Priya R Priya R
Updated date Sep 13, 2023
In this blog, we will learn to convert Microsoft Word documents to HTML using PHP. Explore various methods to achieve the conversion.

Introduction:

The ability to seamlessly convert documents from one format to another is paramount. Converting Microsoft Word documents to HTML not only ensures cross-platform compatibility but also facilitates easy sharing on the web. This blog will walk you through the process of converting Word documents to HTML using PHP

Method 1: PHPWord Library

The PHPWord library is a versatile tool that enables document manipulation and conversion within PHP. Follow these steps to convert a Word document to HTML using PHPWord:

Install PHPWord Library:

Begin by installing the PHPWord library using Composer:

composer require phpoffice/phpword

Load Word Document:

Utilize PHPWord to load the Word document for conversion:

require 'vendor/autoload.php';

use PhpOffice\PhpWord\IOFactory;

$wordDocument = IOFactory::load('document.docx');

Convert to HTML:

Iterate through the document's sections and elements, converting them to HTML:

$htmlContent = '';
foreach ($wordDocument->getSections() as $section) {
    foreach ($section->getElements() as $element) {
        $htmlContent .= $element->toHtml();
    }
}

Output HTML:

Display or save the HTML content:

echo $htmlContent;

Output:

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
    <title></title>
</head>
<body>
    <p>This is a sample Word document.</p>
    <p>It is being converted to HTML using PHPWord library.</p>
</body>
</html>

Method 2: Pandoc

Pandoc is a command-line utility that excels at converting documents between various formats. To convert a Word document to HTML using pandoc in PHP, follow these steps:

Install Pandoc:

Ensure that pandoc is installed on your system.

Execute Command:

Utilize PHP's exec function to run pandoc for conversion:

$wordFilePath = 'document.docx';
$htmlFilePath = 'output.html';

exec("pandoc $wordFilePath -o $htmlFilePath");

Output:

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="utf-8">
<title></title>
</head>
<body>
<p>This is a sample Word document.</p>
<p>It is being converted to HTML using pandoc.</p>
</body>
</html>

Conclusion:

In this blog, we have explored two effective methods for achieving this conversion using PHP. The PHPWord library offers fine-grained control over document manipulation and conversion, making it an excellent choice for projects requiring customization. On the other hand, pandoc simplifies the conversion process through its command-line interface, providing a quick and straightforward solution.

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