Certificate Automation using Python

Introduction

The Single Certificate Automation project automates the generation of personalized certificates for students completing specific courses. This project simplifies certificate creation by utilizing Python and libraries such as Tkinter for the GUI, docxtpl for templating, and docx2pdf for PDF conversion.
Users enter the student’s name, application number, and course completed. The application generates a certificate using a pre-defined Word document template, fills in the details, and saves the certificate in both DOCX and PDF formats. This project demonstrates Python’s capability for automating document creation and provides a user-friendly interface for ease of use.

Prerequisites

Before starting with the Single Certificate Automation project, ensure you have the following:

Basic Knowledge of Python: Understanding of Python syntax and basic programming concepts.
Python Libraries: Familiarity with tkinter for GUI applications, docxtpl for document templating, and docx2pdf for document conversion.
Software Requirements:
- Python 3.x installed on your system.
- Required Python libraries (tkinter, docxtpl, tkcalendar, docx2pdf), which can be installed using pip: pip install python-docx docxtpl tk tkcalendar docx2pdf
Template File: A Word document template (docx) to be used for generating certificates.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this project, you will be able to:

Understand GUI Development: Create a simple graphical user interface using tkinter.
Automate Document Creation: Use docxtpl to fill a template with dynamic data.
Convert Documents to PDF: Convert Word documents to PDF format using docx2pdf.
Integrate Libraries: Combine multiple libraries to create a cohesive application.
Implement User Inputs: Handle and process user inputs effectively within a GUI application.

Installation Guide

Follow these steps to set up the Single Certificate Automation project:

Install Python:

- Download and install Python 3.x from python.org.

Install Required Libraries: Open your command prompt or terminal and run the following commands: pip install python-docx docxtpl tk tkcalendar docx2pdf
Prepare Template File:

- Ensure you have a Word document template named Certificate_template.docx in the same directory as your Python script.

Run the Script:

- Save your Python script in the same directory.
- Execute the script by running: python your_script_name.py

This will launch the application, allowing you to generate certificates by entering the necessary details.

Project Steps

Initialization:
- Import necessary libraries (tkinter, docxtpl, tkcalendar, datetime, docx2pdf).
- Initialize the main application window using tkinter.
Define Functions:
- exit_app(): Closes the application.
- generate_certificate(): Handles the certificate generation process, including:
  - Collecting user inputs.
  - Formatting the current date.
  - Filling the Word document template with the collected data.
  - Saving the document as both DOCX and PDF.
  - Closing the application after saving the document.
- Create GUI Elements:
  - Set up a Frame to hold the input fields and buttons.
  - Create and position labels and entry widgets for:
    - Student name
    - Application number
  - Create and position a combo box (Combobox) for selecting the course name.
- Add Generate Button:
  - Create a button that triggers the generate_certificate() function when clicked.
- Run the Application:
  - Start the tkinter main loop to display the window and handle user interactions.

Code

				
					import tkinter
from tkinter import ttk
from tkinter import *
from docxtpl import DocxTemplate
from tkcalendar import Calendar
from datetime import datetime
from docx2pdf import convert

window = tkinter.Tk()
window.title("Generate edSlash Certificate")
frame = tkinter.Frame(window) 
frame.pack(padx=60, pady=40)

def exit_app():
    window.destroy()

def generat_certificate():
    
    doc = DocxTemplate("Certificate_template.docx")
    name = sname_entry.get()
    application_no = application_entry.get()
    cname = combo_box.get()
    now = datetime.now()
    current_date = now.date()
    formatted_date = current_date.strftime('%d %B %Y')  
  
    doc.render({"name" :name,
                "application_no" : application_no,
            "course_name" :cname,
            "date" : formatted_date})
    
    exit_app()

    doc_name = name +application_no +".docx"
    doc.save(doc_name)
    pdf_name = name +application_no +".docx"
    convert(pdf_name)
    
    print("Certificate Generate Successful ")

sname_label = tkinter.Label(frame, text = "Name")
sname_label.grid(row = 0,column = 0,padx = 20, pady=5,sticky ="w")
sname_entry = tkinter.Entry(frame)
sname_entry.grid(row = 0,column = 1,padx = 20, pady=5)

application_lebel = tkinter.Label(frame, text = "Application no.")
application_lebel.grid(row =1 ,column = 0,padx = 20,pady = 5,sticky = "w")
application_entry = tkinter.Entry(frame)
application_entry.grid(row = 1, column = 1, padx = 50,pady = 5)

course_label = tkinter.Label(frame, text = "Course Name")
course_label.grid(row = 2,column = 0,padx = 20, pady=5,sticky ="w")
combo_box = ttk.Combobox(frame, values=["Basic and Advance C programming",
                                        "Basic and Advance C++ programming",
                                        "Basic and Advance Python programming",
                                        "Basic and Advance SQL programming",
                                        "Data Science","Data Analysis",
                                        "Machine Learning","Generative AI",])
combo_box.grid(row = 2,column = 1,padx = 20, pady=5)

generate_receipt_button = tkinter.Button(frame , text = "generate_certificate", command = generat_certificate)
generate_receipt_button.grid(row=3, column=0, columnspan = 2, sticky ="news",padx = 20, pady=5) 

window.mainloop()

Code

				
					import tkinter
from tkinter import ttk
from tkinter import *
from docxtpl import DocxTemplate
from tkcalendar import Calendar
from datetime import datetime
from docx2pdf import convert

window = tkinter.Tk()
window.title("Generate edSlash Certificate")
frame = tkinter.Frame(window) 
frame.pack(padx=60, pady=40)

def exit_app():
    window.destroy()

def generat_certificate():
    
    doc = DocxTemplate("Certificate_template.docx")
    name = sname_entry.get()
    application_no = application_entry.get()
    cname = combo_box.get()
    now = datetime.now()
    current_date = now.date()
    formatted_date = current_date.strftime('%d %B %Y')  
  
    doc.render({"name" :name,
                "application_no" : application_no,
            "course_name" :cname,
            "date" : formatted_date})
    
    exit_app()

    doc_name = name +application_no +".docx"
    doc.save(doc_name)
    pdf_name = name +application_no +".docx"
    convert(pdf_name)
    
    print("Certificate Generate Successful ")

sname_label = tkinter.Label(frame, text = "Name")
sname_label.grid(row = 0,column = 0,padx = 20, pady=5,sticky ="w")
sname_entry = tkinter.Entry(frame)
sname_entry.grid(row = 0,column = 1,padx = 20, pady=5)

application_lebel = tkinter.Label(frame, text = "Application no.")
application_lebel.grid(row =1 ,column = 0,padx = 20,pady = 5,sticky = "w")
application_entry = tkinter.Entry(frame)
application_entry.grid(row = 1, column = 1, padx = 50,pady = 5)

course_label = tkinter.Label(frame, text = "Course Name")
course_label.grid(row = 2,column = 0,padx = 20, pady=5,sticky ="w")
combo_box = ttk.Combobox(frame, values=["Basic and Advance C programming",
                                        "Basic and Advance C++ programming",
                                        "Basic and Advance Python programming",
                                        "Basic and Advance SQL programming",
                                        "Data Science","Data Analysis",
                                        "Machine Learning","Generative AI",])
combo_box.grid(row = 2,column = 1,padx = 20, pady=5)

generate_receipt_button = tkinter.Button(frame , text = "generate_certificate", command = generat_certificate)
generate_receipt_button.grid(row=3, column=0, columnspan = 2, sticky ="news",padx = 20, pady=5) 

window.mainloop()

Pseudo Code explaining this Python Project

				
					IMPORT necessary libraries (tkinter, ttk, docxtpl, tkcalendar, datetime, docx2pdf)

INITIALIZE main window
    SET window title to "Generate edSlash Certificate"
    CREATE frame within the window with padding

DEFINE function exit_app():
    DESTROY the window

DEFINE function generate_certificate():
    LOAD the Word document template "Certificate_template.docx"
    GET student name from sname_entry
    GET application number from application_entry
    GET course name from combo_box
    GET current date and format it as 'dd Month yyyy'
    
    RENDER the template with:
        name
        application_no
        course_name
        date
    
    SAVE the rendered document as DOCX
    CONVERT the DOCX document to PDF
    
    PRINT "Certificate Generate Successful"
    CALL exit_app()

CREATE label and entry for student name
    SET label text to "Name"
    ADD entry field to the frame

CREATE label and entry for application number
    SET label text to "Application no."
    ADD entry field to the frame

CREATE label and combo box for course name
    SET label text to "Course Name"
    SET combo box values to list of courses
    ADD combo box to the frame

CREATE button to generate certificate
    SET button text to "Generate Certificate"
    SET button command to call generate_certificate()

START main loop to display the window and handle user interactions

Pseudo Code explaining this Python Project

				
					IMPORT necessary libraries (tkinter, ttk, docxtpl, tkcalendar, datetime, docx2pdf)

INITIALIZE main window
    SET window title to "Generate edSlash Certificate"
    CREATE frame within the window with padding

DEFINE function exit_app():
    DESTROY the window

DEFINE function generate_certificate():
    LOAD the Word document template "Certificate_template.docx"
    GET student name from sname_entry
    GET application number from application_entry
    GET course name from combo_box
    GET current date and format it as 'dd Month yyyy'
    
    RENDER the template with:
        name
        application_no
        course_name
        date
    
    SAVE the rendered document as DOCX
    CONVERT the DOCX document to PDF
    
    PRINT "Certificate Generate Successful"
    CALL exit_app()

CREATE label and entry for student name
    SET label text to "Name"
    ADD entry field to the frame

CREATE label and entry for application number
    SET label text to "Application no."
    ADD entry field to the frame

CREATE label and combo box for course name
    SET label text to "Course Name"
    SET combo box values to list of courses
    ADD combo box to the frame

CREATE button to generate certificate
    SET button text to "Generate Certificate"
    SET button command to call generate_certificate()

START main loop to display the window and handle user interactions

Flow Chart

Code Explanation

Imports:

- import tkinter: Used to create the graphical user interface (GUI) for the application.
- from tkinter import ttk: Provides themed widgets for the GUI.
- from tkinter import *: Imports all tkinter classes and functions.
- from docxtpl import DocxTemplate: Used to handle Word document templates for generating certificates.
- from tkcalendar import Calendar: Provides calendar widgets for the GUI.
- from datetime import datetime: Used to handle date and time.
- from docx2pdf import convert: Converts Word documents to PDF format.

GUI Initialization:

- Main Window: Creates the main application window and sets its title.
- Frame: Adds a frame to the main window with padding for layout control.

Helper Functions:

- exit_app(): Closes the application window.
- generate_certificate(): Handles the process of generating a certificate:
  - Loads the Word document template.
  - Retrieves user inputs (student’s name, application number, and course name).
  - Gets the current date and formats it.
  - Populates the template with the retrieved data.
  - Saves the filled template as a DOCX file.
  - Converts the DOCX file to a PDF.
  - Prints a success message and exits the application.

GUI Elements:

- Labels and Entry Widgets:
  - sname_label and sname_entry: For entering the student’s name.
  - application_label and application_entry: For entering the application number.
  - course_label and combo_box: For selecting the course name from a dropdown list.
- Generate Certificate Button: Triggers the generate_certificate() function when clicked.

Main Loop:

- Window Main Loop: Starts the tkinter main loop to display the window and handle user interactions.

Challenges and Solutions

Challenge: Setting Up the GUI

Description: Designing and implementing a user-friendly graphical user interface (GUI) that collects user inputs effectively can be challenging.
Solution: Use the tkinter library, which provides simple and intuitive methods for creating GUI elements. Follow a systematic approach:
- Create a main window and a frame for layout control.
- Add labels, entry fields, and combo boxes for user inputs.
- Ensure proper alignment and padding for a neat layout.

Challenge: Handling User Inputs

Description: Validating and processing user inputs to ensure they are correct and complete.
Solution:
- Validate inputs to ensure fields are not empty.
- Use try-except blocks to handle potential errors during input processing.
- Provide clear error messages or prompts if inputs are invalid or missing.

Challenge: Working with Document Templates

Description: Filling a Word document template with dynamic data can be complex.
Solution:
- Use the docxtpl library to load and manipulate Word document templates.
- Ensure the template has placeholders for the data fields.
- Map user inputs to the corresponding placeholders in the template.

Challenge: Date Formatting

Description: Formatting the current date in a user-friendly manner.
Solution:
- Use the datetime library to get the current date.
- Format the date using the strftime method to match the desired format (e.g., ‘%d %B %Y’).

Challenge: Converting DOCX to PDF

Description: Converting the generated DOCX file to PDF format.
Solution:
- Use the docx2pdf library for conversion.
- Ensure that the docx2pdf library is correctly installed and imported.
- Handle any conversion errors gracefully and provide feedback to the user.

Challenge: Managing File Paths

Description: Ensuring that the template and output files are correctly located and saved.
Solution:
- Ensure the Word document template is in the same directory as the script.
- Use relative file paths for saving the generated documents.
- Implement checks to confirm that files are saved successfully.

Challenge: Providing Feedback to Users

Description: Informing users about the status of the certificate generation process.
Solution:
- Use print statements or message boxes to provide feedback.
- Inform users when the certificate is successfully generated or if any errors occur.

Challenge: Allowing Users to Play Again

Description: Implementing a feature to let users decide if they want to generate another certificate.
Solution:
- Create a function that prompts the user to play again.
- Use a loop to repeat the process based on the user’s choice.

Testing

Test with Various Inputs:

Verify Name Input:
- Test with normal names (e.g., “John Doe”).
- Test with names including special characters or spaces (e.g., “Anne-Marie O’Neil”).
Verify Application Number Input:
- Test with typical application numbers (e.g., “123456”).
- Test with alphanumeric and special characters if allowed.
Verify Course Selection:
- Test with each available course from the dropdown list to ensure correct handling.
Check Certificate Generation:
- Ensure the certificate is generated correctly with valid inputs.
- Confirm that incorrect or missing inputs are handled appropriately (e.g., show an error message if a required field is empty).

Verify Document Creation:

Check DOCX File Creation:
- Verify that the DOCX file is created with the correct name and saved in the expected location.
- Open the generated DOCX file and confirm that the content matches the user inputs and template placeholders.
Check PDF Conversion:
- Verify that the DOCX file is correctly converted to a PDF.
- Open the generated PDF and ensure it displays the same content as the DOCX file.
Verify File Naming:
- Ensure that files are named correctly based on user inputs (e.g., “JohnDoe123456.docx” and “JohnDoe123456.pdf”).

Test Date Formatting:

Verify Date Display:
- Check that the current date is formatted correctly in the certificate (e.g., “27 July 2024”).
- Confirm that the date is accurately reflecting the day the certificate is generated.

Test Edge Cases:

Empty Fields:
- Test the application behavior when one or more fields are left empty.
- Ensure that appropriate error messages or prompts are displayed.
Special Characters:
- Test the application with special characters in names and application numbers to ensure they are handled properly.
Invalid File Paths:
- Simulate scenarios where the template file is missing or incorrectly named.
- Verify that the application handles file-related errors gracefully and provides informative messages.

Test Exit Functionality:

Verify Application Closure:
- Ensure that the application closes correctly after generating a certificate.
- Confirm that the application does not leave any open files or processes.

Test User Feedback:

Verify Success Messages:
- Ensure that the success message (“Certificate Generate Successful”) is displayed after the certificate is generated.

Check that the message appears at the correct time and provides clear feedback to the user.

Additional Resources

Python Documentation:
Python Official Documentation: Comprehensive guide on Python programming, including modules and libraries.

Tkinter Documentation:
Tkinter Documentation: Official documentation for Tkinter, the standard Python interface to the Tk GUI toolkit.

docxtpl Documentation:
docxtpl Documentation: Guides and examples for using docxtpl to create and manipulate Word documents.

docx2pdf Documentation:
docx2pdf GitHub Repository: Repository for docx2pdf, including installation instructions and usage examples.

Date and Time Handling:
Python datetime Module: Information on working with dates and times in Python.

Tkcalendar Documentation:
tkcalendar Documentation: Documentation for the tkcalendar library, which provides calendar widgets.

Python GUI Development Tutorials:

- Real Python – Python GUI Programming With Tkinter: Tutorial on building GUI applications with Tkinter.
- Tkinter Tutorial – Python Tkinter: A step-by-step guide to Tkinter basics and advanced features.
General Python Projects and Tutorials:
Python Project Ideas: List of Python project ideas for practice and inspiration.

FAQs

What is the purpose of the Single Certificate Automation project?
The project automates the generation of personalized certificates for students based on their inputs. It uses a graphical user interface (GUI) to collect user data, fills a Word document template with this data, and saves the output as both DOCX and PDF files.

How do I install the required libraries?
You can install the necessary libraries using pip. Open your command prompt or terminal and run: pip install python-docx docxtpl tk tkcalendar docx2pdf.

Where can I find the template file?
Ensure you have a Word document template named Certificate_template.docx. This file should be in the same directory as your Python script for the application to load and use it.

What should I do if the application fails to generate the certificate?
Check if the template file Certificate_template.docx is correctly named and located in the script’s directory. Ensure all fields in the GUI are filled out properly. If the issue persists, check the error messages for more details or review the code for potential issues.

How can I customize the certificate template?
Open the Certificate_template.docx file in Microsoft Word or a compatible word processor. Modify the template as needed, ensuring to use placeholders (e.g., {name}, {application_no}) that match the fields used in your code.

What should I do if I encounter issues with PDF conversion?
Ensure that the docx2pdf library is installed correctly. Check if the DOCX file is saved properly before conversion. If the issue persists, refer to the docx2pdf documentation or check for any compatibility issues.

Can I use this application for multiple certificates at once?
This application is designed to generate one certificate at a time based on user inputs. To generate multiple certificates, you would need to run the application multiple times or modify the code to handle batch processing.

How do I handle special characters in user inputs?
The application should handle special characters in names and application numbers if the template and conversion tools support them. Ensure that the Word template and PDF conversion process are tested with various special characters.

Project by Manish Sharma, Team edSlash.