Alternatives to MS OpenXML SDK

Question

I did some investigations into OpenXML 2.0 a few years ago, as we have a server application which builds Word files, which was using Word interop and therefore required Word installed on the server.

My work never got finished but now I've been asked to pick it up again. I wondered if things have moved on since - is OpenXML the best tool or are there newer technologies (from MS or elsewhere) that would be sensible to look at using instead?

I also see there is a newer version of the OpenXML SDK... is it a big difference or only incremental?

Answer 1

OpenXML is the best. Even though you won't find a lot of documentation and answers to questions that you might have when you use it. It will help you in the long run. I've tested a lot of the paid libraries and trust me, no SDK offers the level flexibility that Open XML does.

When it comes to using Word Interop for Server automation, even MS suggests you don't use it. Open XML is faster than interop and the SDK allows for more freedom with the way you can work with Office Files.

There aren't a lot of differences between v2.0 and v2.5, its an incremental release to allow us to worrk with Office 2013 Files and some fixes from v2.0

Answer 2

You could checkout OfficeWriter which is a commercial product to generate Word and Excel files.

Disclaimer: I am one of the developers on OfficeWriter.