UNO automation with a binary (executable)

From Apache OpenOffice Wiki
Revision as of 09:37, 14 March 2009 by SergeMoutou (Talk | contribs)

Jump to: navigation, search

Template:Documentation/Banner

We want now discuss a fully UNO/OpenOffice.org program : we mean a program which automates some tasks on OpenOffice.org documents, file loading, file modifying, file saving... all in all “Create a binary program to replace a OOoBasic program”. The border between the examples of previous chapter and of this chapter is vague. I can only say  : if you imagine to automate any problem and create a program for, this paragraph and the next chapters are for you. Please read also Introduction to the OpenOffice.org API.

Introduction : starting from a SDK example

Introduction services and interfaces

Before going further, I have to explain the minimal organization of UNO API, particularly of the distinction between services and interfaces. A service is a set of interfaces. Both have a name starting with "com.sun.star" followed by a module's name ".lang" for instance and terminate with the effective service or interface name. An interface name begins always with a 'X' character. For instance , com.sun.star.lang.ServiceManager is a service and clicking on the link shows you it contains many interfaces com.sun.star.lang.XServiceInfo is one of them (name starting with a X).


ServiceManager and Desktop objects

Danny Brewer wrote in the oooforum.org : “To do almost anything useful with OOo via. the API, in almost all cases, you must either create a new document, or open an existing document. Then you would manipulate the contents of the document, extract information from it, print it, convert it to a different format, work with data forms on the document, or perform various other tasks with office documents.

Therefore, one of the first things to learn is how to open or create documents.

In order to work with OOo via. the API, you must first acquire two essential objects.

  1. the com.sun.star.lang.ServiceManager
  2. the com.sun.star.frame.Desktop

Once you have the com.sun.star.lang.ServiceManager, you call its createInstance() method to get the com.sun.star.frame.Desktop object. Once you have the com.sun.star.frame.Desktop object, you can use it to create or open new documents.

More on com.sun.star.frame.Desktop service here.

Getting the Service Manager

In every different programming language, there are different mechanisms for acquiring the Service Manager. One way of getting the service manager is given in one SDK example : <OpenOffice.org1.1_SDK>/examples/DevelopersGuide/ProfUNO/CppBinding We first check the example (under Linux) : Template:Documentation/Linux which only writes out "Connected successfully to the office". Under Windows it would be : Template:Documentation/Windows We start first our discussion from this example. Later on, we will provide an other starting code. All listings we will give below are to be added at this example. Where ? It's shown here (in red) :

// Listing 1 Our first Connection
//C++  *** extract from office_connect.cxx
int main( )
{
	// create the initial component context
	Reference< XComponentContext > rComponentContext =
		defaultBootstrap_InitialComponentContext();
	// retrieve the servicemanager from the context
	Reference< XMultiComponentFactory > rServiceManager =
		rComponentContext->getServiceManager();
	// instantiate a sample service with the servicemanager.
	Reference< XInterface > rInstance =
		rServiceManager->createInstanceWithContext(
			OUString::createFromAscii("com.sun.star.bridge.UnoUrlResolver" ),
			rComponentContext );
	// Query for the XUnoUrlResolver interface
	Reference< XUnoUrlResolver > rResolver( rInstance, UNO_QUERY );
	if( ! rResolver.is() )
	{
		printf( "Error: Couldn't instantiate com.sun.star.bridge.UnoUrlResolver service\n" );
		return 1;
	}
	try
	{
		// resolve the uno-url
		rInstance = rResolver->resolve( OUString::createFromAscii( 
			"uno:socket,host=localhost,port=8100;urp;StarOffice.ServiceManager" ) );
		if( ! rInstance.is() )
		{
			printf( "StarOffice.ServiceManager is not exported from remote counterpart\n" );
			return 1;
		}
		// query for the simpler XMultiServiceFactory interface, sufficient for scripting
		Reference< XMultiServiceFactory > rOfficeServiceManager (rInstance, UNO_QUERY);
		if( ! rInstance.is() )
        {
            printf( "XMultiServiceFactory interface is not exported for StarOffice.ServiceManager\n" );
            return 1;
        }
 
        printf( "Connected sucessfully to the office\n" );
 
//  ***** add your code here **************
 
	}
	catch( Exception &e )
	{
		OString o = OUStringToOString( e.Message, RTL_TEXTENCODING_ASCII_US );
		printf( "Error: %s\n", o.pData->buffer );
		return 1;
	}
	return 0;
}

I cannot explain all the lines of this source file, but if you want to have an idea of what you have to learn when using UNO SDK, have a look at all the interfaces of this snippet : com.sun.star.uno.XComponentContext, com.sun.star.lang.XMultiComponentFactory, com.sun.star.uno.XInterface and com.sun.star.bridge.XUnoUrlResolver.

I can just say : here is one way among others to get the Service Manager. A second way is given in <OpenOffice.org1.1_SDK>/examples/cpp/DocumentLoader's example.

Before to go further I want to give explanations. The code above shows, even if you don't understend it, how we programm with UNO and C++. You should write C++ code with many strange variables like :

Reference< XSomething > rSomething = aWayToObtainSomething;

In this code XSometing is an interface because its name has a 'X' as first character. You have in the above code two ways to obtain interfaces :

// obtain an interface first way : buildin function
Reference< XComponentContext > rComponentContext = defaultBootstrap_InitialComponentContext();

et aussi

// obtain an interface second way : UNO_QUERY starting from a service
Reference< XUnoUrlResolver > rResolver( rInstance, UNO_QUERY );

How do I know I start from a service ? If the first character of the name is not a 'X', it is a service and if you want to obtain it you have to cast it with a XInterface. You can see it's the case for rResolver variable in the listing 1 (com.sun.star.bridge.UnoUrlResolver service).

That piece of code is in general called bootstrapping.

Introduction to Bootstrapping

Bootstrap processes are more deeply discussed later. We give only an introduction here.

To memorize this previous piece of code is not easy and probably useless. However, we give a drawing representation of this piece of code to show the main step of the bootstrap process.

Bootstrapping

If you are interested in, have a look simultaneously to the code and to the drawing to see the schematic conventions I have used to carry out the Figure above. For instance both XInterface are connected because we use the same variable in fact. The gray filled rectangles are for parameters... and so on.

We want now the desktop and load a OooCalc component.

The first step is to obtain desktop. You then add this code :

// Listing 2 Obtaining a desktop interface
// C++
Reference< XInterface  > xDesktop = rOfficeServiceManager->createInstance(
   	OUString::createFromAscii( "com.sun.star.frame.Desktop" ));

Your desktop object is in xDesktop variable. More on Desktop service here.

Second step : query for the XComponentLoader interface

// Listing 3  Query a XcomponentLoader Interface
// C++
// query a XcomponentLoader Interface 
Reference< XComponentLoader > rComponentLoader (xDesktop, UNO_QUERY);
if( rComponentLoader.is() )
    	{
        	printf( "XComonentloader succesfully instanciated\n" );
    	}

Before to see the problems with this code, we give again a schematic representation :

Component Loader

The code above gives error messages :

error 'XcomponentLoader' undeclared (First use this function) ....

It shows us there is a problem with XComponentLoader : this indicates we have probably to add a hpp header file in the program's include statements. The file's name is probably XComponentLoader.hpp but we have to find where it lies. One way is to go in the general index and to look for XComponentLoader. We find : com.sun.star.frame.XComponentLoader which indicates

#include <com/sun/star/frame/XComponentLoader.hpp>

is required. We can try and see it is not enough, we obtain always the same error message and one new before : com/sun/star/frame/XComponentLoader.hpp: No such file or directory I have already discussed this fact : the SDK doesn't provide any hpp file, they have to be constructed from IDL files. An other task is then  : open and change the makefile. Only add the correspondant line :

#added com.sun.star.frame.XComponentLoader
TYPES := \
	com.sun.star.uno.XNamingService \
	com.sun.star.uno.XComponentContext \
	com.sun.star.uno.XWeak \
	com.sun.star.uno.XAggregation \
	com.sun.star.frame.XComponentLoader \
	com.sun.star.lang.XMain \ 
        com.sun.star.lang.XMultiServiceFactory \
	com.sun.star.lang.XSingleComponentFactory \
	com.sun.star.lang.XTypeProvider \
	com.sun.star.lang.XComponent \
	com.sun.star.registry.XSimpleRegistry \
	com.sun.star.registry.XImplementationRegistration \
	com.sun.star.bridge.XBridgeFactory \
	com.sun.star.bridge.XUnoUrlResolver \
    com.sun.star.container.XHierarchicalNameAccess

Making the project gives again the same error message. What is still lacking now ? Only a namespace statement in the source file :

// C++
using namespace com::sun::star::frame;

(To go further with the two steps above see Getting an Interface in C++)

Step 3 : get an instance of the spreadsheet

// Listing 4 Loading a new OOoCalc document
// C++
Reference< XComponent > xcomponent = rComponentLoader->loadComponentFromURL(
	OUString::createFromAscii("private:factory/scalc"),
        OUString::createFromAscii("_blank"),
        0,
        Sequence < ::com::sun::star::beans::PropertyValue >());

and it works : you have a new OOoCalc document.

This hyperlink will takkle again the header file construction problem.

An other thing to note is : when constructing variables with Reference template like :

	Reference<...>varName 

you can check with

	varName.is() 

function. The problem of what to do if this variable is not created (varName.is() is false) is complex and not deeply tackled in this document. It refers to exceptions.

The Compilation Chain

Perhaps we need to recall we use the phrase "compilation chain" to refer to a schematic representation of the makefile. This give information on what kind of files and tools are involved when constructing a UNO binary. Skills on the compilation chain are important only if you want to modify a makefile.

You can find a compilation chain here in this Wiki and also here. I will probably tackle in the futur the makefile problem in a Make Chapter.

We can also find a comilation chain figure in Java Eclipse Tutorial here shown below :

UNO component build chain


Template:Documentation/Tip

Preparing a new Code as a starting Point

The programming style presented in introduction doesn't completely satisfy me. I give it because it's more easy to start explanations from an example provided with the SDK than to start with a new code. I find the functions with Niall Dorgan's code style better in oooforum.org. Then I will adopt it slightly modified : a function is responsible of the connection : ooConnect()

// Listing 5
// C++
#include <stdio.h>
#include <cppuhelper/bootstrap.hxx>
#include <com/sun/star/bridge/XUnoUrlResolver.hpp>
#include <com/sun/star/lang/XMultiServiceFactory.hpp>
// added
#include <com/sun/star/frame/XComponentLoader.hpp>
 
using namespace com::sun::star::uno;
using namespace com::sun::star::lang;
using namespace com::sun::star::bridge;
// added
using namespace com::sun::star::frame;
 
using namespace rtl;
using namespace cppu;
 
// a procedure for what the so called boostrap
Reference< XMultiServiceFactory > ooConnect(){
   // create the initial component context
   Reference< XComponentContext > rComponentContext = 
				defaultBootstrap_InitialComponentContext();
 
   // retrieve the servicemanager from the context
   Reference< XMultiComponentFactory > rServiceManager = 
				rComponentContext->getServiceManager();
 
   // instantiate a sample service with the servicemanager.
   Reference< XInterface > rInstance =  rServiceManager->createInstanceWithContext(
         OUString::createFromAscii("com.sun.star.bridge.UnoUrlResolver" ),rComponentContext );
 
   // Query for the XUnoUrlResolver interface
   Reference< XUnoUrlResolver > rResolver( rInstance, UNO_QUERY );
   if( ! rResolver.is() ){
      printf( "Error: Couldn't instantiate com.sun.star.bridge.UnoUrlResolver service\n" );
      return NULL;
   }
   try {
      // resolve the uno-url
      rInstance = rResolver->resolve( OUString::createFromAscii(
         "uno:socket,host=localhost,port=8100;urp;StarOffice.ServiceManager" ) );
 
      if( ! rInstance.is() ){
         printf( "StarOffice.ServiceManager is not exported from remote counterpart\n" );
         return NULL;
      }
 
      // query for the simpler XMultiServiceFactory interface, sufficient for scripting
      Reference< XMultiServiceFactory > rOfficeServiceManager (rInstance, UNO_QUERY);
 
      if( ! rOfficeServiceManager.is() ){
            printf( "XMultiServiceFactory interface is not exported for StarOffice.ServiceManager\n" );
            return NULL;
        }       
        return rOfficeServiceManager;
   }
   catch( Exception &e ){
      OString o = OUStringToOString( e.Message, RTL_TEXTENCODING_ASCII_US );
      printf( "Error: %s\n", o.pData->buffer );
      return NULL;
   }
   return NULL;
}
 
int main( ) {
//retrieve an instance of the remote service manager
    Reference< XMultiServiceFactory > rOfficeServiceManager;
    rOfficeServiceManager = ooConnect();
    if( rOfficeServiceManager.is() ){
        printf( "Connected sucessfully to the office\n" );
    }
 
//get the desktop service using createInstance returns an XInterface type
    Reference< XInterface  > Desktop = rOfficeServiceManager->createInstance(
    OUString::createFromAscii( "com.sun.star.frame.Desktop" ));
 
//query for the XComponentLoader interface
    Reference< XComponentLoader > rComponentLoader (Desktop, UNO_QUERY);
    if( rComponentLoader.is() ){
        	printf( "XComponentloader successfully instanciated\n" );
    	}
 
//get an instance of the spreadsheet
    Reference< XComponent > xcomponent = rComponentLoader->loadComponentFromURL(
	OUString::createFromAscii("private:factory/scalc"),
        OUString::createFromAscii("_blank"),
        0,
        Sequence < ::com::sun::star::beans::PropertyValue >());
// add code here
    return 0;
}

Put the above code in office_connect.cxx file in the <OpenOffice.org1.1_SDK>/examples/DevelopersGuide/ProfUNO/CppBinding directory (renaming and storing the old office_connect.cxx) and you can use the slightly modified makefile of previous introduction to compile the project. From now on, we will use this code as starting point. It means I will give only part of this code in the examples : the main() or part of the main. If you want to understand the ooConnect() code, have a look at The StarDestop describing the Desktop service.

To go further with explanations have a look here. This hyperlink is not for beginner

To find and to save the Document

Read The StarDestop if you want to understand more on Desktop service.

All this section is based on the change of the below C++ Listing 6 in the previous Listing 5 :

//Listing 6 Creating a new Component
//C++
//get an instance of the spreadsheet
    Reference< XComponent > xcomponent = rComponentLoader->loadComponentFromURL(
	OUString::createFromAscii("private:factory/scalc"),
        OUString::createFromAscii("_blank"),
        0,
        Sequence < ::com::sun::star::beans::PropertyValue >());

The two parameters "private:factory/scalc" and “_blank” can be changed. Let's see what happens with these changes. Loading an existing File To load an existing file, change the previous code of Listing 6 as Template:Documentation/Linux You want to load, or to take an existing opened document with the same name, change the “_blank” parameter : Template:Documentation/Linux The presented file's name is a UNIX-like name. Under Windows we can use the equivalence Template:Documentation/Windows On the left the system depending file's name, what is named the system path, and on the right the URL's file. It is possible to automatically construct the URL's file : Template:Documentation/Linux An other way is to construct the URL form a file name and a directory name

//Listing 10 Constructing an URL : an other Way
// C++  LINUX and Windows
// Don't forget #include <osl/file.hxx>
// Don't forget #include <osl/process.hxx>
	OUString sDocUrl, sWorkingDir;
    osl_getProcessWorkingDir(&sWorkingDir.pData);
    osl::FileBase::getAbsoluteFileURL( sWorkingDir, OUString::createFromAscii("edt.sxd"),
												 sDocUrl);
 
//get an instance of the spreadsheet
    Reference< XComponent > xcomponent = rComponentLoader->loadComponentFromURL(
	    sDocUrl,
        OUString::createFromAscii("_blank"),
        0,
        Sequence < ::com::sun::star::beans::PropertyValue >());

where the file URL is constructed from the executing directory and the file name. Other transformations are possible : see osl::FileBase documentation in http://api.openoffice.org/docs/cpp/ref/names/osl/c-FileBase.html

Create a new Document

You choose your document type and then replace "private:factory/scalc" by the corresponding magical text :

magical text
new Document's Type Magical Text
Writer text private:factory/swriter
Calc spreadsheet private:factory/scalc
Draw private:factory/sdraw
Impress presentation private:factory/simpress
Math formula private:factory/smath

The default opened Document

The way to obtain the default document is slightly different from the previous two chapters. We then first give the program lines to change and after the effective changes. To find the default document, change the previous code given again below in Listing 11 with those given in Listing 12.

//Listing 11 Finding the default Document : code to remove
//C++
//get the desktop service using createInstance returns an XInterface type
    Reference< XInterface  > Desktop = rOfficeServiceManager->createInstance(
    OUString::createFromAscii( "com.sun.star.frame.Desktop" ));
 
//query for the XComponentLoader interface
    Reference< XComponentLoader > rComponentLoader (Desktop, UNO_QUERY);
    if( rComponentLoader.is() ){
        	printf( "XComponentloader successfully instanciated\n" );
    	}
//get an instance of the spreadsheet
    Reference< XComponent > xcomponent = rComponentLoader->loadComponentFromURL(
	OUString::createFromAscii("private:factory/scalc"),
        OUString::createFromAscii("_blank"),
        0,
        Sequence < ::com::sun::star::beans::PropertyValue >());
// add code here
    return 0;

here is our new code :

//Listing 12 Finding the default Document : Code to insert
// C++
// Don't forget the #include <com/sun/star/frame/XDesktop.hpp>
// Don't forget to add com.sun.star.frame.XDesktop \ in the makefile
 
//get the desktop service using createInstance returns an XInterface type
    Reference< XInterface  > Desktop = rOfficeServiceManager->createInstance(
    OUString::createFromAscii( "com.sun.star.frame.Desktop" ));
 
//query the XDesktop Interface
	Reference< XDesktop > xDesktop (Desktop, UNO_QUERY);
 
	Reference< XComponent > xcomponent = xDesktop->getCurrentComponent(); 
	return 0;

As you can see we have to query the XDesktop interface. It is important to note that every time you will query for an interface, you have to add one or two lines in the listing and an other in the makefile. To go further with explanations have a look here if you are not a beginner

Save the Document

In the examples of this section you will query for an interface : the com.sun.star.frame.XStorable interface. Now you can save with adding the code

//Listing 13 How to store a Document 
// C++ 
// Don't forget the #include <com/sun/star/frame/XStorable.hpp>
// Don't forget to add com.sun.star.frame.XStorable \ in the makefile
// Query for Xstorable interface
    Reference< XStorable > rcomponentStore (xcomponent, UNO_QUERY);
	if( !rcomponentStore.is() ){
        	printf( "XStorable Not successfully instanciated\n" );
    	}else
    rcomponentStore->store();

It is also possible to give a name when saving : Template:Documentation/Windows or Template:Documentation/Linux We are now ready to describe all the different Openoffice.org applications. We will begin with OpenOffice.orgCalc but before starting we have a look at Desktop.

My first Container enumeration with Desktop

The container is an important OOo programming concept because you find it everywhere. In a worksheet all the sheets are in a container, in a Draw document, all the slides are in a container, in a slide all the shapes are in a container and so on.

XEnumeration Interface

Here is an example of code :

//Listing 16 XEnumeration Interface
// C++
// container
// Don't forget to add : using namespace com::sun::star::frame;
// Don't forget to add : #include <com/sun/star/frame/XDesktop.hpp>
// Don't forget to add "com.sun.star.frame.XDesktop \" in the makefile
	Reference<XDesktop> desk(xServiceManager->createInstance(
			OUString::createFromAscii("com.sun.star.frame.Desktop")), UNO_QUERY);
 
// Don't forget to add : using namespace com::sun::star::container;
// Don't forget to add : #include <com/sun/star/container/XEnumerationAccess.hpp>
// Don't forget to add "com.sun.star.container.XEnumerationAccess \" in the makefile
    Reference<XEnumerationAccess> comps = desk->getComponents();
    if (comps->hasElements()) {
      Reference<XEnumeration> compenum(comps->createEnumeration(), UNO_QUERY);
      while (compenum->hasMoreElements()) {
        Reference<XComponent> comp(compenum->nextElement(), UNO_QUERY);
 
// Don't forget to add : using namespace com::sun::star::lang;
// Don't forget to add : #include <com/sun/star/lang/XServiceInfo.hpp>
// Don't forget to add "com.sun.star.lang.XServiceInfo \" in the makefile
        Reference<XServiceInfo> serviceinfo(comp, UNO_QUERY);
        if (serviceinfo->supportsService(
               OUString::createFromAscii("com.sun.star.document.OfficeDocument"))) {
 
// Don't forget to add : #include <com/sun/star/frame/XStorable.hpp>
// Don't forget to add "com.sun.star.frame.XStorable \" in the makefile
          Reference<XStorable> storeable(comp, UNO_QUERY);
          if (storeable->hasLocation()) {
            OString loc = OUStringToOString(storeable->getLocation(),
                                                 RTL_TEXTENCODING_ASCII_US);
	         printf("-- %s\n",loc.pData->buffer);
          }
        }
      }
    }

This program prints out : Template:Documentation/Linux depending what files are loaded in OOo and what OS do you use. In general, there are two ways to access a container : with an index or with a name. The corresponding interface are XIndexAccess and XNameAccess. If you want to know what you can do with an Interface, have a look in the corresponding IDL file. IDL files are explained later in the document (see chapter 10). For instance we give here the com.sun.star.container.XIndexAcess IDL file (removing all the comments) :

//Listing 17 XIndexAccess IDL File (without Comments)
// IDL
module com {  module sun {  module star {  module container {
interface XIndexAccess: com::sun::star::container::XElementAccess
{
	long getCount(); 
	any getByIndex( [in] long Index )
			raises( com::sun::star::lang::IndexOutOfBoundsException,
					com::sun::star::lang::WrappedTargetException );
 
};
}; }; }; };

The IDL path can be retrieved with this file's content :<OpenOffice.org1.1_SDK>/idl/com/sun/star/container and the file's name is only the interface's name followed by “.idl”. Two methods can be used : getCount() and getByIndex() as it is easy to see in the above listing.

See also com.sun.star.container.XElementAccess.

XNameAccess Interface

The second access interface is described with com.sun.star.container.XNameAccess :

//Listing 18 XNameAccess IDL file (without Comments)
// IDL
module com {  module sun {  module star {  module container {
interface XNameAccess: com::sun::star::container::XElementAccess
{
	any getByName( [in] string aName ) 
			raises( com::sun::star::container::NoSuchElementException, 
					com::sun::star::lang::WrappedTargetException ); 
	sequence<string> getElementNames(); 
	boolean hasByName( [in] string aName );
};
}; }; }; };

and then three methods. Our goal is to see the desktop as a container. It can effectively contains windows. See also com.sun.star.container.XElementAccess.

What is not clear for me (and then need Help)

Template:Documentation/HelpNeeded Later on, I will describe a reflection helper. It allows us to know methods and properties of an object...

When I use this helper to see methods of “Desktop” object I clearly see getComponents() method. But I cannot call it. I have to construct a desktop variable named “desk” in the listing above before to call it. The desktop variable is a service while desk is an interface. In C++ you have to use interface while in OOoBasic you use service.

We don't need an “#include <com/sun/star/lang/XComponent.hpp>” and I don't see why !

You can find any explanations here written after the lines above (if you are not a beginner).

Chapter Summary

I am always more interested in diagram than in long explanation : probably because of my little knowledge in English. Schematic drawings are easy to grasp only if we know every conventions. If not the case please read again the beginning of this chapter (particularly introduction). We give now in a schematic form, all what we have learnt in this chapter.

Ch4fig3Summary.png Template:Documentation/Note


See also

Personal tools