I am Abhishek Gupta, currently a Computer Science student at IIT Delhi, India. I am working with drupal from last eight months and feels amazed with the abstraction layer that it creates for most of its users, and simultaneously making the process of setting up of website a matter of minutes.
Overview
I propose to write an ODF export module that let us publish documents directly from an Open Office document on a Drupal powered site with the ease of a single Mouse Click and similarly export an open office file for the content that we create in Drupal. The later option will allow user to save the content of a drupal powered website directly into an open office compatible file.
The neccassary components to make this proposal work are :-
Services Module
A standardized solution of integrating external applications with Drupal.
http://www.drupal.org/project/services
ODF Import
ODF Import allows a user to import ODF files into drupal nodes. Currently the module can import content from ODT files only.
http://www.drupal.org/project/odfimport
ODF Export
ODF Import will allow a user to export ODF files for drupal nodes. Currently their is no such module, and so I propose to make one.
The steps that are required to achieve the integration proposed are :-
From Open Office to drupal site
- An open office plugin has to be written to access the Service like the one at the following link http://www.drupal.org/node/140893 made for allowing flash 8 to access the services.
- The plugin is going to call Services whose task is to integrate our remote application (the remote application here will be our Open Office) to the drupal site.
- When the drupal site receives the content, say maybe in ODF format, module ODF import will be invoked to appropriately map the data from the remote application to the site database.
From Drupal site to Open Office document
- This will include creating a new module ODF Export as mentioned in the necessary Components. So, when the user clicks on export odf the module will generate odf file for the content.
Comments
ODF Export actually exists
I happen to know of at least one implementation, which exports book structures to ODF structured documents, but the developer has chosen not to publish it, regrettably (yet ?).
At the very least, this proves feasibility of the export during the limited time scope of a GSoC project.
However, unless you are already well versed in both Drupal and OOo programming, I suspect you will not find the time to create what you envision during GSoC. Have you worked out a tentative schedule ?
A module not available int eh community is useless
A module that is not available in the community is useless. So even if odf export exists, it is of no use to the community. As for the OO.org plugin, I think this is possible in the the timeline given by the student. I have done some basic work for OO->Drupal auth and export, which I can check into the repo and student can build on top of. A basic and simple OO.org plugin that gives two buttons to export and import and one dialog box to specify settings, is doable in about 10 days.
regards
Vivek
Not totally useless
I'd rather say it is of very limited use, but not totally devoid of interest: knowing that something has already been done is a confidence booster for anyone trying to create something. You know, like "if he's been able to do it, I must be able to do it too, and possibly better".
I completely agree with you on the fact that it would have been much more useful if that developer had chosen to release the module he created, but I'm not that developer...
Thanks a lot for the
Thanks a lot for the suggestion and motivation. I would definitely keep in mind what you said. I have kept about 15 days for the open office plugin and I think I will be able to complete the task within the stipulated time.
Other attenpt
cvs application was not sucessfull as it was following the Drupal standard
http://drupal.org/node/765546