DocumentBuilder: Image gets lost

[MichaelaParticipant]

Hi,

I use the DocumentBuilder and have the problem that an image gets lost. In one of my files I have an image that isn’t present anymore in the merged file. The image is of type “<w:drawing>”. Should the DocumentBuilder keep this image or is this not implemented?

Thanks a lot in advance,
Michaela

The code of the drawing:

<w:drawing>
<wp:inline distT="0" distB="0" distL="0" distR="0">
<wp:extent cx="2480945" cy="525145"/>
<wp:effectExtent l="0" t="0" r="0" b="8255"/>
<wp:docPr id="1" name="Bild 1"/>
<wp:cNvGraphicFramePr>
<a:graphicFrameLocks xmlns:a="http://schemas.openxmlformats.org/drawingml/2006/main" noChangeAspect="1"/>
</wp:cNvGraphicFramePr>
<a:graphic xmlns:a="http://schemas.openxmlformats.org/drawingml/2006/main">
<a:graphicData uri="http://schemas.openxmlformats.org/drawingml/2006/picture">
<pic:pic xmlns:pic="http://schemas.openxmlformats.org/drawingml/2006/picture">
<pic:nvPicPr>
<pic:cNvPr id="0" name="Picture 1"/>
<pic:cNvPicPr>
<a:picLocks noChangeAspect="1" noChangeArrowheads="1"/>
</pic:cNvPicPr>
</pic:nvPicPr>
<pic:blipFill>
<a:blip r:embed="rId7">
<a:extLst>
<a:ext uri="{28A0092B-C50C-407E-A947-70E740481C1C}">
<a14:useLocalDpi xmlns:a14="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/drawing/2010/main" val="0"/>
</a:ext>
</a:extLst>
</a:blip>
<a:srcRect/>
<a:stretch>
<a:fillRect/>
</a:stretch>
</pic:blipFill>
<pic:spPr bwMode="auto">
<a:xfrm>
<a:off x="0" y="0"/>
<a:ext cx="2480945" cy="525145"/>
</a:xfrm>
<a:prstGeom prst="rect">
<a:avLst/>
</a:prstGeom>
<a:noFill/>
<a:ln>
<a:noFill/>
</a:ln>
</pic:spPr>
</pic:pic>
</a:graphicData>
</a:graphic>
</wp:inline>
</w:drawing>

[Eric WhiteKeymaster]

Hi,

Can you please post a test document (on dropbox or some such) and provide a link?

DocumentBuilder should propagate all images into the assembled document, and if it does not, that would be a bug.

Best, Eric

[MichaelaParticipant]

Hi Eric,

thanks for your fast response. While creating test documents for you I recognized that the bug occurs AFTER merging the documents with the DocumentBuilder. So there is no bug in your code.

Sorry for the inconveniences.

Best regards,
Michaela

[MichaelaParticipant]

Hi Eric,

I thought that the error occurs AFTER the merging. That is not correct. I found out that the error occurs WHILE merging but I see it after it when I update all fields in the merged documents.

So there is a bug I think. I have one document with a picture in it and a second document with a link to another document. When I merge those files the first picture becomes a link too and the picture gets lost. This isn’t correct.

I created test documents for you and uploaded them (The linked document is not included but it’s not neccessary to show the behaviour):

Docs

It would be great if you could have a look at it.

Thanks a lot in advance.

Kind regards,
Michaela

• This reply was modified 7 years, 10 months ago by  Michaela.

[Eric WhiteKeymaster]

Hi Michaela,

If I remember correctly, I didn’t address links to external documents. Such links are problematic at best, and I could not think of a scenario for DocumentBuilder where such links are important. I confess that I didn’t even think about what to do with those links, so I’m not surprised the code is broken.

I’ll take a quick look, and see if there is an easy fix.

Best, Eric

[Eric WhiteKeymaster]

Hi Michaela,

I have confirmed, yes, the DocumentBuilder does not handle external links. There are security issues associated with this, as well as technical issues. Actually, I think that from a security perspective, the behavior of DocumentBuilder should be to throw an exception when it encounters one of these links.

I would love to hear your scenario, where external links are important when using DocumentBuilder. If you have time, would you write a paragraph or two as to why they are important?

Best, Eric

[MichaelaParticipant]

Hi Eric,

thanks for your fast response.
I’m not able to write you why the exernal links are important. I’m just a developer of a software where customers can create documents and merge them (and do much more). I used the DocumentBuilder as a base and adapted all where our needs were different. So the software has to be able to merge all the customer documents independant of what they contain. And now I have to find a solution for the external links because the customer documents contain them. Throwing an exception wouldn’t be a solution for me.

I’ll read about the external links and hope to find a way to handle them. If I’ll find a good solution I’ll let you know.

Thanks for your support,
Michaela

[Eric WhiteKeymaster]

Hi Michaela,

It certainly is possible to enhance DocumentBuilder so that it handles external links. This modification can fit into the existing structure of DocumentBuilder with no issues. It probably is about 4-6 hours of work, including adding XUnit tests. You can give it a try to make the changes.

If you want me to make those changes, I am available on a consulting basis to do so.

Best, Eric

[MichaelaParticipant]

Hi Eric,

thanks for this offer. Unfortunately, I’m not allowed to pay for any support. So I have to do this on my own.

Have a nice weekend!
Michaela

[Author]

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