PHPOffice/PHPWord · error · PhpOffice\PhpWord\Exception\Exception

Writer element class

Error message

Writer element class {$writerClass} not found.

What it means

Class-resolution guard: the EPub3 writer maps a PhpWord element class to a same-named writer element under Writer\EPub3\Element; class_exists() failed, so that element type has no EPub3 writer implementation. Indicates an unsupported element or a missing/wrongly named writer class.

Solutions

1. Create or register a matching writer element class in PhpOffice\PhpWord\Writer\EPub3\Element for the unsupported element.
2. Catch the exception and skip or render the element with a default writer element instead.

When it happens

Trigger: Thrown at src/PhpWord/Writer/EPub3/Element/AbstractElement.php:40 when the library encounters an invalid state.

Common situations: See trigger scenarios.

AI-assisted analysis of PHPOffice/PHPWord@aef95c0415 (2026-09-14). Data as JSON: /api/errors/2277da116ac59535. Report an issue: GitHub.

Appendix: source

Thrown at src/PhpWord/Writer/EPub3/Element/AbstractElement.php:40

/**
 * Abstract element writer.
 *
 * @since 0.11.0
 */
abstract class AbstractElement extends Word2007AbstractElement
{
    /**
     * Get class name of writer element based on read element.
     *
     * @param \PhpOffice\PhpWord\Element\AbstractElement $element
     */
    public static function getElementClass($element): string
    {
        $elementClass = str_replace('PhpOffice\\PhpWord\\Element\\', '', get_class($element));
        $writerClass = 'PhpOffice\\PhpWord\\Writer\\EPub3\\Element\\' . $elementClass;
        if (!class_exists($writerClass)) {
            throw new \PhpOffice\PhpWord\Exception\Exception("Writer element class {$writerClass} not found.");
        }

        return $writerClass;
    }
}

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