Split Word documents
6 Dec 202424 minutes to read
Syncfusion® Word Library allows you to split the large Word document into number of smaller word documents by the sections, headings, bookmarks, and placeholder text in programmatically.
By using this feature, you can be able to split/extract the necessary parts from the original document for further processing.
You can save the resultant document as a Word document (DOCX, WordML, DOC), PDF, image, HTML, RTF, and more.
To quickly start splitting Word documents, please check out this video:
Assemblies and NuGet packages required
Refer to the following links for assemblies and NuGet packages required based on platforms to split Word documents using the .NET Word Library (DocIO).
Split by Section
The following code example illustrates how to split the Word document by sections.
NOTE
Refer to the appropriate tabs in the code snippets section: C# [Cross-platform] for ASP.NET Core, Blazor, Xamarin, UWP, .NET MAUI, and WinUI; C# [Windows-specific] for WinForms and WPF; VB.NET [Windows-specific] for VB.NET applications.
FileStream fileStreamPath = new FileStream("Template.docx", FileMode.Open, FileAccess.Read, FileShare.ReadWrite);
//Load the template document as stream
using(WordDocument document = new WordDocument(fileStreamPath, FormatType.Docx))
{
//Iterate each section from Word document
for (int i = 0; i < document.Sections.Count; i++)
{
//Create new Word document
WordDocument newDocument = new WordDocument();
//Add cloned section into new Word document
newDocument.Sections.Add(section.Clone());
//Saves the Word document to MemoryStream
FileStream outputStream = new FileStream("Section" + i + ".docx", FileMode.OpenOrCreate, FileAccess.ReadWrite);
newDocument.Save(outputStream, FormatType.Docx);
//Closes the document
newDocument.Close();
}
}//Load the template document
using (WordDocument document = new WordDocument(@"Template.docx"))
{
//Iterate each section from Word document
for (int i = 0; i < document.Sections.Count; i++)
{
//Create new Word document
WordDocument newDocument = new WordDocument();
//Add cloned section into new Word document
newDocument.Sections.Add(section.Clone());
//Save and close the new Word documet
newDocument.Save("Section" + i + ".docx");
newDocument.Close();
}
}'Load the template document
Using document As WordDocument = New WordDocument("Template.docx")
'Iterate each section from Word document
For i As Integer = 0 To document.Sections.Count - 1
'Create new Word document
Dim newDocument As WordDocument = New WordDocument()
'Add cloned section into new Word document
newDocument.Sections.Add(document.Sections(i).Clone())
'Save and close the new Word document
newDocument.Save("Section" & i & ".docx")
newDocument.Close()
Next
End UsingYou can download a complete working sample from GitHub.
Split by Headings
The following code example illustrates how to split the Word document by using headings.
using (FileStream inputStream = new FileStream("Template.docx", FileMode.Open, FileAccess.Read))
{
//Load the template document as stream
using (WordDocument document = new WordDocument(inputStream, FormatType.Docx))
{
WordDocument newDocument = null;
WSection newSection = null;
int headingIndex = 0;
/Iterate each section in the Word document.
foreach (WSection section in document.Sections)
{
// Clone the section and add into new document.
if (newDocument != null)
newSection = AddSection(newDocument, section);
//Iterate each child entity in the Word document.
foreach (TextBodyItem item in section.Body.ChildEntities)
{
//If item is paragraph, then check for heading style and split.
//else, add the item into new document.
if (item is WParagraph)
{
WParagraph paragraph = item as WParagraph;
//If paragraph has Heading 1 style, then save the traversed content as separate document.
//And create new document for new heading content.
if (paragraph.StyleName == "Heading 1")
{
if (newDocument != null)
{
//Saves the Word document
string fileName = "Document" + (headingIndex + 1) + ".docx";
SaveWordDocument(newDocument, fileName);
headingIndex++;
}
//Create new document for new heading content.
newDocument = new WordDocument();
newSection = AddSection(newDocument, section);
AddEntity(newSection, paragraph);
}
else if (newDocument != null)
AddEntity(newSection, paragraph);
}
else
AddEntity(newSection, item);
}
}
//Save the remaining content as separate document.
if (newDocument != null)
{
//Saves the Word document
string fileName = "Document" + (headingIndex + 1) + ".docx";
SaveWordDocument(newDocument, fileName);
}
}
}
private static WSection AddSection(WordDocument newDocument, WSection section)
{
//Create new session based on original document
WSection newSection = section.Clone();
newSection.Body.ChildEntities.Clear();
//Remove the first page header.
newSection.HeadersFooters.FirstPageHeader.ChildEntities.Clear();
//Remove the first page footer.
newSection.HeadersFooters.FirstPageFooter.ChildEntities.Clear();
//Remove the odd footer.
newSection.HeadersFooters.OddFooter.ChildEntities.Clear();
//Remove the odd header.
newSection.HeadersFooters.OddHeader.ChildEntities.Clear();
//Remove the even header.
newSection.HeadersFooters.EvenHeader.ChildEntities.Clear();
//Remove the even footer.
newSection.HeadersFooters.EvenFooter.ChildEntities.Clear();
//Add cloned section into new document
newDocument.Sections.Add(newSection);
return newSection;
}
private static void AddEntity(WSection newSection, Entity entity)
{
//Add cloned item into the newly created section
newSection.Body.ChildEntities.Add(entity.Clone());
}
private static void SaveWordDocument(WordDocument newDocument, string fileName)
{
using (FileStream outputStream = new FileStream(fileName, FileMode.OpenOrCreate, FileAccess.ReadWrite))
{
//Save file stream as Word document
newDocument.Save(outputStream, FormatType.Docx);
//Closes the document
newDocument.Close();
newDocument = null;
}
}//Load the template document
using (WordDocument doc = new WordDocument("Template.docx"))
{
WordDocument newDocument = null;
WSection newSection = null;
int headingIndex = 0;
/Iterate each section in the Word document.
foreach (WSection section in document.Sections)
{
// Clone the section and add into new document.
if (newDocument != null)
newSection = AddSection(newDocument, section);
//Iterate each child entity in the Word document.
foreach (TextBodyItem item in section.Body.ChildEntities)
{
//If item is paragraph, then check for heading style and split.
//else, add the item into new document.
if (item is WParagraph)
{
WParagraph paragraph = item as WParagraph;
//If paragraph has Heading 1 style, then save the traversed content as separate document.
//And create new document for new heading content.
if (paragraph.StyleName == "Heading 1")
{
if (newDocument != null)
{
//Saves the Word document
string fileName = "Document" + (headingIndex + 1) + ".docx";
SaveWordDocument(newDocument, fileName);
headingIndex++;
}
//Create new document for new heading content.
newDocument = new WordDocument();
newSection = AddSection(newDocument, section);
AddEntity(newSection, paragraph);
}
else if (newDocument != null)
AddEntity(newSection, paragraph);
}
else
AddEntity(newSection, item);
}
}
//Save the remaining content as separate document.
if (newDocument != null)
{
//Saves the Word document
string fileName = "Document" + (headingIndex + 1) + ".docx";
SaveWordDocument(newDocument, fileName);
}
}
private static WSection AddSection(WordDocument newDocument, WSection section)
{
//Create new session based on original document
WSection newSection = section.Clone();
newSection.Body.ChildEntities.Clear();
//Remove the first page header.
newSection.HeadersFooters.FirstPageHeader.ChildEntities.Clear();
//Remove the first page footer.
newSection.HeadersFooters.FirstPageFooter.ChildEntities.Clear();
//Remove the odd footer.
newSection.HeadersFooters.OddFooter.ChildEntities.Clear();
//Remove the odd header.
newSection.HeadersFooters.OddHeader.ChildEntities.Clear();
//Remove the even header.
newSection.HeadersFooters.EvenHeader.ChildEntities.Clear();
//Remove the even footer.
newSection.HeadersFooters.EvenFooter.ChildEntities.Clear();
//Add cloned section into new document
newDocument.Sections.Add(newSection);
return newSection;
}
private static void AddEntity(WSection newSection, Entity entity)
{
//Add cloned item into the newly created section
newSection.Body.ChildEntities.Add(entity.Clone());
}
private static void SaveWordDocument(WordDocument newDocument, string fileName)
{
//Save file stream as Word document
newDocument.Save(fileName, FormatType.Docx);
//Closes the document
newDocument.Close();
newDocument = null;
}'Load the template document
Using doc As WordDocument = New WordDocument("Template.docx")
Dim newDocument As WordDocument = Nothing
Dim newSection As WSection = Nothing
Dim headingIndex = 0
'Iterate each section in the Word document.
For Each section As WSection In document.Sections
' Clone the section and add into new document.
If newDocument IsNot Nothing Then newSection = AddSection(newDocument, section)
'Iterate each child entity in the Word document.
For Each item As TextBodyItem In section.Body.ChildEntities
'If item is paragraph, then check for heading style and split.
'else, add the item into new document.
If TypeOf item Is WParagraph Then
Dim paragraph As WParagraph = TryCast(item, WParagraph)
'If paragraph has Heading 1 style, then save the traversed content as separate document.
'And create new document for new heading content.
If paragraph.StyleName Is "Heading 1" Then
If newDocument IsNot Nothing Then
'Saves the Word document
Dim fileName As String = "Document" & (headingIndex + 1).ToString() & ".docx"
SaveWordDocument(newDocument, fileName)
headingIndex += 1
End If
'Create new document for new heading content.
newDocument = New WordDocument()
newSection = AddSection(newDocument, section)
AddEntity(newSection, paragraph)
ElseIf newDocument IsNot Nothing Then
AddEntity(newSection, paragraph)
End If
Else
AddEntity(newSection, item)
End If
Next
Next
'Save the remaining content as separate document.
If newDocument IsNot Nothing Then
'Saves the Word document
Dim fileName As String = "Document" & (headingIndex + 1).ToString() & ".docx"
SaveWordDocument(newDocument, fileName)
End If
End Using
Private Function AddSection(ByVal newDocument As WordDocument, ByVal section As WSection) As WSection
Dim newSection As WSection = section.Clone()
newSection.Body.ChildEntities.Clear()
newSection.HeadersFooters.FirstPageHeader.ChildEntities.Clear()
newSection.HeadersFooters.FirstPageFooter.ChildEntities.Clear()
newSection.HeadersFooters.OddFooter.ChildEntities.Clear()
newSection.HeadersFooters.OddHeader.ChildEntities.Clear()
newSection.HeadersFooters.EvenHeader.ChildEntities.Clear()
newSection.HeadersFooters.EvenFooter.ChildEntities.Clear()
newDocument.Sections.Add(newSection)
Return newSection
End Function
Private Sub AddEntity(ByVal newSection As WSection, ByVal entity As Entity)
newSection.Body.ChildEntities.Add(entity.Clone())
End Sub
Private Sub SaveWordDocument(ByVal newDocument As WordDocument, ByVal fileName As String)
newDocument.Save(fileName, FormatType.Docx)
newDocument.Close()
newDocument = Nothing
End SubYou can download a complete working sample from GitHub.
Split by Bookmark
The following code example illustrates how to split the Word document using bookmarks.
//Load an existing Word document.
FileStream fileStreamPath = new FileStream("Template.docx", FileMode.Open, FileAccess.Read, FileShare.ReadWrite);
using (WordDocument document = new WordDocument(fileStreamPath, FormatType.Docx))
{
//Create the bookmark navigator instance to access the bookmark.
BookmarksNavigator bookmarksNavigator = new BookmarksNavigator(document);
BookmarkCollection bookmarkCollection = document.Bookmarks;
//Iterate each bookmark in Word document.
foreach (Bookmark bookmark in bookmarkCollection)
{
//Move the virtual cursor to the location before the end of the bookmark.
bookmarksNavigator.MoveToBookmark(bookmark.Name);
//Get the bookmark content as WordDocumentPart.
WordDocumentPart documentPart = bookmarksNavigator.GetContent();
//Save the WordDocumentPart as separate Word document
using (WordDocument newDocument = documentPart.GetAsWordDocument())
{
//Save the Word document to file stream.
using (FileStream outputFileStream = new FileStream(Path.GetFullPath(@"bookmark.Name + ".docx"), FileMode.Create, FileAccess.ReadWrite))
{
newDocument.Save(outputFileStream, FormatType.Docx);
}
}
}
}//Load an existing Word document.
using (WordDocument document = new WordDocument("Template.docx", FormatType.Docx))
{
//Create the bookmark navigator instance to access the bookmark.
BookmarksNavigator bookmarksNavigator = new BookmarksNavigator(document);
BookmarkCollection bookmarkCollection = document.Bookmarks;
//Iterate each bookmark in Word document.
foreach (Bookmark bookmark in bookmarkCollection)
{
//Move the virtual cursor to the location before the end of the bookmark.
bookmarksNavigator.MoveToBookmark(bookmark.Name);
//Get the bookmark content as WordDocumentPart.
WordDocumentPart documentPart = bookmarksNavigator.GetContent();
//Save the WordDocumentPart as separate Word document
using (WordDocument newDocument = documentPart.GetAsWordDocument())
{
newDocument.Save(bookmark.Name + ".docx", FormatType.Docx);
}
}
}'Load an existing Word document.
Using document As WordDocument = New WordDocument("Template.docx", FormatType.Docx)
'Create the bookmark navigator instance to access the bookmark.
Dim bookmarksNavigator As BookmarksNavigator = New BookmarksNavigator(document)
Dim bookmarkCollection As BookmarkCollection = document.Bookmarks
'Iterate each bookmark in Word document.
For Each bookmark As Bookmark In bookmarkCollection
'Move the virtual cursor to the location before the end of the bookmark.
bookmarksNavigator.MoveToBookmark(bookmark.Name)
'Get the bookmark content as WordDocumentPart.
Dim documentPart As WordDocumentPart = bookmarksNavigator.GetContent()
'Save the WordDocumentPart as separate Word document
Using newDocument As WordDocument = documentPart.GetAsWordDocument()
'Save the Word document
newDocument.Save(bookmark.Name & ".docx", FormatType.Docx)
End Using
Next
End UsingYou can download a complete working sample from GitHub.
Split by placeholder text
The following code example illustrates how to split the Word document using the placeholder text.
//Load an existing Word document.
FileStream fileStreamPath = new FileStream("Template.docx", FileMode.Open, FileAccess.Read, FileShare.ReadWrite);
using (WordDocument document = new WordDocument(fileStreamPath, FormatType.Docx))
{
//Finds all the placeholder text in the Word document.
TextSelection[] textSelections = document.FindAll(new Regex("<<(.*)>>"));
if (textSelections != null)
{
//Unique ID for each bookmark.
int bkmkId = 1;
//Collection to hold the inserted bookmarks.
List<string> bookmarks = new List<string>();
//Iterate each text selection.
for (int i = 0; i < textSelections.Length; i++)
{
//Get the placeholder as WTextRange.
WTextRange textRange = textSelections[i].GetAsOneRange();
//Get the index of the placeholder text.
WParagraph startParagraph = textRange.OwnerParagraph;
int index = startParagraph.ChildEntities.IndexOf(textRange);
string bookmarkName = "Bookmark_" + bkmkId;
//Add new bookmark to bookmarks collection.
bookmarks.Add(bookmarkName);
//Create bookmark start.
BookmarkStart bkmkStart = new BookmarkStart(document, bookmarkName);
//Insert the bookmark start before the start placeholder.
startParagraph.ChildEntities.Insert(index, bkmkStart);
//Remove the placeholder text.
textRange.Text = string.Empty;
i++;
//Get the placeholder as WTextRange.
textRange = textSelections[i].GetAsOneRange();
//Get the index of the placeholder text.
WParagraph endParagraph = textRange.OwnerParagraph;
index = endParagraph.ChildEntities.IndexOf(textRange);
//Create bookmark end.
BookmarkEnd bkmkEnd = new BookmarkEnd(document, bookmarkName);
//Insert the bookmark end after the end placeholder.
endParagraph.ChildEntities.Insert(index + 1, bkmkEnd);
bkmkId++;
//Remove the placeholder text.
textRange.Text = string.Empty;
}
BookmarksNavigator bookmarksNavigator = new BookmarksNavigator(document);
int fileIndex = 1;
foreach (string bookmark in bookmarks)
{
//Move the virtual cursor to the location before the end of the bookmark.
bookmarksNavigator.MoveToBookmark(bookmark);
//Get the bookmark content as WordDocumentPart.
WordDocumentPart wordDocumentPart = bookmarksNavigator.GetContent();
//Save the WordDocumentPart as separate Word document.
using (WordDocument newDocument = wordDocumentPart.GetAsWordDocument())
{
//Save the Word document to file stream.
using (FileStream outputFileStream = new FileStream(Path.GetFullPath(@"Placeholder_" + fileIndex + ".docx"), FileMode.Create, FileAccess.ReadWrite))
{
newDocument.Save(outputFileStream, FormatType.Docx);
}
}
fileIndex++;
}
}
}//Load an existing Word document into DocIO instance.
using (WordDocument document = new WordDocument("Template.docx", FormatType.Docx))
{
//Finds all the placeholder text in the Word document.
TextSelection[] textSelections = document.FindAll(new Regex("<<(.*)>>"));
if (textSelections != null)
{
//Unique ID for each bookmark.
int bkmkId = 1;
//Collection to hold the inserted bookmarks.
List<string> bookmarks = new List<string>();
//Iterate each text selection.
for (int i = 0; i < textSelections.Length; i++)
{
//Get the placeholder as WTextRange.
WTextRange textRange = textSelections[i].GetAsOneRange();
//Get the index of the placeholder text.
WParagraph startParagraph = textRange.OwnerParagraph;
int index = startParagraph.ChildEntities.IndexOf(textRange);
string bookmarkName = "Bookmark_" + bkmkId;
//Add new bookmark to bookmarks collection.
bookmarks.Add(bookmarkName);
//Create bookmark start.
BookmarkStart bkmkStart = new BookmarkStart(document, bookmarkName);
//Insert the bookmark start before the start placeholder.
startParagraph.ChildEntities.Insert(index, bkmkStart);
//Remove the placeholder text.
textRange.Text = string.Empty;
i++;
//Get the placeholder as WTextRange.
textRange = textSelections[i].GetAsOneRange();
//Get the index of the placeholder text.
WParagraph endParagraph = textRange.OwnerParagraph;
index = endParagraph.ChildEntities.IndexOf(textRange);
//Create bookmark end.
BookmarkEnd bkmkEnd = new BookmarkEnd(document, bookmarkName);
//Insert the bookmark end after the end placeholder.
endParagraph.ChildEntities.Insert(index + 1, bkmkEnd);
bkmkId++;
//Remove the placeholder text.
textRange.Text = string.Empty;
}
BookmarksNavigator bookmarksNavigator = new BookmarksNavigator(document);
int fileIndex = 1;
foreach (string bookmark in bookmarks)
{
//Move the virtual cursor to the location before the end of the bookmark.
bookmarksNavigator.MoveToBookmark(bookmark);
//Get the bookmark content as WordDocumentPart.
WordDocumentPart wordDocumentPart = bookmarksNavigator.GetContent();
//Save the WordDocumentPart as separate Word document.
using (WordDocument newDocument = wordDocumentPart.GetAsWordDocument())
newDocument.Save("Placeholder_" + fileIndex + ".docx", FormatType.Docx);
fileIndex++;
}
}
}'Load an existing Word document into DocIO instance.
Using document As WordDocument = New WordDocument("Template.docx", FormatType.Docx)
'Finds all the placeholder text in the Word document.
Dim textSelections As TextSelection() = document.FindAll(New Regex("<<(.*)>>"))
If textSelections IsNot Nothing Then
'Unique ID for each bookmark.
Dim bkmkId = 1
'Collection to hold the inserted bookmarks.
Dim bookmarks As List(Of String) = New List(Of String)()
'Iterate each text selection.
For i = 0 To textSelections.Length - 1
'Get the placeholder as WTextRange.
Dim textRange As WTextRange = textSelections(i).GetAsOneRange()
'Get the index of the placeholder text.
Dim startParagraph As WParagraph = textRange.OwnerParagraph
Dim index As Integer = startParagraph.ChildEntities.IndexOf(textRange)
Dim bookmarkName As String = "Bookmark_" & bkmkId.ToString()
'Add new bookmark to bookmarks collection.
bookmarks.Add(bookmarkName)
'Create bookmark start.
Dim bkmkStart As BookmarkStart = New BookmarkStart(document, bookmarkName)
'Insert the bookmark start before the start placeholder.
startParagraph.ChildEntities.Insert(index, bkmkStart)
'Remove the placeholder text.
textRange.Text = String.Empty
i += 1
'Get the placeholder as WTextRange.
textRange = textSelections(i).GetAsOneRange()
'Get the index of the placeholder text.
Dim endParagraph As WParagraph = textRange.OwnerParagraph
index = endParagraph.ChildEntities.IndexOf(textRange)
'Create bookmark end.
Dim bkmkEnd As BookmarkEnd = New BookmarkEnd(document, bookmarkName)
'Insert the bookmark end after the end placeholder.
endParagraph.ChildEntities.Insert(index + 1, bkmkEnd)
bkmkId += 1
'Remove the placeholder text.
textRange.Text = String.Empty
Next
Dim bookmarksNavigator As BookmarksNavigator = New BookmarksNavigator(document)
Dim fileIndex = 1
For Each bookmark In bookmarks
'Move the virtual cursor to the location before the end of the bookmark.
bookmarksNavigator.MoveToBookmark(bookmark)
'Get the bookmark content as WordDocumentPart.
Dim wordDocumentPart As WordDocumentPart = bookmarksNavigator.GetContent()
'Save the WordDocumentPart as separate Word document.
Using newDocument As WordDocument = wordDocumentPart.GetAsWordDocument()
'Save the Word document.
newDocument.Save("Placeholder_" & fileIndex & ".docx", FormatType.Docx)
End Using
fileIndex += 1
Next
End If
End UsingYou can download a complete working sample from GitHub.
Online Demo
- Explore how to split a Word document by section using the .NET Word Library (DocIO) in a live demo here.
- See how to split a Word document by heading using the .NET Word Library (DocIO) in a live demo here.
- See how to split a Word document by bookmark using the .NET Word Library (DocIO) in a live demo here.
- See how to split a Word document by placeholder using the .NET Word Library (DocIO) in a live demo here.