Extensions

OpenOffice.org Extensions

OpenOffice.org offers the possibility to develop independent 3rd party extensions. The categories of extensions reach from Basic libraries, packages with Java/JavaScript or Python macros to more sophisticated extensions in form of UNO components implemented in Java, C++ or Python. Even the last category of extensions subdivide in general UNO components providing new implementations for existing functional areas or specialized components like Calc Add-Ins, Add-Ons, DataPilots, Chart Add-Ins or linguistic components (e.g. Spellchecker, Hyphenator or Thesaurus).

• Calc Add-Ins provide new Calc built in functions which can be directly used over the normal function dialog in the Calc application.
• Add-Ons describe components providing some new functionality and normally coming with an UI integration (e.g. new menu entries or complete new menues, new toolbars).
• DataPilots provide a new kind of data pilot which can be used directly over the DataPilot dialog in the Calc application.
• Chart Add-Ins provide a new chart type
• Linguistic components provides new implementations of know interfaces which can be used directly over the normal UI.

In the future it should be possible to deploy a collection of new document templates or a gallery as extensions as well.

References/Articles

• OpenOffice.org Developers Guide

• Linux Journal: "Off the Wall: Macros and Add-ons"

List of existing Extensions

• History Manager

• LanguageTool

• OOOBlogger

• LPSolver

• SVG Import Filter

• Code Snippet Creator

• Multisave, a Macro to save a document to multiple format in a few clics