Replace Fields with Static Text

Purpose Summary. What is this page about?

This page explains how to use Aspose.Words for Python via .NET to convert document fields to static text, including method usage, limitations for certain fields, and code examples.

Replacing fields is often required when you wish to save your document as a static copy. For example, when sending as an attachment in an e‑mail. Converting fields such as DATE or TIME to static text will allow the document to display the same date as when it was sent. Also, in some situations, you may need to remove the conditional IF fields from your document and replace them with the most recent text result instead. For example, converting the result of the IF field to static text so it will no longer dynamically change its value when fields in the document are updated.

The diagram below shows how the IF field is stored in a document:

• the text is surrounded by the special field nodes – FieldStart and FieldEnd
• the FieldSeparator node separates the text within the field into the field code and field result
• the field code defines the general behavior of the field, while the field result retains the most recent result when this field is updated using Microsoft Word or Aspose.Words
• the field result is what is stored in the field and displayed in the document when viewed

The structure can also be seen below in hierarchical form using the demo project “DocumentExplorer”.

Fields That Cannot be Replaced by Text

Replacing a field with static text does not work properly for some fields in a header or footer.

For example, trying to convert the PAGE field in a header or footer to static text will result in the same value being displayed on all pages. This is because headers and footers are repeated across multiple pages, and when they remain as fields, they are handled especially so they display the correct result for each page.

However, in the header, the PAGE field translates well to static run of text. This run of text will be evaluated as if it were the last page in the section, which will cause any PAGE field in the header to display the last page over all pages.

The following code example shows how to replace the field with its most recent result:

EXAMPLE

Convert Certain Field Types in Specific Document Parts

Since the ConvertFieldsToStaticText method accepts two parameters – the CompositeNode properties and the FieldType enumeration, it is possible to pass any composite node to this method. This allows fields to be converted to static text only in specific parts of the document.

For example, you can pass a Document object and convert fields of the specified type from the entire document to static text, or you can pass a Body object of a section and only convert the fields found in that body.

When passing a block‑level node such as a Paragraph, be aware that in some cases, fields can span across multiple paragraphs. If this happens it is recommended to pass the parent of the composite instead to avoid this.

The FieldType enumeration passed to the ConvertFieldsToStaticText method specifies what type of fields should be convert to static text. Any other field type found in the document will remain unchanged.

The following code example shows how to select fields of a specific type – targetFieldType in a specific node – compositeNode and then convert them to static text:

The following code example shows how to convert all IF fields in a document to static text:

You can download the sample file of this example from Aspose.Words GitHub.

The following code example shows how to convert all PAGE fields in a Body of a document to static text:

The following code example shows how to convert all IF fields in the last paragraph to static text:

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FAQ

1. Q: How can I replace all fields in a document with their current results?
   A: Call the static method FieldsHelper.convert_fields_to_static_text() and pass the Document object as the composite node and FieldType.ANY as the field type. This recursively walks the document and replaces every field with its most recently calculated result.

2. Q: How can I convert only specific field types, such as IF fields?
   A: Pass the target CompositeNode (e.g., Document, Body, or Section) and the desired FieldType enumeration value (e.g., FieldType.FIELD_IF) to FieldsHelper.convert_fields_to_static_text(). Only fields matching the specified type will be converted; all others remain unchanged.

3. Q: Fields span multiple paragraphs, and conversion fails when I pass a Paragraph node. Why?
   A: When a field spans multiple paragraphs, passing a Paragraph node will not process the entire field. To ensure full conversion, pass the parent composite node (e.g., Body or Section) instead, which contains the complete field structure.

4. Q: Why do all pages show the same page number after converting PAGE fields in headers or footers?
   A: Converting PAGE fields in headers/footers replaces them with static text reflecting the last page number of the section. This is a limitation of static conversion: repeated content (headers/footers) loses dynamic context. To preserve dynamic behavior, avoid converting PAGE fields in headers/footers.

5. Q: Can I convert fields only in a specific section or body?
   A: Yes. Retrieve the target Section object and pass its Body (or the Section itself, depending on node scope) to FieldsHelper.convert_fields_to_static_text(). Only fields contained within that node hierarchy will be processed.