A project I'm about to start on has a requirement to create word documents
on the fly for download from the website. To date all the code examples I've
found on the net use automation (and by implication require office to be
installed on the server).

Am I right in assuming that using Automation to generate word documents is a
bad idea for a webserver? I've always had the impression that with Excel the
single threaded nature of it meant it was unsuitable for all but the
lightest use on a webserver and I'm making the assumption that the same
applies to Word. Am I right?

Also, does anyone know of any alternatives for generating a word document?
(Text + Images + ideally some formatting)

TIA.
--
Brian Cryer
www.cryer.co.uk/brian

"Brian Cryer" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...

> Am I right in assuming that using Automation to generate word documents is
> a bad idea for a webserver?

You are completely correct in that. In fact, it's such a bad idea that
Microsoft won't support any application which does it:
http://support.microsoft.com/default...US;q257757#kb2

> I've always had the impression that with Excel the single threaded nature
> of it meant it was unsuitable for all but the lightest use on a webserver
> and I'm making the assumption that the same applies to Word. Am I right?

Yes you are. Do a search in the newsgroup for the thread entitled
"Automation of Word from .net 2" - you might find it interesting reading...
:-)

> Also, does anyone know of any alternatives for generating a word document?
> (Text + Images + ideally some formatting)

There are several, varying in price and difficulty.

1) Use HTML
Create an HTML document and give it a Word extension - Word will open it
just like a native Word document. This is completely free and very simple.

2) Use XML
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/d...displaylang=en
or the equivalent for Office 2007. Again, this is completely free, but will
involve a fair bit of work, especially if you're not familiar with XML.

3) Use Aspose
http://www.aspose.com/Products/Aspos...s/Default.aspx This is a
commercial product, but very simple.

"Mark Rae" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> "Brian Cryer" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>
>> Am I right in assuming that using Automation to generate word documents
>> is a bad idea for a webserver?
>
> You are completely correct in that. In fact, it's such a bad idea that
> Microsoft won't support any application which does it:
> http://support.microsoft.com/default...US;q257757#kb2
>
>> I've always had the impression that with Excel the single threaded nature
>> of it meant it was unsuitable for all but the lightest use on a webserver
>> and I'm making the assumption that the same applies to Word. Am I right?
>
> Yes you are. Do a search in the newsgroup for the thread entitled
> "Automation of Word from .net 2" - you might find it interesting
> reading... :-)
>
>> Also, does anyone know of any alternatives for generating a word
>> document? (Text + Images + ideally some formatting)
>
> There are several, varying in price and difficulty.
>
> 1) Use HTML
> Create an HTML document and give it a Word extension - Word will open it
> just like a native Word document. This is completely free and very simple.
>
> 2) Use XML
> http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/d...displaylang=en
> or the equivalent for Office 2007. Again, this is completely free, but
> will involve a fair bit of work, especially if you're not familiar with
> XML.
>
> 3) Use Aspose
> http://www.aspose.com/Products/Aspos...s/Default.aspx This is a
> commercial product, but very simple.

That was a very quick response. I'm impressed.

Thank you.

"Brian Cryer" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:OjC$(E-Mail Removed)...

> That was a very quick response. I'm impressed.

LOL! I guess you're new here - this most certainly is not the first time
this question has been asked...;-)