[buug] create .doc files on linux/BSD

[Brian Sobolak]

> I'm working with a guy who needs to generate
> dynamic documents in microsoft word .doc format.  He
> says he can do it with VB and COM.
>   I suggested he do it in pdf instead on linux/BSD
>with the abundance of .pdf tools.
>   My question is:  have any of you created .doc files
> on linux/BSD, and what tool did you use?

What about generating rtf files from BSD/Linux?  Rich 
Text Format should have all of the formatting you need.


He's bluffing, sorta.  You can create Word Docs using 
VB/COM on Windows, but it's a dangerous prospect.  It 
generally involves using Word as an object in a 
separate memory space.  Word automation is kludgy and 
frequently fails.  


(I've been down this path - we had to buy two servers 
that literally only ran Word.  It was such a hog that 
we couldn't use the box for anything else.  I'm up 
against the same thing right now for PowerPoint - we 
generate CSV files on Solaris and then use RMI to put 
the files on Windows, and generate the reports.)


Unless you need to edit the documents, PDF is a MUCH 
better solution.  But you already knew that.

HTH,

brian



-----Original Message-----
From: Bob Read <unixjavabob at yahoo.com>
To: buug at weak.org
Date: Fri, 22 Nov 2002 07:50:55 -0800 (PST) 
Subject: [buug] create .doc files on linux/BSD

Hello,

Thanks,
Bob

=====
-----------------------------------------
Bob Read
Exit Code Incorporated
cell (510)-703-1634
unixjavabob at yahoo.com
-----------------------------------------

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--
Brian Sobolak
http://www.planetshwoop.com/
sobolak at myrealbox.com