Word placeholder replacement

Word Placeholder Replacement

This skill demonstrates how to replace placeholders in Word documents (.docx) using the python-docx library and handle conditional sections.

Overview

Word documents (.docx files) are XML-based. The python-docx library allows you to:

• Read and modify document content
• Replace placeholders like {{CANDIDATE_FULL_NAME}}
• Handle conditional blocks ({{IF_*}}...{{END_IF_*}})
• Preserve formatting

Key Concepts

Placeholder Format

• Placeholders follow the format: {{PLACEHOLDER_NAME}}
• They can appear in paragraphs, tables, or headers/footers
• Text may be split across runs (XML nodes) in the document tree

Conditional Sections

• Format: {{IF_CONDITION}}content{{END_IF_CONDITION}}
• If the condition is true, keep the content and remove markers
• If false, remove the entire section including markers

Implementation Pattern

from docx import Document

def replace_placeholders_in_docx(template_path, data_dict, output_path):
    """
    Replace placeholders in a Word document.

    Args:
        template_path: Path to the template .docx file
        data_dict: Dictionary with placeholder names as keys
        output_path: Where to save the filled document
    """
    doc = Document(template_path)

    # Reconstruct full text to handle split placeholders
    full_text = get_document_full_text(doc)

    # Replace placeholders
    for key, value in data_dict.items():
        full_text = full_text.replace(f'{{{{{key}}}}}', str(value))

    # Handle conditional sections
    full_text = process_conditionals(full_text)

    # Apply changes back to document
    apply_text_to_document(doc, full_text)

    doc.save(output_path)

Handling Split Placeholders

Placeholders can be split across multiple runs. Example:

• Run 1: {{CANDI
• Run 2: DATE_FULL_NAME}}

Solution: Reconstruct the full text from all runs, perform replacement, then update the document.

Processing Conditional Sections

Pattern for conditionals:

{{IF_RELOCATION_PACKAGE}}
This employee receives relocation support of $15,000.
{{END_IF_RELOCATION_PACKAGE}}

Logic:

1. Find all {{IF_*}}...{{END_IF_*}} blocks
2. Evaluate the condition against your data
3. If true: keep content, remove markers
4. If false: remove entire section

Document Structure Reference

• doc.paragraphs - Access document paragraphs
• doc.tables - Access tables
• paragraph.runs - Individual formatted text segments
• table.rows, table.cells - Table structure

Common Gotchas

1. Split placeholders: Always reconstruct full text before replacing
2. Preserving formatting: Use paragraph-level operations when possible
3. Line breaks: Conditional blocks may span multiple paragraphs
4. Tables: Replacements work within table cells too

Testing

After replacement:

• Verify all placeholders were replaced
• Check conditional sections handled correctly
• Ensure document opens without errors
• Validate formatting is preserved