conver — Word document converter

conver is a cross-platform Python package that converts Microsoft Word documents
using native system automation:

• macOS: JXA (JavaScript for Automation)
• Windows: PowerShell + Word COM automation

The package provides:

1. A high-level Python API: conver.conver()
2. A command-line interface: conver
3. A low-level IPC layer calling platform scripts
   (convert.jxa for macOS, convert.ps1 for Windows)

Conversion is performed via Microsoft Word itself, ensuring maximum compatibility with .docx, .doc, .rtf, .txt, .html, .odt.

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Features

• Cross-platform: macOS and Windows
• Uses the actual Microsoft Word engine
• Clean, minimal Python API
• CLI with direct input/output or format-selection flags
• Structured error handling via custom exceptions
• Filename-only outputs automatically placed next to the input file
• Safe low-level IPC layer between Python and native automation scripts

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Installation

Using pip

pip install --upgrade conver

Recommended for CLI use: pipx

If you primarily use conver as a command-line tool, it is best installed with pipx.
This isolates the package in its own virtual environment and avoids polluting your system Python:

pipx install --upgrade conver

After installation will be available globally:

conver --help

Requirements

• Python 3.9+
• Microsoft Word must be installed on the system
• macOS (JXA) or Windows (PowerShell + Word COM automation)

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Python Usage

Basic example

from conver import conver

conver("document.docx", "document.pdf")

Returns: Path("/absolute/path/document.pdf")

Filename-only output

conver("/Users/me/docs/a.docx", "a.pdf")

Automatically produces: /Users/me/docs/a.pdf

Error handling example

from conver import conver, UnsupportedFormat

try:
    conver("a.doc", "a.xyz")
except UnsupportedFormat:
    print("This output format is not supported.")

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Python API Reference

conver() function

High-level document conversion API.

Signature:

conver(input_path, output_path, keep_open=False) -> pathlib.Path

Parameters:

• input_path: str | Path
  Path to the source document.
• output_path: str | Path
  Output filename or full path.
• keep_open: bool
  Leave Microsoft Word running after conversion.

Returns:

• pathlib.Path
  Absolute path of the generated output file.

Raises:

• InputFileNotFound
• UnsupportedFormat
• WordStartError
• SaveError
• IPCError
• PlatformNotSupported

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CLI Usage

The CLI supports two modes: direct output path, or format flags.

Explicit input/output

conver input.docx output.pdf

Format flags (output placed next to input)

conver input.docx --pdf
conver input.docx --rtf
conver input.docx --txt
conver input.docx --html
conver input.docx --docx

If only one input file and no explicit output is given, the selected format determines the extension:

input.docx --pdf # -> input.pdf
input.docx --rtf # -> input.rtf

Output Behavior

When OUTPUT is omitted, the resulting file is written next to the INPUT file. Examples:

conver a.docx --pdf # -> a.pdf
conver /path/x.docx # -> /path/x.pdf

When multiple inputs are provided, --output must be a directory.
If the directory does not exist, it will be created automatically.

Default Format

If no format flag is provided and no explicit output path is given, the default output format is PDF:

conver input.docx # -> input.pdf

CLI Syntax

Usage:
    conver <input> <output>
    conver <input> [--pdf | --docx | --rtf | --txt | --html] [--keep-open]

Examples:
    conver a.docx a.pdf
    conver a.docx --pdf
    conver /path/to/file.doc --html

CLI Arguments

input
One or more input files. Patterns like *.docx are expanded by the shell.

output
Optional.
For single input: output filename.
For multiple inputs: must be a directory.

Multiple Inputs (Batch Mode)

The CLI can process multiple input files at once:

conver *.docx -o outdir
conver file1.docx file2.docx file3.docx -o converted/

Rules:

• When multiple inputs are provided, --output must point to a directory.
• If the directory does not exist, it will be created automatically.
• If no format flag is provided, the default output format is PDF.
• Format flags (--pdf, --rtf, etc.) cannot be used together with --output FILE.
• Globbing (*.docx) is expanded by your shell before reaching the CLI.

If multiple input files are provided and --output is not specified, the CLI automatically attempts to infer a common parent directory for all inputs. If all files reside in the same directory, that directory becomes the output location.

Example:

conver *.docx
# -> writes output next to each input file

If the input files come from different directories, the output directory becomes ambiguous and the CLI will require an explicit --output.

Shell Globbing

Patterns like *.docx are expanded by your shell before the conver command is executed.

Examples:

conver *.docx -o outdir
conver path/*.rtf --pdf

This means the CLI receives the expanded list of files as separate arguments.

Format-Flag Restrictions

Format-selection flags: --pdf, --docx, --rtf, --txt, --html

Work only when OUTPUT is omitted, i.e.:

Allowed:

conver input.docx --pdf
conver input.docx output.pdf

Invalid:

conver input.docx output.pdf --pdf

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Supported Formats

Conversion capabilities depend on Microsoft Word.

Input formats: .docx, .doc, .pdf, .rtf, .odt, .txt, .html

Output formats: .pdf, .docx, .doc, .pdf, .rtf, .odt, .txt, .html

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Platform Notes

macOS (JXA)

The script convert.jxa runs through:

osascript -l JavaScript

macOS may require granting Microsoft Word file-access permissions.

Windows (PowerShell)

The script convert.ps1 uses:

Word.Application COM automation

If Word prompts the user, automation must be allowed.

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Low-Level Error Codes (Reference)

These codes come from platform scripts and are mapped to exceptions by conver():

Code	Meaning
0	Success
1	Invalid JSON from stdin
2	Unsupported input format
3	Unsupported output format
11	Input file not found
21	Word startup timeout
31	Word could not save the file
98	Script produced invalid JSON
99	Unsupported platform

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License

MIT License
(c) 2024 Timur Ulyahin
https://github.com/ucomru

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Project Homepage

GitHub:
https://github.com/ucomru/python-conver

PyPI:
https://pypi.org/project/conver/