Extensions Packager
Contents
BasicAddonBuilder
BasicAddonBuilder is an OpenOffice.org extension that allow you to export a StarBasic library in the OpenOffice.org extension format, ready for deployment. BasicAddonBuilder does not require special skills or a deep knowledge of extensions specifications. A wizard-style dialog will guide you through the process, allowing you to define in a graphical way all menu and toolbars that will be added to the OpenOffice.org user interface in order to launch macros from your StarBasic library.
The exported extension (AKA UNO package) will be ready to install in any PC running OpenOffice.org 2.0 or above, using the Package manager. (Menu Tools->Package manager...)
Requirements
In order to use BasicAddonBuilder, you must have OpenOffice.org 2.2 or above installed. BasicAddonBuilder will not work with OpenOffice.org 1.x
Install
BasicAddonBuilder can be installed through the Package manager dialog:
- Menu Tools->Package manager...
Further information in the OpenOffice.org Help
Known issues
- Missing documentation
The following features are not yet supported:
- Dependances management of the generated extension
- Import/export of BasicAddonBuilder projects
Homepage
Current versions of BasicAddonBuilder for OpenOffice.org are always available here:
Contacting author
Please send your suggestions and bug reports to: Paolo Mantovani Any feedback is welcome!
Extension Compiler
There are many kinds of extensions : they may use languages other than Basic, or even set a configuration without any executable code. Usually an extension provides menus and toolbars for one or more applications (Writer, Calc...).
For a professional look you will have to add copyright statements, create your own help pages, provide automatic update. All displayable texts will probably have to be translated in several languages. This means editing lots of files, testing and editing each time you have found a bug, or added a feature, or added a new language.
The Extension Compiler can handle all kinds of extensions and reduce your work load. Its documentation guides you through most of the process. You don't need to know all the implementation details, you don't need a complex environment. You will edit a Writer document to write the tooltip text, license text, help pages for your extension.
You will then write a linear succession of simple Basic instructions to describe your extension. Run this Basic program: the Extension Compiler will create the files description.xml, addon.xml, manifest.xml, xxxWindowState.xml, and the license, tooltip, display name, help pages for different languages. All files will be encoded in UTF-8 to support national characters, stored in sub-folders. After a few seconds your oxt package is ready to be installed!
If you made an error, or if you are not satisfied with your extension, change some instructions and run again. For complex extensions, incremental design is easy: start simple, test, add a feature, test it, add another feature, etc.
The help pages for your extension may be specific to each application (Calc, Writer, Draw...). They are called by a help button in your dialogs, or by contextual help in the dialogs or menus, or from the help window. These help pages will be seamlessly integrated into OpenOffice.org help system. If you have created your help in several languages OpenOffice.org will choose the language which fits the best with the User Interface language.
Requirements
You must have OpenOffice.org 2.2 or above installed.
The menu merging and toolbar merging features require OpenOffice.org 2.3 or above.
The extensible help requires OpenOffice.org 2.4 and above.
Install
Extension Compiler is a Writer template document : opening it creates a new Writer document that you will have to personalize.
Save it under the name of your extension in a dedicated folder where macro execution is allowed. You will store in this dedicated folder all the libraries, files, images, needed for your extension. You may use sub-folders.
Write in this document the text of the tooltip, license and help pages of your extension, in as many languages as you like (or can).
Open the Basic IDE to the Standard library of this document. Open the module Module1 in this library. It contains a prepared macro : myExtension. Add your instructions where indicated. The instruction set is described in chapter 3 of the document, read it carefully. You will find typical examples in the modules named Template1 etc.
Run the macro. If you get an error message, correct your script and run again. Otherwise, your extension file is ready.
Latest changes
Version 1.5
- At first loading, a message prompts to save the new document under the name of your extension.
- The version number of the extension is automatically added to the oxt file name, e.g. myExtension-1.3.2. You can leave previous versions of your extension in the extension folder.
- The Extension Compiler can create the update.xml file required for an on-line update.
Version 1.5.1
- Issue 104513 reports a bug with Writer notes containing an hyperlink. Correction 1.5.1 adds a work-around of this bug in the treatment of hyperlinks in Help pages.
Related Issues
There are currently some limitations or bugs in the extension mechanism itself, see these Issues. Some will be corrected with OOo 3.1 or 3.2.
Download
Extension Compiler is currently downloadable at this location.
Example of extension build with Extension Compiler
A typical extension example may be downloaded as the file ExtensionDemo.zip. It requires at least OpenOffice.org version 3.1.0.
This zip file unzips into a directory named Demo/. It contains all the data to create the extension ExtExample. The compiled extension package is also in the folder. ExtExample adds a toolbar and some commands in the menu Tools > Add-Ons of Writer and Calc. In Writer, Tools > Add-Ons sub-menu can start sample scripts in Basic, Python BeanShell, JavaScript, Java macro.
Java-like scripts won't be recognized at first (Issue 99858). Work-around : after installing the extension, click button Disable. When finished, click button Enable.
Contacting author
Extension Compiler is written by Bernard Marcelly. Please send your suggestions and bug reports at the address indicated in the document. Feedbacks are welcome.
