypi/xlrdpyodbchttp://code.google.com/p/pyodbc/GTRI_B-‹#›