Converting Word RTF to PDF on Debian
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

:Posted: 2007-09-24 16:16
:Tags: Python, Web, Desktop Software, Debian

This is actually very easy. First install `Ted, an old UNIX text editor <http://www.nllgg.nl/Ted/>`_ with this command::

    $ sudo apt-get install ted

You'll also need Ghostscript but this is probably already installed, if not run::

    $ sudo apt-get install gs-afpl

Then download the ``rtf2pdf.sh`` script from ftp://ftp.nluug.nl/pub/editors/ted/rtf2pdf.sh and run this command::

    $ sh rtf2pdf.sh file.rtf output.pdf

and that's it, very easy and it actually works. I've attached a text version of the  `rtf2pdf.sh script here <../2007/09/rtf2pdfsh.txt>`_ as well.

Here's a very short program which uses this from Python::

    import os

    def convert(rtf, pdf):
        pipe = os.popen("sh rtf2pdf.sh %s %s"%(rtf, pdf), "r")
        error = pipe.read()
        if error:
            print "ERROR. An error occurred here is the description..."
            print
            print error

    if __name__ == '__main__':
        convert('test.rtf', 'test.pdf')