How to programatically remove medata data from MS Office files?

Question

Where would I even start? I doubt that the save file formats are published .. or ... didn't MS move to XML? Or can you still save MS proprietary stuff?

Would it be easier to implement a stand-alone program, or somehow integrate it with MS office?

I am just curious. Looking for a new hobby project, but I think that it could turn out to be larger than I imagine.

So, how and where to start? Thanks

Answer 1

With the newer programs, such as Word 2007/2010, you can use MsoDocInspectorStatus to remove meta-data with DocumentInspectors.Fix.

For example, speaker notes in PowerPoint is DocumentInspectors(4).

Sub RemoveSpeakerNotes()
    Dim status As MsoDocInspectorStatus
    Dim results As String
    ActivePresentation.DocumentInspectors(4).Fix status, results
End Sub