TL;DR version - I need to programmatically add a password to .docx/.xlsx/.pptx files using LibreOffice and it doesn't work, and no errors are reported back either, my request to add a password is simply ignored, and a password-less version of the same file is saved.
In-depth: I'm trying to script the ability to password-protect existing .docx/.xlsx/.pptx files using LibreOffice. I'm using 64-bit LibreOffice 6.2.5.2 which is the latest version at the time of writing, on Windows 8.1 64-bit Professional. Whilst I can do this manually via the UI - specifically, I open the "plain" document, do "Save As" and then tick "Save with Password", and enter the password in there, I cannot get this to work via any kind of automation. I'm been trying via Python/Uno, but to no gain. Although the code below correctly opens and saves the document, my attempt to add a password is completely ignored. Curiously, the file size shrinks from 12kb to 9kb when I do this.
Here is my code:
import socket
import uno
import sys
localContext = uno.getComponentContext()
resolver = localContext.ServiceManager.createInstanceWithContext("com.sun.star.bridge.UnoUrlResolver", localContext)
ctx = resolver.resolve( "uno:socket,host=localhost,port=2002;urp;StarOffice.ComponentContext" )
smgr = ctx.ServiceManager
desktop = smgr.createInstanceWithContext( "com.sun.star.frame.Desktop",ctx)
from com.sun.star.beans import PropertyValue
properties=[]
oDocB = desktop.loadComponentFromURL ("file:///C:/Docs/PlainDoc.docx","_blank",0, tuple(properties) )
sp=[]
sp1=PropertyValue()
sp1.Name='FilterName'
sp1.Value='MS Word 2007 XML'
sp.append(sp1)
sp2=PropertyValue()
sp2.Name='Password'
sp2.Value='secret'
sp.append(sp2)
oDocB.storeToURL("file:///C:/Docs/PasswordDoc.docx",sp)
oDocB.dispose()
I've had great results using Python/Uno to open password-protected files, but I cannot get it to protect a previously unprotected document. I've tried enabling the macro recorder and recording my actions - it recorded the following LibreOffice BASIC code:
sub SaveDoc
rem ----------------------------------------------------------------------
rem define variables
dim document as object
dim dispatcher as object
rem ----------------------------------------------------------------------
rem get access to the document
document = ThisComponent.CurrentController.Frame
dispatcher = createUnoService("com.sun.star.frame.DispatchHelper")
rem ----------------------------------------------------------------------
dim args1(2) as new com.sun.star.beans.PropertyValue
args1(0).Name = "URL"
args1(0).Value = "file:///C:/Docs/PasswordDoc.docx"
args1(1).Name = "FilterName"
args1(1).Value = "MS Word 2007 XML"
args1(2).Name = "EncryptionData"
args1(2).Value = Array(Array("OOXPassword","secret"))
dispatcher.executeDispatch(document, ".uno:SaveAs", "", 0, args1())
end sub
Even when I try to run that, it...saves an unprotected document, with no password encryption. I've even tried converting the macro above into the equivalent Python code, but to no avail either. I don't get any errors, it simply doesn't protect the document.
Finally, out of desperation, I've even tried other approaches that don't include LibreOffice, for example, using the Apache POI library as per the following existing StackOverflow question:
Python or LibreOffice Save xlsx file encrypted with password
...but I just get an error saying "Error: Could not find or load main class org.python.util.jython". I've tried upgrading my JDK, tweaking the paths used in the example, i.e. had an "intelligent" go, but still no joy. I suspect the error above is trivial to fix, but I'm not a Java developer and lack the experience in this area.
Does anyone have any solution? Do you have some LibreOffice code that can do this (password-protect .docx/.xlsx/.pptx files)? Or OpenOffice for that matter, I'm not precious about which package I use. Or something else entirely!
NOTE: I appreciate this is trivial using full-fat Microsoft Office, but thanks to Microsoft's licensing restrictions, is a complete no-go for this project - I have to use an alternative.
