How to convert RTF to Docx in Python

Question

I'm using doxygen to generate rtf output, but I need the rtf converted to docx in an automated way using python to run on a build system.

• Input: example.rtf

• Output: example.docx

I don't want to change any of the styling, formatting, or content. Just do a direct conversion. The same way it would be done manually by opening the .rtf in word and then doing SaveAs .docx

Answer 1

I spent a lot of time and energy trying to figure this out, so I thought I would post the question and solution for the community. It was actually very simple in the end, but took a long time to find the correct information to accomplish this.

This solution requires the following:

• Python 3.x
• PyWin32 module
• Windows 10 environment (haven't tried it with other flavors of Windows)

#convert rtf to docx and embed all pictures in the final document
def ConvertRtfToDocx(rootDir, file):
    word = win32com.client.Dispatch("Word.Application")
    wdFormatDocumentDefault = 16
    wdHeaderFooterPrimary = 1
    doc = word.Documents.Open(rootDir + "\\" + file)
    for pic in doc.InlineShapes:
        pic.LinkFormat.SavePictureWithDocument = True
    for hPic in doc.sections(1).headers(wdHeaderFooterPrimary).Range.InlineShapes:
        hPic.LinkFormat.SavePictureWithDocument = True
    doc.SaveAs(str(rootDir + "\\refman.docx"), FileFormat=wdFormatDocumentDefault)
    doc.Close()
    word.Quit()

As rtf can't have embedded images, this also takes any images from RTF and embeds them into the resulting word docx, so there are no external image reference dependencies.