Packaging Notes For Bundled Extensions

OpenOffice.org Developer's Guide

Extensions

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• Extension Manager

• Extension Repositories
• The Active Extension
• Updating Extensions
• Processing Extensions
• Packaging Notes For Bundled Extensions
• Deployment Items
• Installing Extensions for All or a Single User
• Extension Manager in OpenOffice.org
• unopkg
• Location of Installed Extensions
• Extension Layers

• Checklist for Writing Extensions
• File Format
• description.xml

• Description of XML Elements
• Localized XML Elements
• Example

• Display Name
• Icon
• Extension Description
• Extension Identifiers
• Extension Versions
• Target Platform
• Simple License
• Dependencies
• Publisher Information
• System Integration
• Online Update of Extensions

• Running Online - Update
• Concept
• Example Scenario for Providing Updates
• Migration of Update Information
• Description of the Update Information
• Description of Atom Feed
• Examples

• Options Dialog

• Creating the GUI of the Options Page
• Saving and Reading Data for the Options Page
• Defining the Usage of Options Pages

• Adding a Leaf to an Existing Node
• Adding Several Leaves
• Grouping of Leaves
• Adding Nodes
• Adding Several Nodes
• Absolute Position of Leaves
• Grouping of Nodes
• Assigning Nodes to Modules
• Defining a Module
• Absolute Position of Nodes

• The Options Dialog of the Extension Manager

• Help Content

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(As of OOo 3.3)

Bundled extensions are installed during Apache OpenOffice's setup, and only the setup can install or remove them. That is, they cannot be modified by the extension manager, which would change the installation. The installer copies the extensions into the extensions directory of the "share" folder. For example, C:\Program Files (x86)\OpenOffice 4\share\extensions on Windows. Contrary to versions previous to OpenOffice.org 3.3, unopkg need NOT be run as a post install step. To uninstall the extensions, the installer can simply delete the directories of the respective extensions.

Extensions are packaged as directories instead of ".oxt" files. For example, there is an extension Foo.oxt containing the files f1 and f2. The installer package must then contain the "unzipped" extension, that is a directory Foo (oxt can be ommitted). After installation, the file structure must be:

+ Office/share/extensions
  + Foo
  |- f1
  |- f2

During the packaging process one must make sure that all bundled extensions have different directory names, so as to prevent overwriting other extensions. In case of a name clash, one needs to modify the directory name of the extension appropriately.

The name of the folder should still reflect the name of the original extension file. This makes it easier to locate the extension in the file system. This name will also be used by the extension manager dialog if the extension does not provide a display name. Further details can be found here: Extensions_Integration_into_Installation_Set.

Bundled extension MUST have an identifier and version, otherwise Apache OpenOffice cannot determine reliably if a bundled extension was removed.

Executables contained in the extension must have the executable flag set. This is usually done by the extension manager, but not in case of bundled extensions.

Content on this page is licensed under the Public Documentation License (PDL).