PHP create and format a Microsoft Word document

Question

I was looking to use PHP to create a Microsoft Word document. After looking online I found that most of the offered solutions were to just create an .doc that had not formatting done whatsoever. I was wondering what would be the best way to create a Word document that I could format in PHP i.e. change font, color, size, etc. for my company. I am guessing that some sort of library would be needed for this. Any responses would be greatly appreciated.

There's plenty of resources for this. E.g. [Reading/Writing a MS Word file in PHP](http://stackoverflow.com/q/188452) — Pekka, Jul 08 '13 at 16:47
Your best bet will probably be creating a HTML file, and converting that into a docx file afterwards. See e.g. [Convert html to word /excel / powerPoint with PHP](http://stackoverflow.com/q/3590646) — Pekka, Jul 08 '13 at 16:48

score 5 · Answer 1 · answered Mar 20 '14 at 16:55

5

You can use PHPWord. It's a PHP library that can create DOCX along with some formatting.

answered Mar 20 '14 at 16:55

ivanlanin

121
2
4

score 3 · Answer 2 · edited Apr 21 '15 at 07:15

Build the content for the dynamic Word document in HTML, along with some Office specific style properties.

Public Sub Page_Load(sender as Object, e as EventArgs)
    Dim strBody As New System.Text.StringBuilder("")

    strBody.Append("<html " & 
        "xmlns:o='urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office' " & 
        "xmlns:w='urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word'" & 
        "xmlns='http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40'>" &
        "<head><title>Time</title>") 

    //The setting specifies document's view after it is downloaded as Print instead of the default Web Layout
    strBody.Append("<!--[if gte mso 9]>" & 
                         "<xml>" & 
                         "<w:WordDocument>" & 
                         "<w:View>Print</w:View>" & 
                         "<w:Zoom>90</w:Zoom>" & 
                         "<w:DoNotOptimizeForBrowser/>" & 
                         "</w:WordDocument>" & 
                         "</xml>" & 
                         "<![endif]-->")

    strBody.Append("<style>" & 
                        "<!-- /* Style Definitions */" & 
                        "@page Section1" & 
                        "   {size:8.5in 11.0in; " & 
                        "   margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in ; " & 
                        "   mso-header-margin:.5in; " & 
                        "   mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;}" & _
                        " div.Section1" & 
                        "   {page:Section1;}" & 
                        "-->" & 
                       "</style></head>") 

    strBody.Append("<body lang=EN-US style='tab-interval:.5in'>" &
                        "<div class=Section1>" & _
                        "<h1>Time and tide wait for none</h1>" & 
                        "<p style='color:red'><I>" & 
                        DateTime.Now & "</I></p>" & 
                        "</div></body></html>") 

    // Force this content to be downloaded as a Word document with the name of your choice
    Response.AppendHeader("Content-Type", "application/msword")
    Response.AppendHeader ("Content-disposition", "attachment;filename=myword.doc")
    Response.Write(strBody)
End Sub

You code works for me. this is how I used in my PHP code. BTW, what is Section1? Is it a class name? — stackflow, Apr 14 '16 at 05:01

score 0 · Answer 3 · answered Apr 14 '16 at 05:03

dave's code works for me. I have used it like this in my PHP code. This opens in print layout.

<html xmlns:o='urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office' xmlns:w='urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word' xmlns='http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40'>

<head>
    <title>Time</title>

    <!--[if gte mso 9]>
    <xml>
        <w:WordDocument>
            <w:View>Print</w:View>
            <w:Zoom>100</w:Zoom>
            <w:DoNotOptimizeForBrowser/>
        </w:WordDocument>
    </xml>
    <![endif]-->

    <style>
        @page Section1 {
            size: 8.5in 11.0in;
            margin: 1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in ;
            mso-header-margin: .5in;
            mso-footer-margin: .5in;
            mso-paper-source: 0;
        }

        div.Section1 {
            page: Section1;
        }
    </style>

score -1 · Answer 4 · answered Aug 31 '13 at 12:35

-1

You can do it using plain text and variables whilst not having it open in HTML - see here http://www.jakebown.com/?p=77

answered Aug 31 '13 at 12:35

Jake Bown

411
4
11

3

Note that [link-only answers are discouraged](http://meta.stackoverflow.com/tags/link-only-answers/info), SO answers should be the end-point of a search for a solution (vs. yet another stopover of references, which tend to get stale over time). Please consider adding a stand-alone synopsis here, keeping the link as a reference. – kleopatra Aug 31 '13 at 12:51
Link is broken. – jor Mar 05 '19 at 12:38

PHP create and format a Microsoft Word document

4 Answers4