1. Writing Import Filters for LibreOffice
Fridrich Štrba, David Tardon (virtually)
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Agenda
Introduction to import filters
Use of XSLT filter
Example: Integration of a librevenge-based filter
Example: setting up a new librevenge-based filter library
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3. Introduction to import filters
You may add additional text here ...
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4. Why to write import filters?
In an ideal world, everyone would just use ODF.
However, we are not living in an ideal world.
Proprietary document formats
Legacy document formats
We want to be nice and play along, even if others do not.

5. What options for writing import filters are there?
XSLT filters
“full-blown” filters
Use one of the existing frameworks
Librevenge
Orcus (liborcus)
Produce ODF (or Flat ODF) as intermediate format
Directly use UNO
Use internal LibreOffice structures
Deprecated XMerge framework (only java)

6. XSLT filters Easiest to integrate Only for pure XML formats
XSLT is not a good choice for anyting complex
Only XSLT 1.0 is supported out-of-the box

7. Use one of the existing frameworks
Librevenge (Document Liberation Project)
Supports text, presentations, vector graphics and spreadsheets
Uses ODF as itermediate format (libodfgen)
A dozen of existing import libraries, supporting many formats: WordPerfect, MS Publisher, Visio and Works, CorelDRAW, Adobe PageMaker etc.
Orcus (Kohei et al.)
Supports spreadsheets
Internally supports ODF, OpenXML, Gnumeric, CSV

8. Use one of the existing frameworks
Easier to use than UNO
Potentially unsupported features
In our opinion the best choice for less important formats

9. Produce ODF as an intermediate format
Slower, but there is no need to know any framework (or UNO)
Existing filters:
Lotus Word Pro (lotuswordpro)
Hangul Writer (hwpfilter)
It is probably easier to use librevenge instead

10. Directly use UNO Existing filters: OpenXML RTF ...
Filters can be extensions
openoffice.org-diafilter (Caolán)

11. Use internal LibreOffice structures
Fastest, but a high potential to break things :-)
Legacy filters (ww1, ww8, etc.)
Hopefully nobody is considering doing that for a new filter :-)
'Nuff said
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12. Deprecated Xmerge framework
Java only
We removed all existing filters in 4.0
External filters could still exist (no idea about that)

13. You may add additional text here ...
Use of XSLT filter
You may add additional text here ...
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14. Integration of a librevenge-based filter
You may add additional text here ...
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15. Filter configuration
This is generic—the same configuration is needed for all non- XSLT filters

16. Filter description
<node oor:name="Publisher Document" oor:op="replace">
  <prop oor:name="Flags">
<value>IMPORT ALIEN USESOPTIONS 3RDPARTYFILTER PREFERRED</value>
</prop>
  <prop oor:name="FilterService">
<value>com.sun.star.comp.Draw.MSPUBImportFilter</value>
  <prop oor:name="UIName">
<value xml:lang="x-default">Microsoft Publisher </value>
  <prop oor:name="FileFormatVersion">
<value>0</value>
  <prop oor:name="Type">
<value>draw_Publisher_Document</value>
  <prop oor:name="DocumentService">
<value>com.sun.star.drawing.DrawingDocument</value>
</node>

17. Setting up a new librevenge-based filter library
You may add additional text here ...
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Sources
overview.html
libraries-with-librevenge-part-i-getting-started/
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Pre-defined Shapes
Here are some pre-defined shapes for your convenience: copy the shapes, copy their formatting, or use the LibO styles.
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Green Bright
You may add your code examples, XML statements, or debug output here ;-)
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Orange Dark
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Purple Dark
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Yellow Dark
Yellow Bright
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Thank you …
… for not falling asleep!
… for supporting LibreOffice!
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