word.py

import argparse
import subprocess

parser = argparse.ArgumentParser()
parser.add_argument('file', help='A .doc or .docx file to open')
args = parser.parse_args()

class DocError(Exception):
    '''Errors for non-Word type files'''
    pass

class Doc:
    '''Class for Word documents'''
    def __init__(self, name):
        self.name = name
        if self.name.endswith('.doc'):
            self.doctype = 'doc'
        elif self.name.endswith('.docx'):
            self.doctype = 'docx'
        else:
            raise DocError

    def display_in_less(self):
        if self.doctype == 'doc':
            subprocess.run(['bash', '-c', 'antiword ' + self.name + ' | less'])
        else:
            subprocess.run(['bash', '-c', 'docx2txt ' + self.name + ' - | less'])

if __name__ == '__main__':
    try:
        f = Doc(args.file)
        f.display_in_less()
    except DocError:
        print('Please give only .doc or .docx files as arguments.')