Nsryjdtyk

I am trying to use win32com(pywin32) and Microsoft Word's Object Model to Compare two Word Documents(Automating the task of Comparing two documents in Microsoft word under Review->Compare). Following is the code I have written for this:

import win32com.client

Application=win32com.client.gencache.EnsureDispatch("Word.Application")

Document=Application.Documents.Add()

Application.CompareDocuments("Original.docx","Revised.docx")

But I am getting the following error:

Traceback (most recent call lastFile "<pyshell#9>", line 1, in <module>

Application.CompareDocuments("Original.docx","Revised.docx")



File "C:Python36libsite-packageswin32comgen_py0020905-0000-0000-C000-000000000046x0x8x6_Application.py", line 79, in CompareDocuments

, CompareFields, CompareComments, CompareMoves, RevisedAuthor, IgnoreAllComparisonWarnings



File "C:Python36libsite-packageswin32comclient__init__.py", line 466, in _ApplyTypes_

return self._get_good_object_(self._oleobj_.InvokeTypes(dispid, 0, wFlags, retType, argTypes, *args),user, resultCLSID)



TypeError: The Python instance can not be converted to a COM object   

I am not able to understand why this error is being thrown. I really want to resolve this issue.Please help.

Thanks in Advance

The error is thrown because the arguments you pass in the function Application.CompareDocuments(), being written such as "Original.docx" and "Revised.docx", are not a Document object from the point of view of your python code.

You need to create these objects with the function Application.Documents.Open()

A code working for me is:

import win32com.client



path = "C:ThePathOfYourFolderWithYourDocuments\" 

# note the \ at the end of the path name to prevent a SyntaxError



#Create the Application word

Application=win32com.client.gencache.EnsureDispatch("Word.Application")



# Compare documents

Application.CompareDocuments(Application.Documents.Open(path + "Original.docx"),

                             Application.Documents.Open(path + "Revised.docx"))



# Save the comparison document as "Comparison.docx"

Application.ActiveDocument.SaveAs (FileName = path + "Comparison.docx")

# Don't forget to quit your Application

Application.Quit()

The you have your Comparison.docx you can open to check.

Let me know if it works for you.

Ben. T's answer works. I would include:

Application.ActiveDocument.ActiveWindow.View.Type = 3

before saving if you like viewing the document in Print Layout. Otherwise the saved Comparison.docx opens as Web Layout by default (Type = 6).

I created a more versatile version of this with path and file checks, if someone wants it...

#!/usr/bin/python3

# This uses win32com to automate the comparison of two Microsoft Word files.

# Make sure to have win32com installed for your environment and python version:

# https://github.com/mhammond/pywin32/releases

# Modified by 'pai' on basis of https://stackoverflow.com/questions/47212459/automating-comparison-of-word-documents-using-python



from os import getcwd, path

from sys import argv, exit

from win32com import client



def die(message):

    print (message)

    exit(1)



def cmp(original_file, modified_file):

  dir = getcwd() + '\'

  print('Working...')



  # some file checks

  if not path.exists(dir+original_file):

    die('Original file does not exist')

  if not path.exists(dir+modified_file):

    die('Modified file does not exist')

  cmp_file = dir + original_file[:-5]+'_cmp_'+modified_file # use input filenames, but strip extension

  if path.exists(cmp_file):

    die('Comparison file already exists... abortingnRemove or rename '+cmp_file)



  # actual Word automation

  app = client.gencache.EnsureDispatch("Word.Application")

  app.CompareDocuments(app.Documents.Open(dir + original_file), app.Documents.Open(dir + modified_file))

  app.ActiveDocument.ActiveWindow.View.Type = 3 # prevent that word opens itself

  app.ActiveDocument.SaveAs(cmp_file)



  print('Saved comparison as: '+cmp_file)

  app.Quit()



def main():

  if len(argv) != 3:

    die('Usage: wrd_cmp <original_file> <modified_file>')

  cmp(argv[1], argv[2])



if __name__ == '__main__':

  main()