Python script to redact keywords in Word document

Question

I am trying to get a Python script to redact a word-document based of a list of words to redact. I found a link with the code but can't seem to get it to work.

Link: https://arccoder.medium.com/redact-word-documents-using-python-7a676fd84d5e

I don't think its to hard to make it work, but due to my limited knowledge i can't figure out how/where to put my paths/outputs etc.

Can you guys help me where to fill in the needed inputs/outputs?

def redact_document(input_path: str, output_path: str, pattern: list, color: str = None):
   
    # Get the text color and text-background color for reaction
    txt_color, background_color = redact_colors(color)

    # Open the input document
    doc = Document(input_path)
    # Loop through paragraphs
    for para in doc.paragraphs:
        # Loop through the runs in the paragraph in the reverse order
        run_index = len(para.runs) - 1
        while run_index > -1:
            run = para.runs[run_index]
            # Find the start and end indices of the patterns in the run-text
            match_pairs = [(match.start(), match.end()) for match in re.finditer('|'.join(pattern), run.text)]
            # Get the locations in the format required for `split_run_by` function
            highlights, matches = process_matches(match_pairs, run.text)
            # Go to redact only if patterns are found in the text
            if len(highlights) > 0 and len(matches) > 0:
                if len(highlights) != len(matches) - 1:
                    ValueError('Calculation error within matches and highlights')
                else:
                    if len(matches) == 2:  # When a pattern is the only text in the run
                        # Highlight the background color
                        run.font.highlight_color = background_color
                        # Match the text color to the background color
                        run.font.color.rgb = txt_color
                    else:
                        # Split the runs using the matches
                        new_runs = split_run_by(para, run, matches[1:-1])
                        # Highlight the run if it matches a pattern
                        for highlight, run in zip(highlights, new_runs):
                            if highlight:
                                # Highlight the background color
                                run.font.highlight_color = background_color
                                # Match the text color to the background color
                                run.font.color.rgb = txt_color
            # Decrement the index to process the previous run
            run_index -= 1
    # Save the redacted document to the output path
    doc.save(output_path)

Answer 1

I don't understand what is the problem.

It seems you are confusing two things definition and execution.

Don't change def redact_document(...). You have to execute function with your parameters.

# --- define function - copy code without any changes ---

def redact_document(input_path: str, output_path: str, pattern: list, color: str = None):
    # ... code from your question ... 

# --- execute function with your parameters ---

redact_document('C:\\Documents\\Python\\Dit is een test.docx', 'C:\\Documents\\Python\\Dit is een test.docx', ['test'], '0, 0, 0')

#redact_document('other.docx', 'result.docx', ['Hello', 'World'], '255, 0, 0')