How can I open an Office Document from sql server via my C# windows app and automatically save back to database when editing is done?

Question

Our application is written in C# using .net 2.0. The application tracks our business process and users can attach office documents for reference as attachments. They frequently edit those documents. Currently, they have to save the file to their hard drive, edit and save the file, then re-attach to our application to save into database (SQL 2005).

Our users would like to be able to edit the document and save the changes without needing to detatch, edit, and re-attach.

We can programmatically launch the office (word, excel or powerpoint) document, but how can we tell when the document has closed and re-attach the updated version to the database automatically?

Thanks for any help.

Joe

Answer 1

You may have a designated directory (e.g. Environment.GetFolderPath(Environment.SpecialFolder.MyDocuments)) where you keep the files currently edited and put a FileSystemWatcher to watch whether the file changes.

The Diagnostics.Process class also has an "Exited" event that will notify you when the process, well, exited.

Answer 2

Look into SmartDocument technology at MSDN. Of the three productivity apps you mention (Word, Excel, Powerpoint) the first two for sure, and possibly Powerpoint, can have the right side panel -- where you usually see styles, navigation, or tasks -- programmed through VS using SmartDocument and Tools for Office plugins.

So, you can program the panel such that the user, working in Office or Excel (and possibly PP -- haven't looked into that) can select the document to be edited from your application, do the edits, and save/attach the document, all from the Word interface. The programming behind the right side panel will automagically take care of detaching, and reattaching the document, and can also save the document to SQLServer, if you like.

Hope this helps.

Answer 3

If you are launching the file by using Process.Start method and passing file path as a parameter, you can use the WaitForExit() method to be notified when the user has closed the file.