Converting docx to pdf with pure python (on linux, without libreoffice) : <p>I'm dealing with a problem trying to develop a web-app, part of which converts uploaded docx files to pdf files (after some processing). With <code>python-docx</code> and other methods, I do not require a windows machine with word installed, or even libreoffice on linux, for most of the processing (my web server is pythonanywhere - linux but without libreoffice and without <code>sudo</code> or <code>apt install</code> permissions). But converting to pdf seems to require one of those. From exploring questions here and elsewhere, this is what I have so far:</p>

<pre><code>import subprocess

try:
    from comtypes import client
except ImportError:
    client = None

def doc2pdf(doc):
    """
    convert a doc/docx document to pdf format
    :param doc: path to document
    """
    doc = os.path.abspath(doc) # bugfix - searching files in windows/system32
    if client is None:
        return doc2pdf_linux(doc)
    name, ext = os.path.splitext(doc)
    try:
        word = client.CreateObject('Word.Application')
        worddoc = word.Documents.Open(doc)
        worddoc.SaveAs(name + '.pdf', FileFormat=17)
    except Exception:
        raise
    finally:
        worddoc.Close()
        word.Quit()


def doc2pdf_linux(doc):
    """
    convert a doc/docx document to pdf format (linux only, requires libreoffice)
    :param doc: path to document
    """
    cmd = 'libreoffice --convert-to pdf'.split() + [doc]
    p = subprocess.Popen(cmd, stderr=subprocess.PIPE, stdout=subprocess.PIPE)
    p.wait(timeout=10)
    stdout, stderr = p.communicate()
    if stderr:
        raise subprocess.SubprocessError(stderr)
</code></pre>

<p>As you can see, one method requires <code>comtypes</code>, another requires <code>libreoffice</code> as a subprocess. Other than switching to a more sophisticated hosting server, is there any solution?</p>
