Re: [dev] ODF Toolkit for other languages than Java

On 21/04/2024 15:21, Svante Schubert wrote:
> Hello Jeremy,
>
> On Sun, 21 Apr 2024 at 15:34, Jeremy Morton <admin@game-point.net 
> <mailto:admin@game-point.net>> wrote:
>
>     I've been looking into ways to edit ODF files from my C# program and
>     was surprised at how limited it currently is.  Considering ODF is an
>     open format I'd have thought there would be a straightforward way to
>     do it but it seems that unless you happen to be using Java (and can
>     use this ODF Toolkit), 
>
> So far I was able to follow you...
>
>     you actually have to install and run an
>     instance of LibreOffice - then communicate with it using the
>     LibreOffice SDK - to edit these files which seems like a rather crazy
>     way of doing things to me, especially on a server. 
>
> What scenario are you describing above?

As the ODF Toolkit page says "Unlike other approaches which rely on 
runtime manipulation of heavy-weight editors via an automation 
interface, the ODF Toolkit is lightweight and ideal for server use."

I believe that to manipulate ODFs using the LibreOffice SDK's CLI 
libraries (which is one of the only ways to do it from C# I think):

https://api.libreoffice.org/examples/examples.html#CLI_examples

... you have to install and run LibreOffice.  Instead of just opening 
files and modifying them, the libraries connect to LibreOffice and use 
some kind of RPC mechanism to get it to modify the files, introducing 
an enormous dependency of installing the LibreOffice suite, which I 
don't want to have especially on a server.

> The ODFDOM of the ODF Toolkit is just Java and does not require a 
> LibreOffice.

That's the point - this toolkit is much more like what I want. 
Problem is it's Java-only, hence my question.

> As soon as someone requires a layout engine it makes sense to load the 
> ODF in LibreOffice.

My program wouldn't require it, though, as it just wants to manipulate 
LibreOffice documents.

> For instance, in case you like to generate an ODF document with the 
> ODFDOM from data sources and finally like create a PDF from it.
>
>     As the ODF Toolkit
>     homepage acknowledges, this is a very heavyweight way to do things.
>
> Could you provide the link, I am getting curious here :-)

https://odftoolkit.org/

> The whole idea of manual porting seems awkward to me as you duplicate 
> the maintenance costs. Found issues and new features have to be 
> implemented for each language.

Is there a better way to do it?  Automatic code generation?  Given how 
different different languages are, that tends to be pretty hard to 
achieve in practice, although I'd take it if it were offered.

--
Best regards,
Jeremy Morton (Jez)

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