[Phpwm] instantiate word for windows

[Phil Beynon]

> Hi Alan,
>
> This is not something that you can do with PHP as it is strictly a server
> side language. There is a change you could do it with embedded vbscript or
> javascript in a browser but you will end up in a world of security issues
> and instability.
>
> The most elegant solution for doing this is to generate the word
> document on
> the server and then push the content to the browser as a
> download, there are
> a number of ways you can do this.
>
> If you are running on a Windows version server with PHP and
> office installed
> you can control word using the standard COM or NET objects, create your
> document and save to the file system. You can then use the
> fpassthru command
> to dump it to the browse. The command help with give you the info you need
> on setting http headers for downloads.
>
> The second option is to use an RTF generation class to create
> basic content
> which can be loaded into word, if you hit google with "PHP RTF
> class" there
> are quite a few around.
>
> I must admit this is not something I have every attempted to do, or wanted
> to do come to that as we always tend to generate PDF files from
> PHP, if you
> want to do that there is an excellent library you can use.
> http://www.tufat.com/s_html2ps_html2pdf.htm
>
> Hope this helps
>
> Dave
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: phpwm-bounces at mailman.lug.org.uk
> [mailto:phpwm-bounces at mailman.lug.org.uk] On Behalf Of alan dunn
> Sent: 22 August 2006 14:08
> To: phpwm
> Subject: [Phpwm] instantiate word for windows
>
> Hi all,
> sorry to use such bad language, but is it possible to instantiate Word (or
> other MS programmes come to that) from within a php page and then
> preferably
> feed it some opening information such as which file to open?
>
> I want to automate a letter writing process from one of several standard
> letters based on a db selection.
>
> regards, alan dunn

First thing I'd want to know with a project like this is does it actually
have to be done in Word? - you instantly lose all sorts of control
abilities.
If its just a template with editable areas can't you use editable iframes on
a page that looks like Word?
That way you retain control and dont end up with all sorts of problems with
say font connectivities being lost.

Phil