Comparing FormFields in a Word Document
This is not a request for information this time, but simply a sharing of information for anyone who may need this.
Currently, there's a published Script Extension that allows you to compare the text of two different word documents. You can find this extension at http://smartbear.com/support/viewarticle/17635/. This works VERY well for finding differences in two word documents...except if the two word documents include form fields that may change.
In order to do that, you need to utilize the actual Word.Application OleObject directly in your automation code. It's actually very easy to do. Here's the code where I'm specifically filtering out CheckBoxes in the form fields in the word document and looking for the data within them.
I'm sure there's a LOT of enhancements that can be done for this including filtering for different field types, actually creating constants that enumerate the different field times (for code readability), etc. I spent a bit of time today coming up with this and I thought there were others who might be able to use it.
Enjoy!
Currently, there's a published Script Extension that allows you to compare the text of two different word documents. You can find this extension at http://smartbear.com/support/viewarticle/17635/. This works VERY well for finding differences in two word documents...except if the two word documents include form fields that may change.
In order to do that, you need to utilize the actual Word.Application OleObject directly in your automation code. It's actually very easy to do. Here's the code where I'm specifically filtering out CheckBoxes in the form fields in the word document and looking for the data within them.
Sub CompareWordFormFields(ExpectedFile, ActualFile)
Dim WordAppObject, ActualWordDoc, ExpectedWordDoc, Index
Set WordAppObject = Sys.OleObject("Word.Application")
WordAppObject.Documents.Open(ActualFile)
Set ActualWordDoc = WordAppObject.ActiveDocument
WordAppObject.Documents.Open(ExpectedFile)
Set ExpectedWordDoc = WordAppObject.ActiveDocument
For Index = 1 to ExpectedWordDoc.FormFields.Count step 1
If ExpectedWordDoc.FormFields.Item(Index).Type = 71 Then
If (ExpectedWordDoc.FormFields.Item(Index).Result <> ActualWordDoc.FormFields.Item(Index).Result) Then
Call Log.Warning("The check boxes " + ExpectedWordDoc.FormFields.Item(Index).Name + " and " + ActualWordDoc.FormFields.Item(Index).Name + " do not match")
End If
End If
Next
Call WordAppObject.Documents.Close
Call WordAppObject.Quit
End Sub
I'm sure there's a LOT of enhancements that can be done for this including filtering for different field types, actually creating constants that enumerate the different field times (for code readability), etc. I spent a bit of time today coming up with this and I thought there were others who might be able to use it.
Enjoy!
