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Delphi tOLEContainer CreateOLEObject LoadFromFile - gives Invalid Stream Format with HTML file

Try the following steps:

1) Open MS Word and type "Hello World"
2) Save this document as an HTML WebPage file (eg C:\HelloWorld.HTM)
3) In Delphi create a form with a TOLEContainer and add the following code to a Button

OleContainer1.CreateObject('Word.Document',false);
OleContainer1.LoadFromFile('C:\HelloWorld.HTM');

The second line gives the error "Invalid Stream Format". Why?

Note: If you save the "Hello World" as a word document it works fine.

How can I get a tOLEContainer to create an instance of MS Word and then load an HTML file for editing?

Surely this can be done - I mean MS Outlook does it.

If you can answer this question then there are more points to be found here...
https://www.experts-exchange.com/questions/26808908/tOLEContainer-CreateOleObject-tIDHTMLMessageBuilder-and-MS-WORD-as-HTML-Email-Editor-with-email-stored-retrieved-from-dataset.html

I am hoping that someone with a little Win API and OLE knowledge can solve this one for me.

I really want to use tOLEContainer or some derivitive or equivalent WinAPI calls.

Ephraim Wangoya

Dont use lodafromfile unless it was saved from the OleContainer

use

OleContainer1.CreateObjectFromFile('C:\HelloWorld.HTM', False);

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enigmasolutions

ASKER

I have attached a sample application that does HTML emailing using MS Word as the editor within a Delphi form.
EmailerWordApp.zip

enigmasolutions

ASKER

Here is a challenge:

Can anyone, work out a way of doing it without renaming the file?
What about not creating the file at all - just loading a stream with the HTML in it?

I doubt anyone will be able to do either of these.

Anyway I will leave the question open for a week - then close it and award points.

jimyX

From Delphi help files:
"Use the OleContainer component to provide your application with the ability to link and embed objects from an OLE server."
"When you activate an object inside the OLE container, control transfers to the OLE server application, so the user can access all the functionality of the server application from within your container application."
"OleContainer can create either an embedded or linked OLE object to an external application."

I am not sure if it is possible to have HTML files edited on OleContainer. But if you want to have the ability to work on the HTML file then you can use Memo to handle the HTML and link it to WebBrowser.

//http://delphi.about.com/od/twebbrowser/a/save-as-mht.htm
procedure WB_SaveAs_HTML(WB : TWebBrowser; const FileName : string) ;
 var
   PersistStream: IPersistStreamInit;
   Stream: IStream;
   FileStream: TFileStream;
 begin
   if not Assigned(WB.Document) then
   begin
     ShowMessage('Document not loaded!') ;
     Exit;
   end;

   PersistStream := WB.Document as IPersistStreamInit;
   FileStream := TFileStream.Create(FileName, fmCreate) ;
   try
     Stream := TStreamAdapter.Create(FileStream, soReference) as IStream;
     if Failed(PersistStream.Save(Stream, True)) then ShowMessage('SaveAs HTML fail!') ;
   finally
     FileStream.Free;
   end;
 end; (* WB_SaveAs_HTML *)

// http://delphi.about.com/cs/adptips2004/a/bltip0104_4.htm
procedure WBLoadHTML(WebBrowser: TWebBrowser; HTMLCode: string) ;
var
   sl: TStringList;
   ms: TMemoryStream;
begin
   WebBrowser.Navigate('about:blank') ;
   while WebBrowser.ReadyState < READYSTATE_INTERACTIVE do
    Application.ProcessMessages;

   if Assigned(WebBrowser.Document) then
   begin
     sl := TStringList.Create;
     try
       ms := TMemoryStream.Create;
       try
         sl.Text := HTMLCode;
         sl.SaveToStream(ms) ;
         ms.Seek(0, 0) ;
         (WebBrowser.Document as IPersistStreamInit).Load(TStreamAdapter.Create(ms)) ;
       finally
         ms.Free;
       end;
     finally
       sl.Free;
     end;
   end;
end;

procedure TForm1.Button1Click(Sender: TObject);
begin
  Memo1.Lines.LoadFromFile('Hello World.htm');
end;

procedure TForm1.Memo1Change(Sender: TObject);
begin
  WBLoadHTML(WebBrowser1,Memo1.Text) ;
end;

procedure TForm1.Button2Click(Sender: TObject);
begin
  WB_SaveAs_HTML(WebBrowser1,'Hello World.htm') ;
end;

Open in new window

DelphiHTML.zip

enigmasolutions

ASKER

JimmyX,

Thank you. I got opening HTML in a tWebBrowser (see also my earlier post & attached sample application).

I still have no better solution for opening it in a tOLEContainer (apart from my hack solution - which isn't too bad).

enigmasolutions

ASKER

How do I award points to contributors - yet record my answer as the correct one?

enigmasolutions

ASKER

This is the best solution. I will try to award points to the other experts fro their iinput.