Button or context menu for convert to PDF with MS Office Save-As option

[Alterego]

Hi All,

Very commonly i need to convert PowerPoint or Word documents to PDF. Although there are multiple ways and options available , I wanted to know if we can automate my intended preferred way of saving as PDF using Microsoft native Save-As dialog box.

Can we have a button or a right click menu option to convert the selected files(s) to PDF and save in the source folder with the same name (.PDF extension) (all in one go), using the save-as dialog box (screenshot below).

Thanks for your responses and guidance.

[Leo]

It might be possible via Word's scripting interface, but this is more a question for a forum about Word than Opus. Opus can run pretty much any command or script, but whether Word can do it and what the command or script is, I don't know.

[Leo]

Actually, this may work if Office's PDF virtual printer is installed:

Print TO "Microsoft Print to PDF"

Worked here on a .docx file, at least. Still involves a bit of clicking and typing to specify where to save the new file, and also waiting for Word to load, but a bit less than opening the document in Word first.

The "printer" name may vary with different languages. It'll be the same one as in the list of printers in Windows or anything that lets you select a printer.

[lxp]

Try

Convert Office docs to PDF

This script converts Word and PowerPoint files to PDF-Documents. It uses Office's built-in SaveAs functionality and therefore requires an Office installation. The new files will sit next to the originals with the new .pdf extension. Existing files wi…

[Alterego]

Many Thanks for this wonderful script.

It worked great when added as toolbar button. I wanted it to be available as an option right-click context menu when i select office file types.

With my limited knowledge - i tried adding it to the FileTypes option (selected Documents Filetype group) and added the code as per the below screenshots.

The option appeared in the right click menu

However when I selected the option the log output gave the below error.

Can you please have a look and guide how to correctly it, so i can select one or multiple file types (doc/xls) and do the needful conversion.
Thanks.

[lxp]

Try adding

@script JScript

as the first line of the script.

Btw: It's probably easier to add the script to "All files and folders" instead of specific file types.

[Alterego]

@lxp

@script JScript

Great, it works now. I selected multiple PPTX and DOCX files and it converted them.

For the all files and folder, I just wanted this option to appear on the Office Document Types (which are usually the only target for PDF conversion)

Thanks for your support.

[Alterego]

Hello @lxp ,

The script button was working fine for a while however recently has been giving me the following error when trying to convert a powerpoint PPTX file.

Can you please have a look and guide about any possible clue to fix it.

As shown in the previous posts I am using a button for filetype groups "Documents" with the following script function in the context menu

// https://resource.dopus.com/t/convert-office-docs-to-pdf/41531

// 2022-06-20
@script JScript
function OnClick(clickData) {
    var cmd = clickData.func.command;
    var tab = clickData.func.sourcetab;
    var fsu = DOpus.FSUtil();
    cmd.deselect = false;

    cmd.RunCommand('Set UTILITY=otherlog');

    DOpus.ClearOutput();

    DOpus.Output('Launching apps...\n');
    var wordApp = new ActiveXObject('Word.Application');
    var powerPointApp = new ActiveXObject('PowerPoint.Application');

    DOpus.Output('Enumerating...\n');

    for (var e = new Enumerator(tab.selected_files); !e.atEnd(); e.moveNext()) {
        var item = e.item();
        DOpus.Output(item);

        var itemPdf = item.path + '\\' + item.name_stem + '.pdf';
        if (fsu.Exists(itemPdf)) {
            DOpus.Output('... skipped. Target exists!\n');
            continue;
        }

        var ext = item.ext.substring(0, 4);

        if (ext == '.doc') {
            if (wordApp == null) {
                DOpus.Output('... skipped. Word could not be launched!\n');
            } else {
                var wordItem = wordApp.Documents.Open(String(item.realpath));
                wordItem.SaveAs2(itemPdf, 17); // wdFormatPDF
                wordItem.Close();
                DOpus.Output(itemPdf + '\n');
            }
        } else if (ext == '.ppt') {
            if (powerPointApp == null) {
                DOpus.Output('... skipped. PowerPoint could not be launched!\n');
            } else {
                var powerPointItem = powerPointApp.Presentations.Open(String(item.realpath));
                powerPointItem.SaveAs(itemPdf, 32); // ppSaveAsPDF
                powerPointItem.Close();
                DOpus.Output(itemPdf + '\n');
            }
        } else {
            DOpus.Output('... skipped. Filetype not supported!\n');
        }
    }

    DOpus.Output('\n... done.');

    cmd.RunCommand('Select NONE');
    cmd.RunCommand('Select FROMSCRIPT SETFOCUS');
    cmd.RunCommand('Select SHOWFOCUS');
}

[lxp]

Check if ActiveX is disabled in PowerPoint. It appears that this is the default setting in Office 2024.

I don't recall changing this setting in Office 2021, but I might have simply forgotten

[Alterego]

This setting did the trick. It is working now.

I have set the controls to enable all without any restriction. Any potential risk or threat I am exposed to or remain precautious about , while using this setting level.