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
Extensions can be made of many features : the language may be other than Basic, the menus and toolbars may be simple or elaborated, depending on the application (Writer, Calc...), with texts localized in many languages. This means creating lots of xml files, and packing them in a zip file. But each xml file has its syntax, and it is easy to make errors.
With the Extension Compiler you don't need to know all implementation details. It will generate these files automatically from a high level description that you write.
First you have to create and test your language libraries. Then you write a linear succession of simple instructions to describe your extension. Run the Extension Compiler. It will create the files description.xml, addon.xml, manifest.xml, xxxWindowState.xml, license and tooltip for various languages (all encoded in UTF-8). It will pack them with your language libraries, components and configuration files in an oxt package. 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.
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.
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 and of the license 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.
Known issues
There are currently some limitations or bugs in the extension mechanism itself, see Issues 86079, 86437, 86528, 86534, 86535, 86536
Download
Extension Compiler is currently downloadable at http://marcelly.club.fr/ExtensionCompiler.ott . This is a temporary location.
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.
