Source code directories

Below is a (somewhat terse) description of the various directories for OpenOffice source code.

agg	antigrain geometry lib (from http://www.antigrain.com/), a software renderer used in canvas
animation	Containers for the css::animation UNO API, used in slideshow and sd
autodoc	html pages from c++, java, idl inline documentation
automation	Hook for QA automation (TestTool)
avmedia	Audio/Video media implementation - requires a working Java Media Framework (JMF) currently can't play streams only file-system URIs anyway.
basctl	controls and dialogs - basic
basebmp	algorithms and data types for bitmap graphics (e.g. line and fill polygon scan conversion, bitmap format iterators, and a SalGraphics-compatible software renderer)
basegfx	algorithms and data types for graphics (e.g. polygons, vectors, matrices and the like - see that used in canvas)
basic	basic interpreter
bean	office bean
beanshell	java interpreter - so you can write java in command shell, interactive java -- good for prototyping /macros from http://www.beanshell.org/ with some patches
berkeleydb	external library. http://www.sleepycat.com/products/db.shtml simple db - used for search in help and galleries
binfilter	StarOffice 5.2 compatibility layer, the UI and everything. Basically a little SO 5.2 inside OO.o. This is huge - avoid building it by giving '--disable-binfilter' on the configure line.
boost	external (C++ template) library: http://boost.org/native
bridges	Bridges from various C++ ABIs, Java JNI, MS .Net to Binary Uno. Also implementation of the Uno Remote Protocol. And in ooo-build a bridge from Mono to Uno and back.
canvas	new canvas implementation to improve rendering, various backends implement the new XCanvas API eg. cairo / DirectX
chart2	new, improved chart implementation, arrived in OO.o 2.3
cli_ure	Common Language Infrastructure Uno Runtime Environment -- support assemblies and tools for the MS .Net (and Mono) Uno binding.
codemaker	Uno interface declaration/stub generators for C++ Uno (headers), Java Uno (class files), CLI (.Net / Mono) Uno.
configmgr	the configuration database - UNO services and some tools
config_office	build configs, configure scripts, autotools, etc.
connectivity	database pieces, drivers, etc.
cosv	"Common Services," part of autodoc
cppcanvas	helper C++ classes for canvas, plus a GDIMetaFile-to-XCanvas converter
cppu	Binary (read 'C') Uno runtime.
cppuhelper	C++ Uno runtime, additionally helpers e.g. templates for implementing Uno components, bootstrapping stuff etc. - get Uno up & running.
cpputools	Binary Uno tools, like uno.exe, regcomp etc.
crashrep	reports crashes (Novell disabled that)
curl	external library curl (a URL manipulation engine)
dbaccess	data base access tools
default_images	all images and resources
desktop	what used to be the desktop in SO5 - now the binary
dmake	the dmake tool itself, built by running 'bootstrap' after configure
dtrans	clipboard abstraction - data transfer
embeddedobj	Embedding objects
embedserv	Embed OOo through OLE2
epm	enhanced package manager- nasty hack for packaging not useful - but default build uses, every linux packager disables this
eventattacher	how basic handles events -
expat	external library with added UCS2 support, ... simple SAX parser
extensions	browser plugin, activex control, scanner bits
external	placeholder for extra code needed to build
extras	templates, clipart galleries, palettes, symbol font etc.
fileaccess	tiny: implements XSimpleFileAccess interface - that makes the UCB interfaces actually usable (via Uno) and more intuitive.
filter	filter registration and some simple filters (also descriptions
forms	embedded forms control and pieces (design forms in documents, fields and database driven)
fpicker	native file pickers for Unix and Windows (file open dialog) GTK+, KDE, Windows
Framework	UI rewrite, toolbars, menus, Uno stuff, including accelerators & interaction, etc.
freetype	Font rasterrizer.
goodies	graphics filters, 3d and 2d graqphics pieces
helpcontent2	for OpenOffice.org 2 - english + other languages help content
hsqldb	external library. http://hsqldb.org/ Java database engine. Default database format for OpenOffice.org
hwpfilter	filter for a word processor file format popular in Korea. (Hangul Word Processor)
i18npool	internationalization, counting, calendaring, complex text layout
i18nutil	small bits of internationalization
icu	external library. International (IBM? ;-)) Components for Unicode, http://icu.sourceforge.net/ with patches.
idl	SvIDL Compiler
idlc	The Uno IDL compiler.
instsetoo_native	install set for oo, native installers -
io	Provides socket and pipe acceptors / connectors, as well as text input / output streams.
javaunohelper	Java Uno components implementation helpers.
jurt	Java Uno Runtime - Basically Java Uno.
jut	Java Uno Tools - Tools for Java Uno.
jvmaccess, jvmfwk	wrappers so you can use all the Java Runtime Environments with their slightly incompatible APIs with ease. Hah.
libwpd	external library. Not modified. http://libwpd.sourceforge.net/ wordperfect filter - SAX api - emits callbacks when things happen
libxmlsec	external library. (Still) heavily patched. http://www.aleksey.com/xmlsec/ to do XML signing, etc.
lingucomponent	spellcheck, hyphenator, thesaurus, ...
linguistic	This component manages all registered linguistic module implementations for spellchecker, hyphenator and thesaurus.
lpsolve	external library that provides a mixed integer linear programming (MILP) solver, see http://lpsolve.sourceforge.net
mathmldtd	MathMLDTD to implement XML Math format, see http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-MathML
msfontextract	external library. http://www.kyz.uklinux.net/libmspack/ for use in FontOOo (unpacking the downloaded Microsoft fonts (webfont))
nas	The Network Audio System (NAS), An Audio Protocol For Networks. See http://radscan.com/nas.html
neon	web library to help deal with WebDAV or other protocols
netbeans_integration	java?
np_sdk	Netscape Plugin SDK. Header to build Mozilla plugins.
odk	office development kit - implements the first step on the way to the OpenOffice.org SDK tarball
offapi	all of the Uno IDL files except those in udkapi - i.e. the interfaces that are specific to the OpenOffice.org application.
officecfg	the schema and default settings for the OpenOffice.org configuration database
offuh	Tiny module to build the generate the C++ Uno headers.
oocustomimages	themes, custom themes
oox	OpenXML parser
packages	reading and writing zips
padmin	printer administration dialog - used lpr - obsolete with CUPS and fontconfig, but still used for some things
portaudio	an audio output library for various sound setups.
postprocess	Postprocessing and checking of files delivered by other modules. This module has to be the last one before creating install sets in module 'instset_native'.
psprint	postscript print - unix only - implements font discovery, interface to CUPS / lpr, query and basic PS - dump PS on print - actual PS rendering inside vcl
psprint_config	ppds for use by psprint when not using CUPS
pyuno	Uno binding for python
qadevOOo	qa testsuite
rdbmaker	makes registries for openoffice for storing type data, etc./?
readlicense_oo	reading oo license when starting up
regexp	regular expression matching
registry	registry reading, etc.
remotebridges	Uno services dealing with interprocess bridges.
rhino	java script engine/interpreter
ridljar	Generators Java Uno types (like offuh).
rsc	resource compiler - turns resource descriptions src and hrc files scattered throughout.
rvpapi	Obsolete.
sablot	external library. yet another xslt implementation in the tree (in C++)
sal	system abstraction layer - rtl, osl and sal (rtl - platform independent strings, osl - platform specific stuff, threads, dynamic loading, process, ipc, etc.). Exports only C API and some inline-methods-only C++ API
salhelper	C++ helpers to make use of sal easier
sandbox	Generic sandboxing, e.g. used for Java applet embedding stuff. Totally useless without a Sun JDK. Might be obsolet.
sane	external scanner library
sax	wrapper around expat using Uno.
sc	calc - the Spreadsheet core
scaddins	extra functions for calc
scp2	script particles - being rewritten for oo2. all of installation was driven by starbasic - this is now in instsetoo-native
scripting	scripting framework - for java, python, etc. to play together and uses UNO
scsolver	Optimization Solver for Calc
sd	Impress and Draw components. Think of Impress as hack on top of Draw.
sdext	Extensions for the Impress and Draw applications.
sdk_oo	software development kit OO - implements the second step on the way to the OpenOffice.org SDK tarball (see odk)
setup-native	?
sfx2	gui code, much of which is now deprecated - list of documents open would be tracked - raw C++ code; gutsy core of document management and loading.
shell	system helpers - launching URI, recently used files, system integration, external mailer support, gconf integration etc.
sj2	Java Applet support.
slideshow	new impress slideshow engine in OO.o 2.0
smoketestoo_native	Test code to launch each component for a smoke test.
sndfile	soundfile - library for loading all kinds of sound - external lib
so3	StarObject (v3)
solenv	make and build infrastructure - solar (think: Sun or Star Division) environment
soltools	all sorts of build tools
solver	dumping ground for binaries as object output
sot	compound file storage tools code (?)
starmath	formula editor
stlport	external library. STL implementation, from the days when compilers had crappy implementations.
stoc	Core Components for Binary Uno (e.g. registry access, reflection, introspection).
store	Storage implementations, used by Uno registries.
svtools	useful code, common dialogs, file and print dialogs, wizards, vcl filters, lots of helper code
svx	Graphics related helper code - xoutdev - rendering - This is where a lot of work would happen to move to the canvas. svdraw - transparent gradient stuff. Lot of the Draw and Impress code is in this module. Part if the PPT binary importer is in there too.
sw	writer - the word processing core
sysui	.desktop files for different distros
toolkit	abstract windowing thing- Uno implementations of windows stuff - so can be used from basic
tools	predates sal - string etc. functions, url manip, stream stuff, polygons, etc.
transex3	translation tools
twain	Windows scanner support
ucb	Universal Content Broker (has ucp) which do things like convert files to strings in content broker world.
ucbhelper	C++ wrappers to help make using content providers easy
udkapi	URE API definition - Uno IDL files
udm	part of autodoc
unixODBC	external lib
unocontrols	separate process and thread for progress bars, etc.
unoil	Like offuh for Java Uno - Generates Java class files from OOo application Uno types.
unotools	helpers for C++ use of UNO
unoxml	Uno wrappers for XML services
unzip	used by installer
ure	beginnings of standalone UNO distribution foo.
uui	An Interaction Handler for the UCB. It uses VCL to visualize and handle interaction requests.
vcl	base windowing toolkit abstraction Visual Class Libraries, and graphical output layer - includes backends for unix & Win32
vigra	Template framework from here. VIGRA stands for "Vision with Generic Algorithms". Used from basebmp.
vos	(Virtual Object System) - deprecated but still used, lots of sal like stuff
wizards	java wizards for db setup, importing, tutorials, etc.
writerperfect	word perfect filter - wrapper for libwpd
X11_extensions	headers for XRender support
xalan	external library. java xslt implementation
xmerge	The XMerge SDK provides a Java-based framework for converting documents between different formats using conversion plugins to read and write each format. See http://xml.openoffice.org/xmerge
xml2cmp	Comes with the OO SDK. xml2cmp is launched in general by a makefile to extract types from a xml file
xmlhelp	Help reader and viewer for online help
xmloff	OpenDocument import / export filter.
xmlscript	Implements XML dialogs serialization.
xmlSearch	?
xmlSecurity	Document signing