Difference between revisions of "Extensions feature ideas"

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{{Extensions}}
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[[Category:Extensions]]
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This page is intended to collect ideas for future features of the Extensions Manager and Extensions.
 
This page is intended to collect ideas for future features of the Extensions Manager and Extensions.
  
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#[[#safemode|Running OOo in safe mode]]
 
#[[#safemode|Running OOo in safe mode]]
 
#[[#license_ooo_install|Support of licenses for extensions when they are installed together with OOo]]
 
#[[#license_ooo_install|Support of licenses for extensions when they are installed together with OOo]]
#[[#configure|Configuring extensions]]
 
 
#[[#systemintegration|Enhance system integration]]
 
#[[#systemintegration|Enhance system integration]]
#[[#file_open_installation|Installing extensions by opening extensions in the office's file dialog]]
 
#[[#language_pack|Language Packs for extensions]]
 
 
#[[#update_dependencies|Solving dependencies when running the online update]]
 
#[[#update_dependencies|Solving dependencies when running the online update]]
 
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#[[#textconverter|Separate Text-To-Wikitext Converter]]
 
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#[[#autopaste|AutoPaste]]
 
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<ol>
 
<ol>
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in the Extension Manager.
 
in the Extension Manager.
 
</p>
 
</p>
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* Wouldn't it be better to provide access to the the extension manager from the recovery dialog which comes up after each crash? Additionally for the case that it's clear that the crash happened inside the extension, a dialog could pop up which asks the user if this specific extension should be disabled
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** The extensions manager is already accessible without OOo. Just invoke the unopkg executable with parameter -gui. But a button from the recovery dialog is still a good idea.
 
</li>
 
</li>
 
<li><span id="license_ooo_install">Support of licenses for extensions when they are installed together with OOo</span>
 
<li><span id="license_ooo_install">Support of licenses for extensions when they are installed together with OOo</span>
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</p>
 
</p>
 
</li>
 
</li>
<li><span id="configure">Configuring extensions</span></li>
 
<p>An extension may need to be configured. In this case it could bring a dialog through which all necessary settings could be done. This dialog could for example be started after installation of an extension. It could also be integrated in the options dialog of OOo.
 
</p>
 
 
<li><span id="systemintegration">Enhance system integration</span></li>
 
<li><span id="systemintegration">Enhance system integration</span></li>
 
<p>
 
<p>
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<ul>
 
<ul>
<li>OOo is running, no extension manager running </li>
 
<li>OOo and its extension manager are running </li>
 
 
<li>another instance of unopkg gui is running </li>
 
<li>another instance of unopkg gui is running </li>
 
<li>another instance of unopkg is running</li>
 
<li>another instance of unopkg is running</li>
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This would probably mean some interprocess communication between two unopkg instances.
 
This would probably mean some interprocess communication between two unopkg instances.
 
</p>
 
</p>
<li><span id="file_open_installation">Installing extensions by opening extensions in the office's file dialog</span>
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<li><span id="update_dependencies">Solving dependencies when running the online update</span>
 
<p>
 
<p>
For more user friendlyness it should be possible to install extensions by using the file open dialog of OOo. That is, the user need not open the Extension Manager to install an extension.
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The "Extension Update" dialog should make sure that dependencies are resolved. That is, an extension A version 2 depends on extension B version 2. The user selects extension A v.2 but does not have B v.2 installed. If B v.2 is also available as update, then the user should not be allowed to unselect B v.2. Or in case the user used the context menu for A to invoke the "Extensions Update" dialog then the dialog should automatically offer B v.2 rather then showing that A v.2 cannot be installed because of an incompatibility.
 
</p>
 
</p>
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</li>
 
</li>
<li><span id="language_pack">Language Packs for extensions</span>
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<p>
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One could deliver a "language pack" in a separate extension for another extension. The extension containing the code would then use the localized strings of the language pack. This would make localization of extensions easier, because a "language pack extension" would not contain any code or sophisticated configuration data.
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</p>
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<li><span id="update_dependencies">Solving dependencies when running the online update</span>
 
<li><span id="update_dependencies">Solving dependencies when running the online update</span>
 
<p>
 
<p>
 +
The "Extension Update" dialog should make sure that dependencies are resolved. That is, an extension A version 2 depends on extension B version 2. The user selects extension A v.2 but does not have B v.2 installed. If B v.2 is also available as update, then the user should not be allowed to unselect B v.2. Or in case the user used the context menu for A to invoke the "Extensions Update" dialog then the dialog should automatically offer B v.2 rather then showing that A v.2 cannot be installed because of an incompatibility.
 
</p>
 
</p>
  
 
</li>
 
</li>
 
+
<li><span id="textconverter">Separate Text-To-Wikitext Converter</span></li>
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<p>
 +
OpenOffice has the best tool for converting formatted text into wikitext. It helps create a "zero-training" environment where less advanced users can create text in a word processor of choice and paste it into the wiki or convert existing docs to use in the wiki. However, these users are unable or unwilling to download the entire OpenOffice suite to take advantage of the conversion feature, and thus require a simpler method.
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</p>
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<p>
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A separate text-to-wikitext converter could be designed in one of the following ways:
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<ul>
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<li>As an extension that can be installed on MediaWiki - provides a pop-up for a user to paste text, which then converts it and places it in the editing window.</li>
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<li>As a tool packaged separately from the OpenOffice suite - runs as a split-pane window in which a user may paste text into one pane, convert it, and then copy it from the second pane and paste it into the wiki editing window.</li>
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</ul>
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</p>
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</li>
 
</ol>
 
</ol>
 
[[Category:Extensions]]
 
[[Category:Extensions]]

Latest revision as of 07:59, 27 April 2011

OOo Extensions project

Please view the wiki usage guidelines
before contributing.

Categories:

Pages:

Extensions on the main site

Extensions in other languages:
ES - FR - IT - JA - NL - OC -

This page is intended to collect ideas for future features of the Extensions Manager and Extensions.


  1. Running OOo in safe mode
  2. Support of licenses for extensions when they are installed together with OOo
  3. Enhance system integration
  4. Solving dependencies when running the online update
  5. Separate Text-To-Wikitext Converter
  6. AutoPaste
  1. Running OOo in safe mode

    A faulty extension may cause OOo to crash. When this happens for example at startup (or shortly after) it is difficult for the user to remove the extension. That is, the Extension Manager cannot be invoked anymore. By starting OOo in safe mode, all extensions would be disabled. Then the user could remove the faulty extension in the Extension Manager.

    • Wouldn't it be better to provide access to the the extension manager from the recovery dialog which comes up after each crash? Additionally for the case that it's clear that the crash happened inside the extension, a dialog could pop up which asks the user if this specific extension should be disabled
      • The extensions manager is already accessible without OOo. Just invoke the unopkg executable with parameter -gui. But a button from the recovery dialog is still a good idea.
  2. Support of licenses for extensions when they are installed together with OOo

    Extensions support a simple mechanism for showing a license to the user. This happens during installation. The user must agree to the license before the extension is installed. This works well when the extension is installed by the Extension Manager. However, when an extension is part of the installation set, that is, it is installed along with the office, then this mechanism does not work or integrates well. For example, when installing the rpms every extension with a license would require a user interaction on the console. When developing a solution one should bear in mind, that one has to make sure that an extension is not usable, does not leave any marks in the GUI, and best is not copied at all to the office installation when the user refuses to agree to the license.

  3. Enhance system integration
  4. It should be possible to install an extension by double clicking them. This should even be possible in these scenarios:

    • another instance of unopkg gui is running
    • another instance of unopkg is running

    This would probably mean some interprocess communication between two unopkg instances.

  5. Solving dependencies when running the online update

    The "Extension Update" dialog should make sure that dependencies are resolved. That is, an extension A version 2 depends on extension B version 2. The user selects extension A v.2 but does not have B v.2 installed. If B v.2 is also available as update, then the user should not be allowed to unselect B v.2. Or in case the user used the context menu for A to invoke the "Extensions Update" dialog then the dialog should automatically offer B v.2 rather then showing that A v.2 cannot be installed because of an incompatibility.


  6. Solving dependencies when running the online update

    The "Extension Update" dialog should make sure that dependencies are resolved. That is, an extension A version 2 depends on extension B version 2. The user selects extension A v.2 but does not have B v.2 installed. If B v.2 is also available as update, then the user should not be allowed to unselect B v.2. Or in case the user used the context menu for A to invoke the "Extensions Update" dialog then the dialog should automatically offer B v.2 rather then showing that A v.2 cannot be installed because of an incompatibility.

  7. Separate Text-To-Wikitext Converter
  8. OpenOffice has the best tool for converting formatted text into wikitext. It helps create a "zero-training" environment where less advanced users can create text in a word processor of choice and paste it into the wiki or convert existing docs to use in the wiki. However, these users are unable or unwilling to download the entire OpenOffice suite to take advantage of the conversion feature, and thus require a simpler method.

    A separate text-to-wikitext converter could be designed in one of the following ways:

    • As an extension that can be installed on MediaWiki - provides a pop-up for a user to paste text, which then converts it and places it in the editing window.
    • As a tool packaged separately from the OpenOffice suite - runs as a split-pane window in which a user may paste text into one pane, convert it, and then copy it from the second pane and paste it into the wiki editing window.

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