WD: How to Programmatically Save Each Page or Section of Document As Separate File

ID: Q216201

The information in this article applies to:

SUMMARY

The following macros show how to break up a multi-page document into separate files. The two macros use the Page or Section property of a Microsoft Word document to select and move through the document content. This code can be used in an automation scenario with Word not visible.


MORE INFORMATION

Microsoft provides programming examples for illustration only, without warranty either expressed or implied, including, but not limited to, the implied warranties of merchantability and/or fitness for a particular purpose. This article assumes that you are familiar with the programming language being demonstrated and the tools used to create and debug procedures. Microsoft support professionals can help explain the functionality of a particular procedure, but they will not modify these examples to provide added functionality or construct procedures to meet your specific needs. If you have limited programming experience, you may want to contact a Microsoft Certified Solution Provider or the Microsoft fee-based consulting line at (800) 936-5200. For more information about Microsoft Certified Solution Providers, please see the following page on the World Wide Web:

http://www.microsoft.com/mcsp/
For more information about the support options available from Microsoft, please see the following page on the World Wide Web:

http://www.microsoft.com/support/supportnet/refguide/


Separate File by Page

The following macro copies text one page at a time and then saves that text in a new document. The macro uses the pre-defined bookmark "\page" and the document's built-in property of "number of pages".


Sub BreakOnPage()
   ' Used to set criteria for moving through the document by page.
   Application.Browser.Target = wdBrowsePage

   For i = 1 To ActiveDocument.BuiltInDocumentProperties("Number of Pages")
      
      'Select and copy the text to the clipboard
      ActiveDocument.Bookmarks("\page").Range.Copy

      ' Open new document to paste the content of the clipboard into.
      Documents.Add
      Selection.Paste

      ' Removes the break that is copied at the end of the page, if any.
      Selection.TypeBackspace
      ChangeFileOpenDirectory "C:\"
      DocNum = DocNum + 1
      ActiveDocument.SaveAs FileName:="test_" & DocNum & ".doc"
      ActiveDocument.Close

      ' Move the selection to the next page  in the document
      Application.Browser.Next
   Next i
   ActiveDocument.Close savechanges:=wdDoNotSaveChanges
End Sub

Separate File by Section

The following macro copies text one section at a time and then saves that text in a new document. The macro uses the pre-defined bookmark "\section" to create the new document. This macro is useful for breaking up a mail merge "Merge to New Document" file.


Sub BreakOnSection()
   ' Used to set criteria for moving through the document by section.
   Application.Browser.Target = wdBrowseSection

   'A mailmerge document ends with a section break next page.
   'Subtracting one from the section count stop error message.
   For i = 1 To ((ActiveDocument.Sections.Count) - 1)
   
      'Select and copy the section text to the clipboard
      ActiveDocument.Bookmarks("\Section").Range.Copy

      'Create a new document to paste text from clipboard.
      Documents.Add
      Selection.Paste

   ' Removes the break that is copied at the end of the section, if any.
      Selection.MoveUp Unit:=wdLine, Count:=1, Extend:=wdExtend
      Selection.Delete Unit:=wdCharacter, Count:=1

     ChangeFileOpenDirectory "C:\"
      DocNum = DocNum + 1
     ActiveDocument.SaveAs FileName:="test_" & DocNum & ".doc"
     ActiveDocument.Close
      ' Move the selection to the next section in the document
     Application.Browser.Next
   Next i
   ActiveDocument.Close savechanges:=wdDoNotSaveChanges
End Sub


NOTE: When this code is used to select and copy the text content of the document, the header and footer are not retained. Styles, fonts, and layout may change if the main file and the new document are from different templates, but direct formatting is maintained.


For more information about bookmarks, in the Visual Basic Editor, click Microsoft Visual Basic Help on the Help menu, type "bookmark" in the Office Assistant or the Answer Wizard, and then click Search to view the topic.

For more information about browser, in the Visual Basic Editor, click Microsoft Visual Basic Help on the Help menu, type "target property" in the Office Assistant or the Answer Wizard, and then click Search to view the topic.

Additional query words: vba split divide partition 


Keywords          : kbdta 
Version           : WINDOWS:97
Platform          : WINDOWS 
Issue type        : kbhowto

Last Reviewed: June 2, 1999