Using pyuno with my existing python installation

Question

I'm trying to use PyUNO as a method to convert different document formats (doc, wordperfect, html, etc) to PDF from within my Django server. I'm having a heck of a time getting import uno to work. It seems to fail when doing import pyuno, with a message of ImportError: DLL Load Failed: The specified module could not be found.

The only way I can get this to work is to use the Python 2.6 that came with OpenOffice, but I really want to use my other 2.6 installation. The docs for PyUNO are all for Python 2.2, and reputed to be out-of-date.

I'm guessing that some (or all) of the following files need to be copied from the OpenOffice directory to my site-packages directory (or some subdirectory thereof):

pythonloader.py
pythonloader.uno.ull
pythonloader.uno.ini
pythonscript.py
pyuno.pyd

Has anyone had any success getting this to work?

This is on Windows.

Answer 1

For simply conversions, you needn't reinvent the wheel. Look at unoconv: http://dag.wieers.com/home-made/unoconv/

'Import uno' will automatically work IF the python interpreter was bundled with OpenOffice, or in some Linux systems where the packagers have done a lot of work for you already.

Alternative 1: For other Python installs on Win32 systems, you need to import three environment variables and add one item to your Pythonpath. The detailed tutorial is at http://user.services.openoffice.org/en/forum/viewtopic.php?f=45&t=36370&p=166783

The three environment variables you must get FROM your OO-installed-Python and add TO your other install of Python are: (Using Python 2.6 and OO 3.1.2)

• os.environ['URE_BOOTSTRAP'] = 'vnd.sun.star.pathname:c:\Program Files\OpenOffice.org 3\program\fundamental.ini'
• os.environ['UNO_PATH'] = 'c:\Program Files\OpenOffice.org 3\program\'
• os.environ['PATH'].append('c:\Program Files\OpenOffice.org 3\URE\bin;c:\Program Files\OpenOffice.org 3\Basis\program;')

The pythonpath item you must add TO your other install of Python is the location of the uno module:

• sys.path.append('C:\Program Files\OpenOffice.org 3\Basis\program')

Now you can simply 'import uno'.

Pyuno is only compatible with a similar version of Python. Since OO 3.1 bundles Python 2.6.1, that pyuno is only compatible with another Python 2.6. Attempting to import uno into a different version of Python will cause a runtime error. But there's a way around that in Alternative 2.

Alternative 2: For other Python installs on WIN32 systems, you can ignore the Python-UNO bridge completely and use the Python-COM bridge instead. You must install one new module, and the API has a few differences, but you can use ANY version of Python, including Python3.

• Install the pywin32module to get COM access: http://sourceforge.net/projects/pywin32/
• Discussion on the API differences: http://user.services.openoffice.org/en/forum/viewtopic.php?f=45&t=36608&p=168179