Add DocConverter for legacy .doc (Word 97-2003) files

packages/markitdown/src/markitdown/_markitdown.py

@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@
     BingSerpConverter,
     PdfConverter,
     DocxConverter,
+    DocConverter,
     XlsxConverter,
     XlsConverter,
     PptxConverter,
@@ -192,6 +193,7 @@ def enable_builtins(self, **kwargs) -> None:
             self.register_converter(YouTubeConverter())
             self.register_converter(BingSerpConverter())
             self.register_converter(DocxConverter())
+            self.register_converter(DocConverter())
             self.register_converter(XlsxConverter())
             self.register_converter(XlsConverter())
             self.register_converter(PptxConverter())

packages/markitdown/src/markitdown/converters/__init__.py

@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
 from ._bing_serp_converter import BingSerpConverter
 from ._pdf_converter import PdfConverter
 from ._docx_converter import DocxConverter
+from ._doc_converter import DocConverter
 from ._xlsx_converter import XlsxConverter, XlsConverter
 from ._pptx_converter import PptxConverter
 from ._image_converter import ImageConverter

packages/markitdown/src/markitdown/converters/_doc_converter.py

@@ -0,0 +1,107 @@
+import sys
+import subprocess
+import tempfile
+import os
+from typing import BinaryIO, Any
+
+from .._base_converter import DocumentConverter, DocumentConverterResult
+from .._exceptions import MissingDependencyException, MISSING_DEPENDENCY_MESSAGE
+from .._stream_info import StreamInfo
+
+ACCEPTED_MIME_TYPE_PREFIXES = [
+    "application/msword",
+    "application/vnd.ms-word",
+]
+
+ACCEPTED_FILE_EXTENSIONS = [".doc"]
+
+_TOOLS = ["antiword", "catdoc"]
+
+
+def _get_available_tool() -> str | None:
+    """Return the first available command-line tool for .doc conversion."""
+    for tool in _TOOLS:
+        try:
+            subprocess.run(
+                [tool, "--help"],
+                stdout=subprocess.DEVNULL,
+                stderr=subprocess.DEVNULL,
+                timeout=5,
+            )
+            return tool
+        except (FileNotFoundError, subprocess.TimeoutExpired):
+            continue
+    return None
+
+
+class DocConverter(DocumentConverter):
+    """
+    Converts legacy .doc (Word 97-2003) files to Markdown plain text.
+
+    Requires one of the following system tools to be installed:
+      - antiword  (https://www.winfield.demon.nl/)
+      - catdoc    (https://www.wagner.pp.ru/~vitus/software/catdoc/)
+
+    On macOS: ``brew install antiword`` or ``brew install catdoc``
+    On Ubuntu/Debian: ``apt install antiword`` or ``apt install catdoc``
+    """
+
+    def accepts(
+        self,
+        file_stream: BinaryIO,
+        stream_info: StreamInfo,
+        **kwargs: Any,
+    ) -> bool:
+        mimetype = (stream_info.mimetype or "").lower()
+        extension = (stream_info.extension or "").lower()
+
+        if extension in ACCEPTED_FILE_EXTENSIONS:
+            return True
+
+        for prefix in ACCEPTED_MIME_TYPE_PREFIXES:
+            if mimetype.startswith(prefix):
+                return True
+
+        return False
+
+    def convert(
+        self,
+        file_stream: BinaryIO,
+        stream_info: StreamInfo,
+        **kwargs: Any,
+    ) -> DocumentConverterResult:
+        tool = _get_available_tool()
+        if tool is None:
+            raise MissingDependencyException(
+                MISSING_DEPENDENCY_MESSAGE.format(
+                    converter=type(self).__name__,
+                    extension=".doc",
+                    feature="doc",
+                )
+                + "\n\nInstall antiword or catdoc:\n"
+                "  macOS:          brew install antiword\n"
+                "  Ubuntu/Debian:  apt install antiword"
+            )
+
+        # Write the stream to a temporary file (antiword/catdoc require a path)
+        suffix = stream_info.extension or ".doc"
+        with tempfile.NamedTemporaryFile(suffix=suffix, delete=False) as tmp:
+            tmp.write(file_stream.read())
+            tmp_path = tmp.name
+
+        try:
+            result = subprocess.run(
+                [tool, tmp_path],
+                capture_output=True,
+                text=True,
+                timeout=30,
+            )
+            text = result.stdout.strip()
+            if not text and result.returncode != 0:
+                raise ValueError(
+                    f"{tool} failed (exit {result.returncode}): {result.stderr.strip()}"
+                )
+        finally:
+            os.unlink(tmp_path)
+
+        return DocumentConverterResult(markdown=text or "")