Word Add-in with TypeScript

Before you read this page you should read with JavaScript


Generate package.json file

Open File Explorer and browse to the (C:\temp\notepad) folder.
Create a new subfolder called "word-typescript" (C:\temp\notepad\word-typescript).
Open a command prompt (as administrator).
Change to that folder and initialise npm.

cd c:\temp\notepad\word-typescript 
npm init

Press Enter to accept all the defaults.
This will create a "package.json" file in the folder.
(C:\temp\notepad\word-typescript).


Install Webpack

more information

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

Install Babel

more information
This lets you transpile TypeScript ES 2015 (ES6) into JavaScript ES 2015 (ES6).

npm install --save-dev babel-loader 
npm install --save-dev @babel/core
npm install --save-dev @babel/preset-typescript

Install TypeScript

more information
This lets you use the TypeScript compiler.

npm install --save-dev typescript 

Install Type Definitions

This lets Typescript perform the necessary type checking at compile type.

npm install --save-dev @types/office-js 

Edit package.json file

Open NotePad++ and drag the "package.json" file onto it.
Change the main parameter from 'index.js' to 'index.ts'.

{ 
  "name": "word-typescript",
  "version": "1.0.0",
  "description": "",
"main": "index.ts",
  "scripts": {
    "test": "echo \"Error: no test specified\" && exit 1"
  },
  "author": "",
  "license": "ISC",
  "devDependencies": {
    "@babel/core": "^7.12.16",
    "@babel/preset-typescript": "^7.12.16",
    "@types/office-js": "^1.0.162",
    "babel-loader": "^8.2.2",
    "html-webpack-plugin": "^5.1.0",
    "typescript": "^4.1.5",
    "webpack": "^5.22.0",
    "webpack-cli": "^3.3.10",
    "webpack-dev-server": "^3.10.2"
  }
}

Create index.html

Open File Explorer in the root folder (C:\temp\notepad\word-typescript).
Create a new subfolder called 'code' (C:\temp\notepad\word-typescript\code).
Create a NotePad file with the following contents and save it as 'index.html'.
This file contains html code and includes a link to Office.js.

<!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>

Create index.ts

Open File Explorer in the folder (C:\temp\notepad\word-typescript\code).
Create a NotePad file with the following contents and save it as 'index.ts'.

window.onload = function Start() { 
   console.log('hello world');

   var app_1 = document.getElementById("app");
   app_1.innerHTML = app_1.innerHTML + '<br>' +
'<input ' +
'type="button" ' +
'value="Add Data" ' +
'onclick="loadWordData();" />';
   app_1.innerHTML = app_1.innerHTML + '<br><br><br>' +
'<textarea ' +
'id="textareaID" ' +
'rows="10" ' +
'cols="35">' +
'console.log' +
'</textarea>';
};

Office.initialize = function (reason) {
}

window.loadWordData = loadWordData;

function loadWordData() {
   fun_WindowLog('--------------------');

   Word.run(function (ctx) {
      let 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 });
      fun_WindowLog('Another Table Added');
      return ctx.sync();
   });
}

function fun_WindowLog(
   newText: any) {
   window.console.log(newText);
   let element2 = document.getElementById("textareaID");
   element2.textContent = newText + "\n" + element2.textContent;
}

Create webpack.config.js file

Open File Explorer in the root folder (C:\temp\notepad\word-typescript).
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 typescript file ("index.ts").
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 + '/code/index.html',
   filename: 'index.html',
   inject: 'body'
});

module.exports = {
   entry: __dirname + '/code/index.ts',
   output: {
      filename: 'webpackbundle.js',
      path: __dirname + '/build'
   },
   module: {
      rules: [
          {
             test: /.ts$/,
             exclude: /node_modules/,
             use : {
                loader: 'babel-loader',
                options: {
                   presets: [ '@babel/preset-typescript' ]
                }
             }
          }
      ]
   },
   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\officejs\word-typescript).


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-typescript 

Execute the following 2 commands.

node ./node_modules/webpack/bin/webpack --mode development 
node ./node_modules/webpack-dev-server/bin/webpack-dev-server --mode development

Open a Microsoft Edge browser and type in the URL - localhost:8080


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="WordTypeScriptAddIn1" />
  <Description DefaultValue="WordTypeScriptAddIn1"/>
  <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.
You can then side load this add-in using a Shared Folder.


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