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{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"DiscussionForumPosting","headline":"ValueError when loading .dotx Word template – lack of native template support","articleBody":"Attempting to instantiate a Word template (.dotx) using python-docx.Document() fails with a ValueError. The file opens normally in Microsoft Word and conforms to the standard OOXML template structure.\n\nSteps to Reproduce\n\nfrom docx import Document\ndoc = Document(\"\u003cdocname\u003e.dotx\")\n\n\nActual Behavior\n\nValueError: file '\u003cdocname\u003e.dotx' is not a Word file,\ncontent type is 'application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.template.main+xml'\n\n\nExpected Behavior\nThe library should be able to load .dotx templates just like .docx documents, allowing developers to:\n\nRead and apply existing style definitions\n\nRetain header/footer content, watermarks, and embedded assets\n\nSave new .docx files that preserve template formatting\n\nEnvironment\n\npython-docx version: (run pip show python-docx to confirm)\n\nPython version: 3.11+\n\nPlatform: Linux/Windows\n\nUse Case\nCorporate document generation workflows (e.g., Alignment Guard Labs) depend on .dotx templates for visual standards and branding. The current limitation forces manual template application in Word post-generation.\n\nProposed Enhancement\nAdd native .dotx support or a helper API such as Document.from_template(path) to copy all style and part relationships into a new .docx.","author":{"url":"https://github.com/furrepanther","@type":"Person","name":"furrepanther"},"datePublished":"2025-11-12T04:54:53.000Z","interactionStatistic":{"@type":"InteractionCounter","interactionType":"https://schema.org/CommentAction","userInteractionCount":1},"url":"https://github.com/1532/python-docx/issues/1532"}