with JavaScript
Install node.js and npm
more information
Check that node and npm are installed.
node -v
npm -v
Generate package.json file
Open File Explorer and create the (C:\temp\officejs) folder.
Create a new subfolder called "word-javascript" (C:\temp\officejs\word-javascript).
Open a command prompt (as administrator).
Change to that folder and initialise npm.
cd c:\temp\notepad\word-javascript
npm init
Press Enter to accept all the defaults.
This will create a "package.json" file in the folder.
(C:\temp\notepad\word-javascript).
Install Webpack
more information
This lets you bundle all your javascript files into a single file and provides a local development server.
npm install --save-dev webpack
npm install --save-dev webpack-cli
npm install --save-dev webpack-dev-server
npm install --save-dev html-webpack-plugin
This will create a new subfolder called "node_modules".
(C:\temp\notepad\word-javascript\node_modules).
The '--save-dev' switch will add these modules as a devDependency in the package.json file.
Install Babel
more information
This lets you transpile ES 2015 (ES6) Javascript into ES 2009 (ES5) Javascript code.
npm install --save-dev babel-loader
npm install --save-dev @babel/core
View package.json file
Open a Microsoft Edge browser and drag the "package.json" file onto a new tab to view the contents.
Alternatively open NotePad++ and drag the "package.json" file onto it.
{
"name": "word-javascript",
"version": "1.0.0",
"description": "",
"main": "index.js",
"scripts": {
"test": "echo \"Error: no test specified\" && exit 1"
},
"author": "",
"license": "ISC",
"devDependencies": {
"@babel/core": "^7.16.7",
"babel-loader": "^8.2.3",
"html-webpack-plugin": "^5.5.0",
"webpack": "^5.65.0",
"webpack-cli": "^4.9.1",
"webpack-dev-server": "^4.7.2"
},
}
Create index.html
Open File Explorer in the root folder (C:\temp\notepad\word-javascript).
Create a NotePad file with the following contents and save it as 'index.html'.
This file contains html code that links to webpackbundle.js.
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<body>
<h1>Word Demo</h1>
<div id="app"></div>
</body>
</html>
Create index.js
Open File Explorer in the root folder (C:\temp\notepad\word-javascript).
Create a NotePad file with the following contents and save it as 'index.js'.
window.onload = function Start() {
console.log('hello world');
var app_1 = document.getElementById("app");
app_1.innerHTML = '<b>hello world</b>';
}
Create webpack.config.js file
Open File Explorer in the root folder (C:\temp\notepad\word-javascript).
Create a NotePad file with the following contents and save it as 'webpack.config.js'.
This file tells webpack the location and filename of our top level/entry javascript file ("index.js").
This file tells webpack to bundle all the javascript files into a single file called "webpackbundle.js".
var HTMLWebpackPlugin = require('html-webpack-plugin');
var HTMLWebpackPluginConfig = new HTMLWebpackPlugin({
template: __dirname + '/index.html',
filename: 'index.html',
inject: 'body'
});
module.exports = {
entry: __dirname + '/index.js',
output: {
filename: 'webpackbundle.js'
},
module: {
rules: [
{
test: /.js?$/,
exclude: /node_modules/,
use: {
loader: 'babel-loader'
}
}
]
},
plugins: [HTMLWebpackPluginConfig]
};
The "webpackbundle.js" file will be automatically generated and used on the local server.
This file is not saved or accessible anywhere in the root folder (C:\temp\notepad\word-javascript).
Launch Browser
You are now in a position to launch webpack and start the local development server.
Open a command prompt (as administrator).
Change to the corresponding folder.
cd c:\temp\notepad\word-javascript
Execute the following 2 commands.
node ./node_modules/webpack/bin/webpack --mode development
node ./node_modules/webpack/bin/webpack serve --mode development
Open a Microsoft Edge browser and type in the URL - localhost:8080
![]() |
Edit index.html
We need to add a reference to the Office.js file.
Drag the 'index.html' file into NotePad and make the necessary changes.
Add this additional script reference.
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<script src="https://appsforoffice.microsoft.com/lib/1/hosted/Office.js"
type="text/javascript"></script>
</head>
<body>
<h1>Word Demo</h1>
<div id="app"></div>
</body>
</html>
Edit index.js
Include some javascript that will interact with the active document.
Drag the 'index.js' file into NotePad and make the necessary changes.
This code will add a table at the current position which has 3 columns and 4 rows.
Add another line to the window.onload event.
Include an empty Office.initialize function.
Include a loadWordData function that will run when the button is pressed.
window.onload = function Start() {
console.log('hello world');
var app_1 = document.getElementById("app");
app_1.innerHTML = '<b>hello world</b>';
app_1.innerHTML = app_1.innerHTML +
'<br><input type="button" value="Add Data" onclick="loadWordData();" />';
}
Office.initialize = function (reason) {
}
window.loadWordData = loadWordData;
function loadWordData() {
console.log('word data loaded');
Word.run(function (ctx) {
var myTable = new Office.TableData();
myTable.headers = ["First Name", "Last Name", "Grade"];
myTable.rows = [["Brittney", "Booker", "A"], ["Sanjit", "Pandit", "C"], ["Naomi", "Peacock", "B"]];
Office.context.document.setSelectedDataAsync(myTable, { coercionType: Office.CoercionType.Table });
return ctx.sync();
});
}
Create manifest.xml
Create a NotePad file with the following contents and save it as 'manifest.xml'.
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<OfficeApp
xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/appforoffice/1.1"
xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
xmlns:bt="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/officeappbasictypes/1.0"
xmlns:ov="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/taskpaneappversionoverrides"
xsi:type="TaskPaneApp">
<Id> UNIQUE GUID </Id>
<Version>1.0.0.0</Version>
<ProviderName>Better Solutions Limited</ProviderName>
<DefaultLocale>en-US</DefaultLocale>
<DisplayName DefaultValue="WordJavaScriptAddIn1" />
<Description DefaultValue="WordJavaScriptAddIn1"/>
<SupportUrl DefaultValue="https://bettersolutions.com"/>
<AppDomains>
<AppDomain>AppDomain1</AppDomain>
</AppDomains>
<Hosts>
<Host Name="Document" />
</Hosts>
<DefaultSettings>
<SourceLocation DefaultValue="http://localhost:8080/index.html" />
</DefaultSettings>
<Permissions>ReadWriteDocument</Permissions>
</OfficeApp>
You must include a support URL.
Enter a valid GUID Id (visit www.guidgen.com)
Save the changes.
Load the Add-in - Desktop
The add-in can be sideloaded into your Word client.
You can then side load this add-in using a Shared Folder.
Select the Developer Tab and select "Add-ins".
![]() |
The task pane will be displayed as soon as you press Add.
Press the "Add Data" button to insert a table into the active document.
![]() |
GitHub Repo
You can view the project at - github.com/OfficeAddins/helloworld-word
© 2023 Better Solutions Limited. All Rights Reserved. © 2023 Better Solutions Limited TopPrevNext