Extensions/website/submission
Contents
General
http://extensions.services.openoffice.org
There are several places where the informations are used:
- Teaser: in List views limited informations are shown
- Extension page: A separate page, where the extension information is displayed
- Update feed
- Extension release page: All informations regarding the binary are show
- Extension download process
Extension page
On creating the general extensions page:
- You need to be logged in on the site
- On the left: Submit Extension -> http://extensions.services.openoffice.org/node/add/project-project
Needed informations:
- Extension name: String maximal 128 characters;
- The display name of the extension;
- Extension description: String/HTML text;
- The first part is also displayed as a summary (maximal 200 characters).
- To force the break before 400 characters insert: <!--break-->
- Short extension name: String maximal 50 characters;
- This is used in the url of the extension:
- http://extensions.services.openoffice.org/project/<short_name>
- With this you create an URL that can be used as reference to your extension.
- License category: Select one of the entries:
- open source, free ware, shareware, commercial
- Teaser image: 150x150 pixel;
- Will always be shown right to the description;
- Provider Title: String maximal 255 characters;
- Name that is used, instead of the user name on the site;
- Provider URL: URL maximal 255 characters;
- Link that will be on the Provider Title
- Provider logo: width: 100 pixel, height: 50 pixel
- Will be shown to show the origin;
- Categories: To which application does the extension belong to:
- Multi selection is possible:
- OpenOffice.org, Writer, Calc, Base, Chart, Draw, Impress, Math.
- (Or a new suggestion)
- At least one has to be selected
- Tags: A free text field, to provide tags, describing the extension;
- Seperate entries by ,
Optional:
- License link: URL maximal 255 characters;
- A link to a page where the license is displayed;
- Screen shots: URL maximal 255 characters;
- A link to one or a page with several screen shots;
- Sources: URL maximal 255 characters;
- A link to a webcvs/viewcvs site where the source can be viewed;
Don't forgett to mark the extension as published.
Extension Release
Upload an extension release binary: On an extension page you have a link 'Add new release', if you created the extensions; This goes to a link like: http://extensions.services.openoffice.org/node/add/project_release/xxx
Binary preparation / file naming
Below is a list of basic recommendations for naming and versioning of your Extensions.
Version
- Major_Minor_Patchlevel
- n_n_n -> 1_0_1 = 1.0.1
Status
- alpha = Alpha
- beta = Beta
- dev = Developer's Release
- draft = Early distribution of documentation
- ea = Early Access
- rc = Release Candidate
- pre = Pre Release
If there are multiple releases of the same milestone, only subsequent milestones should include the number. For example, beta, beta2, beta3, etc.. Final releases do not have a status description within the filename of the extension.
OS
- blank = platform independent
- linux = Linux
- macosx = MacOSX
- solaris = Solaris SPARC
- solia = Solaris x86 (Solaris Intel Architecture)
- windows = Windows
Note: I'm sure the above does not include all possible combinations. Feel free to use what ever you need additional, for example "linux-x86_64", for the extension you provide which contains native parts for corresponding systems.
Resulting Extension File Name:
- <extension name>-<version>-<status>-<os>.oxt
Some Examples:
Sun-Report-Builder-1.0-dev.oxt
Sun-Weblog-Publisher-1.0.2.oxt
Please note: Right now (OOo 2.3) the extension manager displays the file name of the extension and also the version number included in the description.xml of the corresponding extension. Thus you will notice something like "Sun-Report-Builder-1.0-dev.oxt | 1.0" | active" at the UI currently. There are already plans to change the display in future versions. To enable everybody to be able to identify extensions without having them installed, we already start using this file naming right now.
Binary download/upload options
There are several options, how to provide the extension binary; There exist the following fields:
- File: Upload a file (.oxt) not greater than 100MB
- Download binary from URL: URL to an file (.oxt) maximal 255 characters
- Download from page / Open follow up page URL: URL, maximal 255 characters
- To either a page from where the extension can be downloaded, or a page that will open during download.
To understand the relation of "follow-up" like URL's and external hosted binaries, you can also have a look at the following graphic.
How do these fields work together? Possible combinations:
- File
- Download button go to a page with a link to the final download;
- Download starts automatically;
- (Update feed can be generated)
- File + Open follow up page URL
- Download button go to a page with a link to the final download;
- Download starts automatically;
- A second page opens with the provided URL
- (Update feed can be generated)
- Download binary from URL
- Download button go to a page with a link to the final download;
- Download starts automatically;
- (Update feed might be generated)
- Download binary from URL + Open follow up page URL
- Download button opens a new page with a link to the final download and with the provided URL;
- Download starts automatically;
- The provided URL is loaded automatical. (Only works with activated JavaScript)
- (Update feed might be generated)
- Download from page
- Download button opens a new page with a link to the final download;
- The provided URL is loaded automatically.
- (Update feed can't get generated)
Further needed informations:
- Operating System: Select at least one entry, multi selection possible:
- System independent, Windows, Solaris, Linux, MacOS X
- Binary type: Select one entry:
- OOo extension (.oxt), Other binary download
- Update feed is only generated for oxt-packages.
- There is an icon displayed in the presentation, if oxt is selected
- Currently manual, when description.xml is evaluated the information of that file is used;
- Major: Minor: Patch-level: Each string 20 maximal numbers
- Status: String maximal 50 characters
- Will be used like: 1.2.3-dev (If the values are entered: 1, 2, 3, dev)
- Release notes: String/HTML that will be used in the update feed and on the extension release and download page.
Don't forgett to mark the extension as published.