Automating Word (JXA-first, AppleScript discovery)

Relationship to the macOS automation skill

• Standalone for Word, aligned with automating-mac-apps patterns.

• Use automating-mac-apps skill for permissions, shell execution, and UI scripting guidance.

• PyXA Installation: To use PyXA examples in this skill, see the installation instructions in automating-mac-apps skill (PyXA Installation section).

Core framing

• Word dictionary is AppleScript-first; discover there.

• JXA provides logic, data handling, and ObjC bridge access.

• Objects are specifiers; read via methods, write via assignments.

• Handle errors from Word operations using try/catch blocks and Application error checking.

Implementation Workflow

• Discover AppleScript Dictionary: Open Script Editor, browse Word's AppleScript dictionary to understand available objects and methods.

• Translate to JXA: Use discovered AppleScript syntax as reference for JXA equivalents, consulting the dictionary translation table.

• Set Up JXA Script: Initialize Word application object and document references.

• Implement Operations: Apply find/replace, table manipulation, or export using JXA methods.

• Test and Validate: Run script and verify document changes match expectations.

Quick Examples

Document opening:

// JXA const word = Application('Microsoft Word'); word.documents.open('/path/to/document.docx');

PyXA (Recommended)

import PyXA word = PyXA.Word() word.documents().open("/path/to/document.docx")

Find and replace:

// JXA const range = word.activeDocument.content; range.find.text = 'old text'; range.find.replacement.text = 'new text'; range.find.execute({replace: 'all'});

PyXA

doc = word.active_document() find_obj = doc.content().find() find_obj.text = 'old text' find_obj.replacement.text = 'new text' find_obj.execute(replace='all')

Table creation:

// JXA const table = word.activeDocument.tables.add(word.activeDocument.content, 3, 4); table.cell(1, 1).range.text = 'Header';

PyXA

table = doc.tables().add(doc.content(), 3, 4) table.cell(1, 1).range().text = 'Header'

For PyObjC Scripting Bridge examples, see automating-word/references/word-pyxa.md .

Validation Checklist

After implementing Word automation:

• Test script execution without errors

• Verify document changes applied correctly

• Check ObjC bridge objects return expected values

• Run find/replace operations and confirm replacements

• Export documents and validate output formats

When Not to Use

• For general macOS automation (use automating-mac-apps )

• For Excel automation (use automating-excel )

• For non-Microsoft Office applications

• For web-based document processing (use web APIs or Playwright)

What to load

• Word JXA basics: automating-word/references/word-basics.md (core concepts only; see references for advanced usage)

• Recipes (ranges, find/replace, tables): automating-word/references/word-recipes.md

• Advanced patterns (export enums, ObjC bridge): automating-word/references/word-advanced.md

• Dictionary translation table: automating-word/references/word-dictionary.md

• PyXA (Python) alternative: automating-word/references/word-pyxa.md