Converting Word Documents (and other types of files) to PDF in a rails application

Hi everyone,

I'm currently developing a Rails content management system, and one of the useful features we're trying to get sorted is a way to allow a user to upload a word document or some other type of regular file, and have it converted by the server to PDF.

I've seen a java programme called Alfresco do this using Open Office, but I'm just wondering if there's another way that's more integrated with Ruby?

If anyone knows if bits and pieces of tech already exist in this area but they just haven't been brought together in this way yet, I'd be keen to learn the names of these projects. Perhaps we can create a plugin as a result of our larger project.

Looking forward to your ideas :slight_smile:

Cheers,

Brendon

Hi,

http://www.xml.com/pub/a/2006/01/11/from-microsoft-to-openoffice.html

Explain how use Ooo in batch mode with a macro to silently convert office documents in ODF or PDF.

This method is callable by Rails, but took much time. Better to code a local service dedicated to this task.

Hi, you might want to try the following:

http://raa.ruby-lang.org/project/doc_convert/

Also, I would highly recommend posting to comp.lang.ruby

Good luck,

-Conrad

Thank you both for this information. It's very useful, and yes, I'll try posting this in the Ruby group :slight_smile: Thanks for the advice.

Cheers,

Brendon

This can help: http://www.dancrintea.ro/html-to-pdf/ middle page, see HTML to PDF with Java:

You can use OpenOffice.org, running as a server and command it remotely for document convertion.

Besides HTML to PDF, there are also possible other convertions: doc --> pdf, html, txt, rtf xls --> pdf, html, csv ppt --> pdf, swf

Brendon wrote: