Header and footer creation in versions before 0.8.8

Question

Is there a workaround for adding headers and footers in a Microsoft Word (docx) file?

These are not implemented in versions of python-docx prior to 0.8.8.

More specifically, I would like to add:

1. Page number to footers
2. Some random text to headers

The ideal code will look as follows:

from docx import Document

document = Document()

# Add header and footer on all pages

document.save("demo.docx")

Answer 1

How about something like this (Thanks to Eliot K)

from docx import Document
import win32com.client as win32
import os.path
import tempfile

tempdir = tempfile.gettempdir()
msword = win32.gencache.EnsureDispatch('Word.Application')
tempfile = os.path.join(tempdir, "temp.doc")

document = Document()

document.save(tempfile)

doc = msword.Documents.Open(tempfile)

doc.Sections(1).Footers(1).Range.Text = r'Text to be included'
doc.Sections(1).Footers(1).PageNumbers.Add()
doc.SaveAs(tempfile, FileFormat = 0)

document = Document(tempfile)

Not the most elegant approach perhaps, but should do what you need it to. Maybe sequester the ugly save/load code in a function somewhere in a dusty corner of your code ;-)

Again, does require a windows machine with microsoft office installed.

Good luck!