Word Control for .NET

• Download source files - 8 Kb
• Download demo project - 10 Kb
• Download test application - 225 Kb

Introduction

This control allows you to use MS Word 2000 in your own projects such as a windows form. Of course that's a little "dirty trick". But if you have some documentation to display and you want to use Word for it, here is the solution.

Background

I was working on an internal research project and we developed a tool to teach C++, and there was a problem about how to display the exercises. The main problem was, I had difficult formulas in these descriptions so the only possible solution was to convert the files to PDF or to another file format. With PDF I had a problem, because I couldn't edit the documents afterwards. So, I was looking for an ActiveX or .NET control for MS Word. Finally, I couldn't find one. So I decided to write one for .NET.

How to use the control?

It's almost too easy to use the form. You just need to add a link to the winwordcontrol.dll.  The steps are:

1. Goto your Toolbox.

   
    

2. Click right. Select "Customize Toolbox".

   
    

3. Select the ".NET Components" tab.
4. Select the winwordcontrol.dll using the file browse dialog. Click OK. After that you will find a new form in your toolbox called "winwordcontrol".

   

Drag and drop it just like any other form. The only thing you should know is how to control it. At this moment, there are four methods:

winwordcontrolinstance.LoadDocument(<string path>); 

winwordcontrolinstance.CloseControl(); 

winwordcontrolinstance.PreActivate(); 

winwordcontrolinstance.RestoreWord(); 

The control will automatically start Word if it's not already open and it will display the document.

How does this work?

The basic idea is to instantiate the Word application, as everybody knows, with:

wordInstance = new Word.Application();

[DllImport("user32.dll")]
public static extern int FindWindow(string strclassName, string strWindowName);

[DllImport("user32.dll")]
static extern int SetParent(int hWndChild, int hWndNewParent);

[DllImport("user32.dll", EntryPoint = "SetWindowPos")]
static extern bool SetWindowPos(
	int hWnd,               // handle to window
	int hWndInsertAfter,    // placement-order handle
	int X,                  // horizontal position
	int Y,                  // vertical position
	int cx,                 // width
	int cy,                 // height
	uint uFlags             // window-positioning options
);
		
[DllImport("user32.dll", EntryPoint = "MoveWindow")]
static extern bool MoveWindow(
	int hWnd, 
	int X, 
	int Y, 
	int nWidth, 
	int nHeight, 
	bool bRepaint
);
							
const int SWP_DRAWFRAME = 0x20;
const int SWP_NOMOVE = 0x2;
const int SWP_NOSIZE = 0x1;
const int SWP_NOZORDER = 0x4;

wordWnd = FindWindow( "Opusapp", null);

SetWindowPos(wordWnd, this.Handle.ToInt32(), 0, 0,
	this.Bounds.Width-20, this.Bounds.Height-20,
	SWP_NOZORDER | SWP_NOMOVE | SWP_DRAWFRAME );

Points of Interest

You may be interested in my other projects. Please visit my private homepage www.intercompu.de. If you use this stuff or if you use just parts of it, I would appreciate if you mention my name. ;-)

History

• 23.01.03 First release
• 25.01.03 Update minor changes (performance enhancement)

This article, along with any associated source code and files, is licensed under The GNU General Public License (GPLv3)