Convert RTF to Word, PDF, HTML, XML and Images with Python

5 min readApr 23, 2024

Convert RTF to Word, PDF, HTML, XML and Images with Python

Introduction

RTF, Word, PDF, HTML, XML, and Image are widely used file formats for content creation, storage, and sharing. Each format serves specific purposes and offers unique features:

RTF (Rich Text Format) is a universal file format developed by Microsoft for document exchange between word processing applications. It allows basic text formatting such as font styles, colors, and styles. While RTF provides cross-platform compatibility, it has some limitations in advanced formatting and multimedia integration.
Word formats, such as DOC and DOCX, provide advanced formatting options and multimedia integration. They are commonly used for creating and editing professional documents such as reports, resumes, and academic papers.
PDF (Portable Document Format) is a standard document format developed by Adobe for sharing and printing documents while preserving their original formatting and layout. PDF supports text, images, hyperlinks, and more. PDF files offer high security and can be optimized for web viewing and compressed to reduce file size.
HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) is a markup language used for creating web pages and web content. It allows for the structuring of text, images, links, and multimedia elements. HTML documents can be viewed in web browsers and are essential for creating and publishing content on the internet.
XML (Extensible Markup Language) is a versatile file format used for data storage and exchange. It is commonly used for representing structured data and enabling interoperability between different systems and applications.
Image formats, such as JPEG, PNG, and BMP, are used for storing and displaying visual content. They are specifically designed to capture and display images, making them indispensable for various digital applications, including websites, social media, graphic design, and photography.

In this article, we will explore how to convert RTF files to Word, PDF, HTML, XML and Image formats using Python.

Convert RTF to Word DOC or DOCX with Python
Convert RTF to PDF with Python
Convert RTF to HTML with Python
Convert RTF to XML with Python
Convert RTF to Images with Python

Python Library to Convert RTF to Word, PDF, HTML, XML and Images

To convert RTF files to Word, PDF, HTML, XML and Image formats with Python, we can use the Spire.Doc for Python library.

Spire.Doc for Python is a feature-rich and easy-to-use library for creating, reading, editing, and converting Word files within Python applications. With this library, you can work with a wide range of Word formats, including Doc, Docx, Docm, Dot, Dotx, Dotm, and more. Moreover, you are also able to render Word documents to other types of file formats, such as PDF, RTF, HTML, Text, Image, SVG, ODT, PostScript, PCL, and XPS.

You can install Spire.Doc for Python from PyPI by running the following command in your terminal:

pip install Spire.Doc

For more detailed information about the installation, you can check this official documentation: How to Install Spire.Doc for Python in VS Code.

Convert RTF to Word DOC or DOCX with Python

Converting an RTF file to Word DOC or DOCX format is a straightforward process. Simply load the RTF file using the Document.LoadFromFile(fileName) method, and then invoke the Document.SaveToFile(fileName, FileFormat.Doc) or Document.SaveToFile(fileName, FileFormat.Docx) method to save it as a DOC or DOCX file.

Here is a simple example that shows how to convert an RTF file to a Word DOC or DOCX file using Python and Spire.Doc for Python:

from spire.doc import *
from spire.doc.common import *

# Create a Document instance
doc = Document()
# Load a sample RTF file
doc.LoadFromFile("Input.rtf")

# Save the RTF file to a DOC file
doc.SaveToFile("RtfToDoc.doc", FileFormat.Doc)
# Save the RTF file to a DOCX file
doc.SaveToFile("RtfToDocx.docx", FileFormat.Docx)

doc.Close()

Convert RTF to PDF with Python

The RTF file can also be saved as a PDF file by using the SaveToFile method and specifying the FileFormat as PDF.

Here is a simple example that shows how to convert an RTF file to a PDF file using Python and Spire.Doc for Python:

from spire.doc import *
from spire.doc.common import *

# Create a Document instance
doc = Document()
# Load a sample RTF file
doc.LoadFromFile("Input.rtf")

# Save the RTF file to a PDF file
doc.SaveToFile("RtfToPdf.pdf", FileFormat.PDF)

doc.Close()

Convert RTF to HTML with Python

Similarly, you can save the RTF file to an HTML file by using the SaveToFile method and specifying the FileFormat as Html.

Here is a simple example that shows how to convert an RTF file to an HTML file using Python and Spire.Doc for Python:

from spire.doc import *
from spire.doc.common import *

# Create a Document instance
doc = Document()
# Load a sample RTF file
doc.LoadFromFile("Input.rtf")

# Save the RTF file to an HTML file
doc.SaveToFile("RtfToHtml.html", FileFormat.Html)

doc.Close()

Convert RTF to XML with Python

Converting an RTF file to XML can be achieved by using the SaveToFile method and specifying the FileFormat as Xml.

Here is a simple example that shows how to convert an RTF file to an XML file using Python and Spire.Doc for Python:

from spire.doc import *
from spire.doc.common import *

# Create a Document instance
doc = Document()
# Load a sample RTF file
doc.LoadFromFile("Input.rtf")

# Save the RTF file to an XML file
doc.SaveToFile("RtfToXml.xml", FileFormat.Xml)

doc.Close()

Convert RTF to Images with Python

To convert an RTF file to images such as PNG, JPEG, and BMP, you can utilize the Document.SaveImageToStreams() method.

Here is a simple example that shows how to convert an RTF file to images using Python and Spire.Doc for Python:

from spire.doc import *
from spire.doc.common import *

# Create a Document instance
doc = Document()
# Load a sample RTF file
doc.LoadFromFile("Input.rtf")

# Convert the RTF file to a list of image streams
image_streams = doc.SaveImageToStreams(ImageType.Bitmap)

# Specify the output directory to save the images
output_directory = "OutputImages"

# Create the output directory if it doesn't exist
os.makedirs(output_directory, exist_ok=True)

# Save each image stream to a separate PNG image file (you can save to another image format by changing the image extension)
for i, image_stream in enumerate(image_streams):
    image_file_path = os.path.join(output_directory, f"image_{i}.png")
    with open(image_file_path, "wb") as image_file:
        image_file.write(image_stream.ToArray())

doc.Close()

Conclusion

This article demonstrated how to convert RTF to Word (DOC and DOCX), PDF, HTML, XML and images using Python. We hope you find it helpful.