Of course! The term "python wdformatpdf" is a bit ambiguous, as it could refer to several different tasks. I'll cover the most common interpretations and provide the best Python solutions for each.

Interpretation 1: Convert a Word Document (.docx) to a Formatted PDF

This is the most likely meaning. You want to take a Word file and convert it to a PDF, preserving the formatting (fonts, layout, images, etc.).

For this, the most popular and reliable library is python-docx to read the Word document and reportlab to generate the PDF. However, a more modern and often simpler approach is to use a library that can automate a real Word application (like Microsoft Word on Windows or LibreOffice on Linux/macOS).

Here are the best methods:

Method 1: Using docx2pdf (The Easiest Way)

This library is fantastic because it acts as a wrapper for Microsoft Word or LibreOffice, meaning it uses the actual application to do the conversion. This ensures the formatting is preserved perfectly.

Installation:

You'll need to have either Microsoft Word or LibreOffice installed on your system.

pip install docx2pdf

Usage:

The library is very straightforward.

from docx2pdf import convert
# --- Convert a single file ---
# Converts 'my_report.docx' to 'my_report.pdf' in the same directory
convert("my_report.docx")
# --- Convert a file to a different output directory ---
# Converts 'input.docx' and saves the result as 'output.pdf' in the 'pdfs' folder
convert("input.docx", "pdfs/output.pdf")
# --- Convert all .docx files in a directory ---
# Converts every .docx file in the 'word_docs' folder to the 'pdf_output' folder
convert("word_docs/", "pdf_output/")

Pros:

• Extremely easy to use.
• High-fidelity conversion because it uses a real word processor.
• Handles complex layouts, headers, footers, and images well.

Cons:

• Requires a heavy dependency (Microsoft Word or LibreOffice) to be installed on the machine.
• Can be slower as it has to launch the external application.

Method 2: Using python-docx and reportlab (The "Pure Python" Way)

This method doesn't require an external office suite. It reads the Word document structure with python-docx and then draws the content onto a PDF canvas using reportlab. This method is more complex and does not perfectly replicate all Word formatting.

Installation:

pip install python-docx reportlab

Usage:

This is a simplified example. A full converter would be very complex.

from docx import Document
from reportlab.lib.pagesizes import letter
from reportlab.pdfgen import canvas
from reportlab.lib.units import inch
def convert_docx_to_pdf_simple(docx_path, pdf_path):
    # Load the .docx file
    doc = Document(docx_path)
    # Create a PDF canvas
    c = canvas.Canvas(pdf_path, pagesize=letter)
    width, height = letter
    # Simple layout variables
    y = height - inch  # Start near the top of the page
    text_object = c.beginText(72, y)  # 72 points = 1 inch from the left
    text_object.setFont("Helvetica", 12) # Default font, Word fonts are not mapped
    for paragraph in doc.paragraphs:
        # This is a very basic implementation. It doesn't handle:
        # - Different fonts, sizes, or colors
        # - Bold, italic, or underline
        # - Lists
        # - Images
        # - Tables
        # - Page breaks
        # - Text wrapping
        text_object.textLine(paragraph.text)
        y -= 15  # Move down for the next line
    # Draw the text onto the canvas
    c.drawText(text_object)
    c.save()
# --- Example Usage ---
convert_docx_to_pdf_simple("my_report.docx", "my_report_simple.pdf")
print("Simple PDF created.")

Pros:

• No external dependencies like Microsoft Word.
• Lightweight and fast.

Cons:

• Crucially: It does not preserve formatting. Fonts, styles, and layouts will be lost or simplified.
• Very complex to implement correctly for a real-world document.

Interpretation 2: Format a PDF File (e.g., add text, fill forms)

If you mean you want to modify or format an existing PDF file (like filling out a form or adding a watermark), you need a different set of tools.

The best library for this is PyPDF2.

Installation:

pip install PyPDF2

Usage Example: Creating a Watermarked PDF

This example reads an existing PDF, adds a "DRAFT" watermark to every page, and saves a new PDF.

from PyPDF2 import PdfReader, PdfWriter
from reportlab.pdfgen import canvas
from reportlab.lib.pagesizes import letter
import io
def add_watermark(input_pdf_path, output_pdf_path, watermark_text="DRAFT"):
    # 1. Create a PDF in memory for the watermark
    packet = io.BytesIO()
    can = canvas.Canvas(packet, pagesize=letter)
    # Set the font and color for the watermark
    can.setFont("Helvetica", 40)
    can.setFillColorRGB(0.9, 0.9, 0.9, alpha=0.5) # Light grey, semi-transparent
    # Draw the text diagonally across the page
    can.saveState()
    can.translate(100, 100)
    can.rotate(45)
    can.drawString(0, 0, watermark_text)
    can.restoreState()
    can.save()
    packet.seek(0)
    # 2. Create a PDF reader for the original file
    watermark_pdf = PdfReader(packet)
    original_pdf = PdfReader(input_pdf_path)
    writer = PdfWriter()
    # 3. Merge the watermark with each page of the original
    for page_num in range(len(original_pdf.pages)):
        original_page = original_pdf.pages[page_num]
        watermark_page = watermark_pdf.pages[0]
        # Merge the watermark onto the original page
        original_page.merge_page(watermark_page)
        # Add the merged page to the writer
        writer.add_page(original_page)
    # 4. Write the result to a new file
    with open(output_pdf_path, "wb") as output_file:
        writer.write(output_file)
# --- Example Usage ---
add_watermark("my_report.pdf", "my_report_watermarked.pdf")
print("Watermarked PDF created.")

Summary and Recommendation

For your request, docx2pdf is almost certainly the tool you are looking for. It's the most direct and reliable way to achieve a high-quality Word-to-PDF conversion using Python.