[zeet]

I came across a nice and new solution that allows using Java to convert:

html --> pdf
doc --> pdf, html, txt, rtf
xls --> pdf, html, csv
ppt --> pdf, swf

Example code for ms doc to pdf:

import officetools.OfficeFile; // available at www.dancrintea.ro/doc-to-pdf/ 
...
FileInputStream fis = new FileInputStream(new File("test.doc")); // works with xls also
FileOutputStream fos = new FileOutputStream(new File("test.pdf"));
OfficeFile f = new OfficeFile(fis,"localhost","8100", true);
f.convert(fos,"pdf");

I hope it will help others too.

[jwenting]

There is always XSL:FO (as used in for example FOP) if you want to go really down to the wire.
Would work best with text-based input though (like the new Office 2007 docx and xslx formats).