Adding MSWord custom properties in Win32::OLE

thoglette has asked for the wisdom of the Perl Monks concerning the following question:

I've got some code to update custom properties - in essence

 $property = "FooBar";
 $doc->CustomDocumentProperties($property)->{Value} = $text_value;
[download]

However, this warns Can't use an undefined value as a HASH reference at C:\Public\Projects\gold\update_msword.pl if the custom property does not already exist. The appropriate VBA code is...

'If customdocument property did not exist, create it
    If Err.Number <> 0 Then
        Set DocProps = ThisWorkbook.CustomDocumentProperties
        DocProps.Add Name:="FooBar", _
                LinkToContent:=False, _
                Type:=msoPropertyTypeString, _
                Value:=str_content
    End If
[download]

Which leads the following questions under Win32::OLE

Where is Err.Number ? And I'd like to avoid the warn, so how can I see what custom properties exist.
$doc->CustomDocumentProperties and $doc->{CustomDocumentProperties} both return undef, so how does one create $doc_props?
is msoPropertyTypeString a constant constant or yet another $$wd{'msoPropertyTypeString'}, (where $wd=Win32::OLE::Const->Load($MSWord);)

I realise that my lack of understanding of VBA is not helping. If there's a book worth purchasing, suggestions would be welcomed!

Update 2006-09-06

The error code is Win32::OLE::LastError(); - See perldoc Win32::OLE
but you need to Win32::OLE->Option(Warn=>0); to avoid having errors stop the debugger.
A better solution is to pre-test-for-existance, rather than post-test-for-error. See my followup post

Butlerian Jihad now!

Comment on Adding MSWord custom properties in Win32::OLE Select or Download Code

Replies are listed 'Best First'.
Re: Adding MSWord custom properties in Win32::OLE by jdtoronto (Prior) on Aug 30, 2006 at 08:28 UTC
I can't give you much detail, but in our snippets collection from 5 or 6 years ago (Perl 5.6 days?) I found this: `use strict; use Win32::OLE qw(in); use Win32::OLE::Const 'Microsoft Office'; my $Doc = Win32::OLE->GetObject('g:\scratch\test.doc'); if ( ( 0 + Win32::OLE::LastError() ) != 0 ) { $Doc->CustomDocumentProperties->Add( { Name => 'A custom property', LinkToContent => 0, Type => msoPropertyTypeString, Value => "Whatever" } ); }` [download] At the time we were doing lots of MS stuff, fortunately those days are now long past, but maybe this will help. jdtoronto	[reply] [d/l]
Putting it all together by thoglette (Scribe) on Sep 06, 2006 at 05:06 UTC
Thanks. A little fettling gets the job done. Win32::OLE makes a whole lot of function calls look like empty hash references. But an empty hash ref is not undefined and can be tested for. `$docprops = $doc->CustomDocumentProperties(); unless (defined ($doc->CustomDocumentProperties($property))) { $docprops->Invoke('Add', { Name => $property, LinkToContent => 0, Type => 4, #msoPropertyTypeString #strictures to work around still Value => $value, }); } $doc->CustomDocumentProperties($property)->{Value} = $value;` [download] It looks a little weird in the debugger, as the fact that the value is set is hidden for a little while (value is ''). Suspect it's a debugger/tie/Windows interaction. Thoglette. -- Butlerian Jihad now!	[reply] [d/l]
Re: Adding MSWord custom properties in Win32::OLE by teun-arno (Acolyte) on Mar 05, 2014 at 14:27 UTC
When saving msword document after adjusting the custom properties you MUST set the Saved flag : see http://support.microsoft.com/kb/195425/en-us without it it won't be saved....... use strict; use Win32::OLE qw(in); use Win32::OLE::Const 'Microsoft Office'; #my ( $doc ) = Win32::OLE->GetObject('D:/4nt8/perl-msword_dap/excel_da +p/Inrichting Arag-ftp.doc'); my ( $doc ) = Win32::OLE->GetObject('//vldfps1/algemeen/FM&O/Klanten/S +-t/TESTING/Dap Dossier/01. Dap/FBL.OPR.UX.138 WI Inloggen, shutdown e +n reboot van LPAR AIX systemen m.b.v. de HMC en PTY.doc'); my $property = 'Arno'; my $value = 'KranenDONK'; my $docprops = $doc->CustomDocumentProperties(); unless (defined ($doc->CustomDocumentProperties($property))) { $docprops->Invoke('Add', { Name => $property, LinkToContent => 0, Type => 4, #msoPropertyTypeString #strictures to work around still Value => $value, }); } $doc->CustomDocumentProperties($property)->{Value} = $value; $doc->{Saved} = 0; # SEE : http://support.microsoft.com/kb/195425 en + http://compgroups.net/comp.lang.perl.misc/how-read-ms-word-summary-p +roperties/477092 $doc->Save; $doc-> Close; [download] Hope somebody will find this quicker then I did....	[reply] [d/l]


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