Is there a replacement for Google Docs viewer? It's giving 204 errors now

Other Questions Google docs
1

Hey everyone, I’m having trouble with the Google Docs viewer. It used to work great for showing docs on our website, but now it’s acting up. Most of the time, we’re getting 204 No Content responses.

I looked into it and found a forum post suggesting Google might have stopped supporting this service. Has anyone else heard about this?

I’m looking for alternatives. Ideally, I want something that:

  1. Is free
  2. Can show Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and PDF files
  3. Works in the browser without needing those apps installed
  4. Can use files from our own server

Any ideas? Thanks for your help!

// Example of how we used to embed docs
const viewerUrl = 'https://docs.google.com/viewer?url=';
const docUrl = 'http://example.com/sample.pdf';
const iframe = `<iframe src='${viewerUrl}${docUrl}'></iframe>`;

I’d really appreciate any suggestions for a similar setup that still works.

2

I’ve been grappling with this issue too, and it’s been a real headache. After some digging, I stumbled upon Box View API as a potential replacement. It’s not entirely free, but they do offer a decent free tier that might suit your needs.

What I like about Box View is its versatility - it handles a wide range of file types including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and PDFs. The viewer is browser-based, so no need for users to have specific apps installed. You can also use it with files hosted on your own server.

Implementation took me a bit of time to figure out, but once set up, it’s been pretty reliable. The documentation is fairly comprehensive, which helped during integration. Just keep in mind that if your usage grows, you might need to look into their paid plans.

Have you considered any commercial solutions? Sometimes the cost can be worth it for the reliability and support you get.

3

I’ve encountered similar issues with Google Docs viewer recently. A viable alternative I’ve found is Mozilla’s PDF.js library. It’s open-source, free to use, and works directly in the browser without additional software. While it’s primarily for PDFs, there are extensions available for other file types.

For non-PDF files, you might consider using the OpenDocument.js library. It supports various office document formats and can be integrated into web applications. Both solutions allow you to host files on your own server, maintaining control over your data.

Implementation might require some coding, but these libraries offer robust functionality and customization options. They’ve served me well in projects where document viewing was crucial.

4

ive been havin the same issue lately, its super annoying! :triumph: tried using microsoft office online viewer as a replacement, works ok for most files. not perfect but gets the job done. maybe give it a shot? good luck finding a solution!