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DOCX

AnthropicOfficialPublished by Anthropic

  • Skill
  • Tool integration
  • Documents and content
  • Apache-2.0
  • Low risk
  • Has scripts

From the author

Use this skill whenever the user wants to create, read, edit, or manipulate Word documents (.docx files) or Word templates (.dotx files). Triggers include: any mention of 'Word doc', 'word document', '.docx', '.dotx', or requests to produce professional documents with formatting like tables of contents, headings, page numbers, or letterheads. Also use when extracting or reorganizing content from .docx or .dotx files, inserting or replacing images in documents, performing find-and-replace in Word files, working with tracked changes or comments, or converting content into a polished Word document. If the user asks for a 'report', 'memo', 'letter', 'template', or similar deliverable as a Word or .docx file, use this skill. Do NOT use for PDFs, spreadsheets, Google Docs, or general coding tasks unrelated to document generation.
— the description by Anthropic

AutoGineer summary

Written by AutoGineer from the skill’s own files, not by the author

This skill provides a structured approach to working with Word documents by leveraging the docx-js library for creation and XML manipulation for editing. It includes specialized scripts for merging fragmented text runs, managing tracked changes, inserting comments, and validating document structure against XSD schemas. The skill also supports document conversion and visual verification using external tools like LibreOffice and Poppler.

What it does

  • Generates new .docx and .dotx files using the docx-js library.
  • Edits existing documents by manipulating underlying XML structures.
  • Merges fragmented text runs to facilitate accurate find-and-replace operations.
  • Manages tracked changes and redlining with validation support.
  • Inserts and anchors comments into document content.
  • Converts legacy .doc files and validates document integrity.

When to use it

  • When you need to generate professional documents like reports or letters programmatically.
  • When you must perform precise edits on existing Word files that require XML-level access.
  • When you need to automate the insertion of comments or track changes in a document.
  • When you need to convert or validate Word documents for specific formatting requirements.

Advantages

  • Provides programmatic control over complex Word document structures.
  • Includes helper scripts to handle common XML-related issues like fragmented text runs.
  • Supports automated validation of document structure and tracked changes.
  • Enables headless conversion and visual verification of document output.

Usage examples

“Create a new Word document with a table of contents and a custom letterhead.”
The agent uses the docx-js library to construct a document with defined headings and layout elements.
“Edit this contract.docx to add a comment on the payment clause.”
The agent uses the comment.py script to inject the comment and anchor it to the specified text.
“Merge the text runs in this document so I can perform a find-and-replace.”
The agent runs the merge_runs.py script to coalesce fragmented XML runs into contiguous strings.
“Convert this legacy .doc file to .docx and validate it.”
The agent uses soffice to convert the file and then runs the validation script to check for errors.

Install

  1. Download the skill as a ZIP:

    https://mp-staging.autogineer.com/agent-skills/anthropics/docx/download
  2. Unzip it into the cross-client skills folder of your project:

    mkdir -p .agents/skills && unzip docx.zip -d .agents/skills

Documentation by Anthropic

DOCX creation, editing, and analysis

A .docx is a ZIP archive of XML files. Choose your approach by task:

TaskApproach
Create a new documentWrite a docx (npm) script — see gotchas below
Edit an existing documentunzip → edit word/document.xml → zip (docx-js cannot open existing files)
Read contentpandoc -t markdown file.docx

Script paths below are relative to this skill's directory.

Creating with docx-js — gotchas

docx is preinstalled — do not run npm install first; write the script and require('docx') directly. Only if that require fails: npm install docx. The model knows the API; these are the footguns:

  • Page size defaults to A4. For US Letter set page: { size: { width: 12240, height: 15840 } } (DXA; 1440 = 1″).

  • Landscape: pass portrait dimensions and orientation: PageOrientation.LANDSCAPE — docx-js swaps width/height internally.

  • Tables need dual widths: set columnWidths on the table AND width on every cell, both in WidthType.DXA (PERCENTAGE breaks in Google Docs). Column widths must sum to the table width.

  • Table shading: use ShadingType.CLEAR, never SOLID (renders black).

  • Lists: never insert • literally; use a numbering config with LevelFormat.BULLET.

  • ImageRun requires type: ("png", "jpg", …).

  • PageBreak must be inside a Paragraph.

  • Never use \n — use separate Paragraph elements.

  • TOC: headings must use built-in HeadingLevel.*; custom heading styles need outlineLevel set or they won't appear.

  • Don't use a table as a horizontal rule — use a paragraph bottom border instead.

  • Dot-leader / right-aligned-on-same-line: use PositionalTab (alignment: PositionalTabAlignment.RIGHT, leader: PositionalTabLeader.DOT) inside a TextRun, not literal . or space padding.

Verify the output

After writing a .docx, render it and look at it:

python scripts/office/soffice.py --headless --convert-to pdf output.docx
pdftoppm -jpeg -r 100 output.pdf page
ls page-*.jpg   # then Read the images

pdftoppm zero-pads page numbers to the width of the page count (page-01.jpg…page-12.jpg).

Editing existing documents

Legacy .doc files must be converted first: python scripts/office/soffice.py --headless --convert-to docx file.doc.

unzip -q doc.docx -d unpacked/
find unpacked -type l -delete   # strip symlink entries — docx from external parties is untrusted
python scripts/merge_runs.py unpacked/   # coalesce fragmented runs so text is findable
# edit unpacked/word/document.xml in place — do NOT reformat or pretty-print
(cd unpacked && rm -f ../out.docx && zip -Xr ../out.docx .)
python scripts/office/validate.py out.docx --original doc.docx   # XSD checks; --auto-repair fixes common issues
# redlining? add --author "<the name you redlined under>" to check every edit is tracked

Word splits text across many <w:r> runs (revision ids, spell-check markers), so a phrase you can see in the document often doesn't exist as a contiguous string in the XML. merge_runs.py merges adjacent identically-formatted runs in word/document.xml without changing content or rendering; it also accepts a .docx directly (python scripts/merge_runs.py doc.docx -o merged.docx).

Tracked changes: when redlining, validate with --author "<the name you redlined under>" (needs --original) — it reports any text you changed without a <w:ins>/<w:del> around it, which is easy to do by accident and invisible in the accepted view. Wrap runs in <w:ins>/<w:del> with w:id, w:author, w:date attributes. Inside <w:del>, the text element is <w:delText>, not <w:t>. A deleted paragraph mark (<w:pPr><w:rPr><w:del w:id=".." w:author=".." w:date=".."/></w:rPr></w:pPr>) means "merge this paragraph into the next" — so deleting a paragraph outright is that plus a <w:del> around every run. The <w:del/> must come before the rPr's other children; their order is schema-enforced.

To produce a clean copy with all tracked changes accepted: python scripts/accept_changes.py in.docx out.docx.

Accepting a deleted paragraph mark should join that paragraph to the one below it, so a paragraph whose runs are all deleted vanishes. Word does this; accept_changes.py and pandoc --track-changes=accept don't always. Both fail the same way — they strip the deleted text but leave the emptied paragraph behind, which reads as a stray empty bullet when it was auto-numbered:

  • pandoc --track-changes=accept never joins the paragraphs.

  • accept_changes.py (LibreOffice) joins them correctly, except when the deleted paragraph is followed by an empty spacer paragraph.

An empty bullet in either view is an artifact of that view, not a defect in the document. Check paragraph deletions in the XML.

Comments

Comments require six cross-linked files. Use the helper — directory mode when you'll also be editing document.xml (saves an unzip/rezip cycle), .docx-direct mode otherwise:

# Against an already-unpacked directory (preferred when also placing markers)
python scripts/comment.py unpacked/ "Fees & expenses cap is too low"
python scripts/comment.py unpacked/ "Agreed" --parent 0

# Against a .docx directly
python scripts/comment.py contract.docx "This cap is too low" -o annotated.docx

The script writes comments.xml, commentsExtended.xml, commentsIds.xml, commentsExtensible.xml, the relationships, and the content-type overrides. Comment IDs are auto-assigned. It then prints the <w:commentRangeStart>/<w:commentRangeEnd>/<w:commentReference> snippet to add to word/document.xml so the comment anchors to specific text — until you place those markers, the comment exists but is not visible.

Dependencies

docx (npm, preinstalled — install only if require('docx') fails) · pandoc · LibreOffice (soffice) · pdftoppm (Poppler)

Files

scripts/office/validators/pptx.py

"""
Validator for PowerPoint presentation XML files against XSD schemas.
"""

import re
from pathlib import Path

from helpers import opc_target, rels_source_part, safe_extract

from .base import BaseSchemaValidator


class PPTXSchemaValidator(BaseSchemaValidator):

    PRESENTATIONML_NAMESPACE = (
        "http://schemas.openxmlformats.org/presentationml/2006/main"
    )

    ELEMENT_RELATIONSHIP_TYPES = {
        "sldid": "slide",
        "sldmasterid": "slidemaster",
        "notesmasterid": "notesmaster",
        "sldlayoutid": "slidelayout",
        "themeid": "theme",
        "tablestyleid": "tablestyles",
    }

    def validate(self):
        if not self.validate_xml():
            return False

        all_valid = True
        if not self.validate_namespaces():
            all_valid = False

        if not self.validate_unique_ids():
            all_valid = False

        if not self.validate_uuid_ids():
            all_valid = False

        if not self.validate_file_references():
            all_valid = False

        if not self.validate_slide_layout_ids():
            all_valid = False

        if not self.validate_content_types():
            all_valid = False

        if not self.validate_against_xsd():
            all_valid = False

        if not self.validate_notes_slide_references():
            all_valid = False

        if not self.validate_all_relationship_ids():
            all_valid = False

        if not self.validate_no_duplicate_slide_layouts():
            all_valid = False

        if not self.validate_master_theme_uniqueness():
            all_valid = False

        if not self.validate_charts():
            all_valid = False

        if not self.validate_slides():
            all_valid = False

        return all_valid

    def _package_map(self) -> dict:
        wanted = []
        wanted += list(self.unpacked_dir.glob("[[]Content_Types[]].xml"))
        wanted += list(self.unpacked_dir.glob("ppt/presentation.xml"))
        wanted += list(self.unpacked_dir.glob("ppt/theme/*.xml"))
        wanted += list(self.unpacked_dir.glob("ppt/theme/_rels/*.rels"))
        wanted += list(self.unpacked_dir.glob("ppt/charts/chart*.xml"))
        for group in ("slideMasters", "notesMasters", "handoutMasters"):
            wanted += list(self.unpacked_dir.glob(f"ppt/{group}/*.xml"))
            wanted += list(self.unpacked_dir.glob(f"ppt/{group}/_rels/*.rels"))
        return {
            p.relative_to(self.unpacked_dir).as_posix(): p.read_bytes()
            for p in wanted
            if p.is_file()
        }

    def validate_master_theme_uniqueness(self):
        from helpers.pptx_theme import _NOTES_MASTERS, live_shared_master_themes

        shared = live_shared_master_themes(self._package_map())
        if shared:
            print(f"FAILED - Found {len(shared)} master(s) sharing a theme part:")
            for message in shared:
                print(f"  {message}")
            if any(m.startswith(_NOTES_MASTERS) for m in shared):
                print("  Fix: in ppt/presentation.xml, move <p:notesMasterIdLst> back to "
                      "directly after <p:sldIdLst>. PowerPoint reads that happily.")
            else:
                print("  Fix: give each master its own theme part.")
            return False

        if self.verbose:
            print("PASSED - No master shares a theme part in a way PowerPoint refuses")
        return True

    def validate_charts(self):
        from helpers.pptx_chart import find_chart_problems

        problems = find_chart_problems(self._package_map())
        if problems:
            print(f"FAILED - Found {len(problems)} chart problem(s) PowerPoint rejects:")
            for message in problems:
                print(f"  {message}")
            return False

        if self.verbose:
            print("PASSED - Charts satisfy the constraints PowerPoint enforces")
        return True

    def _original_slide_defects(self, schema) -> set[str]:
        import tempfile
        import zipfile

        from helpers.pptx_slide import SLIDE_PART_RE, fatal_slide_errors

        if self.original_file is None:
            return set()

        found: set[str] = set()
        with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory() as temp_dir:
            temp_path = Path(temp_dir)
            try:
                with zipfile.ZipFile(self.original_file, "r") as zf:
                    safe_extract(zf, temp_path)
            except (zipfile.BadZipFile, ValueError, OSError):
                return set()  

            for part in sorted(temp_path.rglob("*.xml")):
                relative = part.relative_to(temp_path).as_posix()
                if not SLIDE_PART_RE.fullmatch(relative):
                    continue
                ok, errors = self._validate_single_file_xsd(
                    part.resolve(), temp_path.resolve(), schema_path=schema
                )
                if ok is None or ok or not errors:
                    continue
                found |= set(fatal_slide_errors(set(errors)))
        return found

    def validate_slides(self):
        from helpers.pptx_slide import (
            SLIDE_PART_RE,
            fatal_slide_errors,
            is_schema_verdict,
        )

        schema = self.schemas_dir / self.SCHEMA_MAPPINGS["ppt"]
        inherited = self._original_slide_defects(schema)
        problems: list[str] = []
        broken: list[str] = []

        for xml_file in self.xml_files:
            relative = xml_file.relative_to(self.unpacked_dir).as_posix()
            if not SLIDE_PART_RE.fullmatch(relative):
                continue
            ok, errors = self._validate_single_file_xsd(
                xml_file.resolve(), self.unpacked_dir.resolve(), schema_path=schema
            )
            if ok is None or not errors:
                continue

            unreadable = [f"{relative}: {e}" for e in errors if not is_schema_verdict(e)]
            if unreadable:
                broken.extend(unreadable)
                continue
            if ok:
                continue

            for message in fatal_slide_errors(set(errors)):
                if message in inherited:
                    continue  
                problems.append(f"{relative}: {message}")

        if broken:
            print(f"FAILED - Could not check {len(broken)} slide part(s):")
            for message in sorted(broken):
                print(f"  {message[:240]}")

        if problems:
            print(f"FAILED - Found {len(problems)} slide problem(s) PowerPoint rejects:")
            for message in sorted(problems):
                print(f"  {message[:240]}")

        if broken or problems:
            return False

        if self.verbose:
            print("PASSED - Slide XML has none of the defects PowerPoint refuses")
        return True

    def _get_schema_path(self, xml_file):
        if xml_file.parent.name == "charts" and xml_file.name.startswith("chart"):
            return None
        return super()._get_schema_path(xml_file)

    def _preprocess_for_schema(self, xml_doc, relative_path):
        if relative_path.as_posix() != "ppt/presentation.xml":
            return xml_doc

        root = xml_doc.getroot()
        ns = f"{{{self.PRESENTATIONML_NAMESPACE}}}"
        notes = root.find(f"{ns}notesMasterIdLst")
        slides = root.find(f"{ns}sldIdLst")
        if notes is None or slides is None:
            return xml_doc

        children = list(root)
        if children.index(notes) < children.index(slides):
            return xml_doc  

        root.remove(notes)
        root.insert(list(root).index(slides), notes)
        return xml_doc

    def validate_uuid_ids(self):
        import lxml.etree

        errors = []
        uuid_pattern = re.compile(
            r"^[\{\(]?[0-9A-Fa-f]{8}-?[0-9A-Fa-f]{4}-?[0-9A-Fa-f]{4}-?[0-9A-Fa-f]{4}-?[0-9A-Fa-f]{12}[\}\)]?$"
        )

        for xml_file in self.xml_files:
            try:
                root = lxml.etree.parse(str(xml_file)).getroot()

                for elem in root.iter():
                    for attr, value in elem.attrib.items():
                        attr_name = attr.split("}")[-1].lower()
                        if attr_name == "id" or attr_name.endswith("id"):
                            if self._looks_like_uuid(value):
                                if not uuid_pattern.match(value):
                                    errors.append(
                                        f"  {xml_file.relative_to(self.unpacked_dir)}: "
                                        f"Line {elem.sourceline}: ID '{value}' appears to be a UUID but contains invalid hex characters"
                                    )

            except (lxml.etree.XMLSyntaxError, Exception) as e:
                errors.append(
                    f"  {xml_file.relative_to(self.unpacked_dir)}: Error: {e}"
                )

        if errors:
            print(f"FAILED - Found {len(errors)} UUID ID validation errors:")
            for error in errors:
                print(error)
            return False
        else:
            if self.verbose:
                print("PASSED - All UUID-like IDs contain valid hex values")
            return True

    def _looks_like_uuid(self, value):
        clean_value = value.strip("{}()").replace("-", "")
        return len(clean_value) == 32 and all(c.isalnum() for c in clean_value)

    def validate_slide_layout_ids(self):
        import lxml.etree

        errors = []

        slide_masters = list(self.unpacked_dir.glob("ppt/slideMasters/*.xml"))

        if not slide_masters:
            if self.verbose:
                print("PASSED - No slide masters found")
            return True

        for slide_master in slide_masters:
            try:
                root = lxml.etree.parse(str(slide_master)).getroot()

                rels_file = slide_master.parent / "_rels" / f"{slide_master.name}.rels"

                if not rels_file.exists():
                    errors.append(
                        f"  {slide_master.relative_to(self.unpacked_dir)}: "
                        f"Missing relationships file: {rels_file.relative_to(self.unpacked_dir)}"
                    )
                    continue

                rels_root = lxml.etree.parse(str(rels_file)).getroot()

                valid_layout_rids = set()
                for rel in rels_root.findall(
                    f".//{{{self.PACKAGE_RELATIONSHIPS_NAMESPACE}}}Relationship"
                ):
                    rel_type = rel.get("Type", "")
                    if "slideLayout" in rel_type:
                        valid_layout_rids.add(rel.get("Id"))

                for sld_layout_id in root.findall(
                    f".//{{{self.PRESENTATIONML_NAMESPACE}}}sldLayoutId"
                ):
                    r_id = sld_layout_id.get(
                        f"{{{self.OFFICE_RELATIONSHIPS_NAMESPACE}}}id"
                    )
                    layout_id = sld_layout_id.get("id")

                    if r_id and r_id not in valid_layout_rids:
                        errors.append(
                            f"  {slide_master.relative_to(self.unpacked_dir)}: "
                            f"Line {sld_layout_id.sourceline}: sldLayoutId with id='{layout_id}' "
                            f"references r:id='{r_id}' which is not found in slide layout relationships"
                        )

            except (lxml.etree.XMLSyntaxError, Exception) as e:
                errors.append(
                    f"  {slide_master.relative_to(self.unpacked_dir)}: Error: {e}"
                )

        if errors:
            print(f"FAILED - Found {len(errors)} slide layout ID validation errors:")
            for error in errors:
                print(error)
            print(
                "Remove invalid references or add missing slide layouts to the relationships file."
            )
            return False
        else:
            if self.verbose:
                print("PASSED - All slide layout IDs reference valid slide layouts")
            return True

    def validate_no_duplicate_slide_layouts(self):
        import lxml.etree

        errors = []
        slide_rels_files = list(self.unpacked_dir.glob("ppt/slides/_rels/*.xml.rels"))

        for rels_file in slide_rels_files:
            try:
                root = lxml.etree.parse(str(rels_file)).getroot()

                layout_rels = [
                    rel
                    for rel in root.findall(
                        f".//{{{self.PACKAGE_RELATIONSHIPS_NAMESPACE}}}Relationship"
                    )
                    if "slideLayout" in rel.get("Type", "")
                ]

                if len(layout_rels) > 1:
                    errors.append(
                        f"  {rels_file.relative_to(self.unpacked_dir)}: has {len(layout_rels)} slideLayout references"
                    )

            except Exception as e:
                errors.append(
                    f"  {rels_file.relative_to(self.unpacked_dir)}: Error: {e}"
                )

        if errors:
            print("FAILED - Found slides with duplicate slideLayout references:")
            for error in errors:
                print(error)
            return False
        else:
            if self.verbose:
                print("PASSED - All slides have exactly one slideLayout reference")
            return True

    def validate_notes_slide_references(self):
        import lxml.etree

        errors = []
        notes_slide_references = {}  

        slide_rels_files = list(self.unpacked_dir.glob("ppt/slides/_rels/*.xml.rels"))

        if not slide_rels_files:
            if self.verbose:
                print("PASSED - No slide relationship files found")
            return True

        for rels_file in slide_rels_files:
            try:
                root = lxml.etree.parse(str(rels_file)).getroot()

                for rel in root.findall(
                    f".//{{{self.PACKAGE_RELATIONSHIPS_NAMESPACE}}}Relationship"
                ):
                    rel_type = rel.get("Type", "")
                    if "notesSlide" in rel_type:
                        part = opc_target(
                            rel.get("Target", ""),
                            rels_source_part(rels_file, self.unpacked_dir),
                            rel.get("TargetMode", ""),
                        )
                        if part:
                            slide_name = rels_file.stem.replace(
                                ".xml", ""
                            )  

                            notes_slide_references.setdefault(part, []).append(
                                (slide_name, rels_file)
                            )

            except (lxml.etree.XMLSyntaxError, Exception) as e:
                errors.append(
                    f"  {rels_file.relative_to(self.unpacked_dir)}: Error: {e}"
                )

        for target, references in notes_slide_references.items():
            if len(references) > 1:
                slide_names = [ref[0] for ref in references]
                errors.append(
                    f"  Notes slide '{target}' is referenced by multiple slides: {', '.join(slide_names)}"
                )
                for slide_name, rels_file in references:
                    errors.append(f"    - {rels_file.relative_to(self.unpacked_dir)}")

        if errors:
            print(
                f"FAILED - Found {len([e for e in errors if not e.startswith('    ')])} notes slide reference validation errors:"
            )
            for error in errors:
                print(error)
            print("Each slide may optionally have its own slide file.")
            return False
        else:
            if self.verbose:
                print("PASSED - All notes slide references are unique")
            return True


if __name__ == "__main__":
    raise RuntimeError("This module should not be run directly.")

Requirements and compatibility

Written for: Claude Code, Claude apps

Works with: Claude Code, Claude apps, OpenAI Codex, GitHub Copilot, Cursor, Gemini CLI, Kiro, OpenCode, Goose, Amp, Roo Code, JetBrains Junie, Factory Droid, Devin (ex-Windsurf), Mistral Vibe, OpenHands, Letta

“Works with” means the tool reads the open Agent Skills format; a skill written for one tool may use features others lack.

Needs: Needs Python, Needs Node.js

Security

What our scanner noticed· Low risk

  • Scripts that your agent may run

This skill includes scripts that your agent may run. Read them before you use it.

A static scan is not a guarantee. Skills are third-party content: review a skill before you let an agent use it.

Attribution and licence

Published by
Anthropic
Publisher
Anthropic (Official)
Source
anthropics/skills · skills/docx · commit 2c5958e
Licence
Apache License 2.0 (redistribution allowed)
  • ATTRIBUTION.md (written by AutoGineer)
Synced

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Download ZIP

The ZIP holds the skill’s files, its licence files and an ATTRIBUTION.md. Download docx.zip