[RFC][ODT] Converting to pdf (or other formats) via odt

[RFC][ODT] Converting to pdf (or other formats) via odt

[Jambunathan K]

Thanks to Giles[1] for introducing us to the "--convert-to" option of
soffice.exe.  The option seems to be a fairly recent development[2].

With this change, one can export to pdf (or any other popular format)
via odt by a simple

#+begin_src emacs-lisp
  (setq org-export-odt-preferred-output-format "pdf")
#+end_src

There is no need to install additional converters. It is assumed that
the user has a working and fairly recent LibreOffice installation.

Footnotes: 
[1] http://imperfectsoftware.blogspot.in/2012/01/one-of-my-less-enjoyable-tasks-is-to.html

[2] There seems to be a bunch of fairly recent bugs with this option. So
a cutting edge LibreOffice would definitely be needed.

http://www.google.co.in/search?q=headless+%22--convert-to%22+site%3Alibreoffice.org&btnG=Search&sclient=psy-ab&hl=en&site=&source=hp&gbv=1&sei=L_gqT97rIMXorAf248C6DA

Feedback welcome.
-- 

Re: [RFC][ODT] Converting to pdf (or other formats) via odt

[Jambunathan K]

I committed the changes only a few minutes ago as part of Org-mode
version 7.8.03 (release_7.8.03.300.g9b820)

So the Org version should be at or above the 300th version.

Jambunathan K <kjambunathan@gmail.com> writes:

> Thanks to Giles[1] for introducing us to the "--convert-to" option of
> soffice.exe.  The option seems to be a fairly recent development[2].
>
> With this change, one can export to pdf (or any other popular format)
> via odt by a simple
>
> #+begin_src emacs-lisp
>   (setq org-export-odt-preferred-output-format "pdf")
> #+end_src
>
> There is no need to install additional converters. It is assumed that
> the user has a working and fairly recent LibreOffice installation.
>
> Footnotes: 
> [1]
> http://imperfectsoftware.blogspot.in/2012/01/one-of-my-less-enjoyable-tasks-is-to.html
>
> [2] There seems to be a bunch of fairly recent bugs with this option. So
> a cutting edge LibreOffice would definitely be needed.
>
> http://www.google.co.in/search?q=headless+%22--convert-to%22+site%3Alibreoffice.org&btnG=Search&sclient=psy-ab&hl=en&site=&source=hp&gbv=1&sei=L_gqT97rIMXorAf248C6DA
>
> Feedback welcome.

-- 

Re: [RFC][ODT] Converting to pdf (or other formats) via odt

[Andreas Leha]

Jambunathan K <kjambunathan@gmail.com> writes:

> I committed the changes only a few minutes ago as part of Org-mode
> version 7.8.03 (release_7.8.03.300.g9b820)
>
> So the Org version should be at or above the 300th version.
>
> Jambunathan K <kjambunathan@gmail.com> writes:
>
>> Thanks to Giles[1] for introducing us to the "--convert-to" option of
>> soffice.exe.  The option seems to be a fairly recent development[2].
>>
>> With this change, one can export to pdf (or any other popular format)
>> via odt by a simple
>>
>> #+begin_src emacs-lisp
>>   (setq org-export-odt-preferred-output-format "pdf")
>> #+end_src
>>
>> There is no need to install additional converters. It is assumed that
>> the user has a working and fairly recent LibreOffice installation.
>>
>> Footnotes: 
>> [1]
>> http://imperfectsoftware.blogspot.in/2012/01/one-of-my-less-enjoyable-tasks-is-to.html
>>
>> [2] There seems to be a bunch of fairly recent bugs with this option. So
>> a cutting edge LibreOffice would definitely be needed.
>>
>> http://www.google.co.in/search?q=headless+%22--convert-to%22+site%3Alibreoffice.org&btnG=Search&sclient=psy-ab&hl=en&site=&source=hp&gbv=1&sei=L_gqT97rIMXorAf248C6DA
>>
>> Feedback welcome.


Hi Jambunathan,

this sounds great.  Unfortunately, this does not seem to work for me.
Just pulled (last commit c4b233453ca846351bb5ba0893ebb2b8a5b3a941 Merge
branch 'maint') and I do get
 "org-lparse: Don't know how to export to backend docx via odt"

What did I miss?

- Andreas

Re: [RFC][ODT] Converting to pdf (or other formats) via odt

[Jambunathan K]

Andreas Leha <andreas.leha@med.uni-goettingen.de> writes:

> Jambunathan K <kjambunathan@gmail.com> writes:
>
>> I committed the changes only a few minutes ago as part of Org-mode
>> version 7.8.03 (release_7.8.03.300.g9b820)
>>
>> So the Org version should be at or above the 300th version.
>>
>> Jambunathan K <kjambunathan@gmail.com> writes:
>>
>>> Thanks to Giles[1] for introducing us to the "--convert-to" option of
>>> soffice.exe.  The option seems to be a fairly recent development[2].
>>>
>>> With this change, one can export to pdf (or any other popular format)
>>> via odt by a simple
>>>
>>> #+begin_src emacs-lisp
>>>   (setq org-export-odt-preferred-output-format "pdf")
>>> #+end_src
>>>
>>> There is no need to install additional converters. It is assumed that
>>> the user has a working and fairly recent LibreOffice installation.
>>>
>>> Footnotes: 
>>> [1]
>>> http://imperfectsoftware.blogspot.in/2012/01/one-of-my-less-enjoyable-tasks-is-to.html
>>>
>>> [2] There seems to be a bunch of fairly recent bugs with this option. So
>>> a cutting edge LibreOffice would definitely be needed.
>>>
>>> http://www.google.co.in/search?q=headless+%22--convert-to%22+site%3Alibreoffice.org&btnG=Search&sclient=psy-ab&hl=en&site=&source=hp&gbv=1&sei=L_gqT97rIMXorAf248C6DA
>>>
>>> Feedback welcome.
>
>
> Hi Jambunathan,
>
> this sounds great.  Unfortunately, this does not seem to work for me.
> Just pulled (last commit c4b233453ca846351bb5ba0893ebb2b8a5b3a941 Merge
> branch 'maint') and I do get
>  "org-lparse: Don't know how to export to backend docx via odt"
>
> What did I miss?

The ODT exporter takes the list of known formats based on settings of
`org-export-odt-convert-capabilities'. The above error indicates that
docx is not part of the capabilities list. You can add an extension of
your choosing by:

M-x customize-variable RET org-export-odt-convert-capabilities RET

I have now revised the setting of the above variable[1] to include
"docx" . 

Export to docx should work fine now [2]. You will see the following in
the messages buffer:

,----
| Executing soffice --headless --convert-to docx --outdir ~/tmp-odt/ ~/tmp-odt/convert.odt
| convert ~\tmp-odt\convert.odt -> ~\tmp-odt\convert.docx using Office Open XML Text
`----

There are multiple output filters associated with a "docx" extension -
"Office Open XML Text" seen above is one such filter . "Microsoft Word
2007/2010 XML" is the other one. (One can see these options in "Save As"
UI of LibreOffice) [3].

Footnotes: 

[1] (info "(org) Exporting and converting to other formats")
[2] Conversion works with LibreOffice 3.4.5. 

To open the resulting "docx" file with LibreOffice and not with docview,
you may want to customize `org-file-apps' suitably.

[3] Similarly there are multiple output filters for the "doc" extension.

Currently the ODT exporter's converter interface doesn't support
choosing a particular output filter for a given document extension and
lets LibreOffice choose a "suitable" one. (ie it doesn't support
output_filter_name option down below)

,---- soffice command line syntax:
| /opt/libreoffice3.4/program/soffice --help
| LibreOffice 3.4 340m1(Build:101)
| 
| Usage: soffice [options] [documents...]
| 
| Options:
| --minimized keep startup bitmap minimized.
| --invisible no startup screen, no default document and no UI.
| --norestore suppress restart/restore after fatal errors.
| --quickstart starts the quickstart service
| --nologo don't show startup screen.
| --nolockcheck don't check for remote instances using the installation
| --nodefault don't start with an empty document
| --headless like invisible but no userinteraction at all.
| --help/-h/-? show this message and exit.
| --version display the version information.
| --writer create new text document.
| --calc create new spreadsheet document.
| --draw create new drawing.
| --impress create new presentation.
| --base create new database.
| --math create new formula.
| --global create new global document.
| --web create new HTML document.
| -o open documents regardless whether they are templates or not.
| -n always open documents as new files (use as template).
| 
| --display <display>
| Specify X-Display to use in Unix/X11 versions.
| -p <documents...>
| print the specified documents on the default printer.
| --pt <printer> <documents...>
| print the specified documents on the specified printer.
| --view <documents...>
| open the specified documents in viewer-(readonly-)mode.
| --show <presentation>
| open the specified presentation and start it immediately
| --accept=<accept-string>
| Specify an UNO connect-string to create an UNO acceptor through which
| other programs can connect to access the API
| --unaccept=<accept-string>
| Close an acceptor that was created with -accept=<accept-string>
| Use -unnaccept=all to close all open acceptors
| --infilter=<filter>
| Force an input filter type if possible
| Eg. -infilter="Calc Office Open XML"
| --convert-to output_file_extension[:output_filter_name] [-outdir
| ouput_dir] files
| Batch convert files.
| If -outdir is not specified then current working dir is used as
| output_dir.
| Eg. -convert-to pdf *.doc
| -convert-to pdf:writer_pdf_Export -outdir /home/user *.doc
| --print-to-file [-printer-name printer_name] [-outdir ouput_dir] files
| Batch print files to file.
| If -outdir is not specified then current working dir is used as
| output_dir.
| Eg. -print-to-file *.doc
| -print-to-file -printer-name nasty_lowres_printer -outdir
| /home/user *.doc
`----

Filters in LibreOffice:
1. Using Basic Macro
   http://listarchives.libreoffice.org/global/users/msg15104.html

2. From git repo
   http://cgit.freedesktop.org/libreoffice/filters/tree/filter/source/config/fragments/filters/
-- 

Re: [RFC][ODT] Converting to pdf (or other formats) via odt

[Andreas Leha]

Jambunathan K <kjambunathan@gmail.com> writes:

> Andreas Leha <andreas.leha@med.uni-goettingen.de> writes:
>
>> Jambunathan K <kjambunathan@gmail.com> writes:
>>
>>> I committed the changes only a few minutes ago as part of Org-mode
>>> version 7.8.03 (release_7.8.03.300.g9b820)
>>>
>>> So the Org version should be at or above the 300th version.
>>>
>>> Jambunathan K <kjambunathan@gmail.com> writes:
>>>
>>>> Thanks to Giles[1] for introducing us to the "--convert-to" option of
>>>> soffice.exe.  The option seems to be a fairly recent development[2].
>>>>
>>>> With this change, one can export to pdf (or any other popular format)
>>>> via odt by a simple
>>>>
>>>> #+begin_src emacs-lisp
>>>>   (setq org-export-odt-preferred-output-format "pdf")
>>>> #+end_src
>>>>
>>>> There is no need to install additional converters. It is assumed that
>>>> the user has a working and fairly recent LibreOffice installation.
>>>>
>>>> Footnotes: 
>>>> [1]
>>>> http://imperfectsoftware.blogspot.in/2012/01/one-of-my-less-enjoyable-tasks-is-to.html
>>>>
>>>> [2] There seems to be a bunch of fairly recent bugs with this option. So
>>>> a cutting edge LibreOffice would definitely be needed.
>>>>
>>>> http://www.google.co.in/search?q=headless+%22--convert-to%22+site%3Alibreoffice.org&btnG=Search&sclient=psy-ab&hl=en&site=&source=hp&gbv=1&sei=L_gqT97rIMXorAf248C6DA
>>>>
>>>> Feedback welcome.
>>
>>
>> Hi Jambunathan,
>>
>> this sounds great.  Unfortunately, this does not seem to work for me.
>> Just pulled (last commit c4b233453ca846351bb5ba0893ebb2b8a5b3a941 Merge
>> branch 'maint') and I do get
>>  "org-lparse: Don't know how to export to backend docx via odt"
>>
>> What did I miss?
>
> The ODT exporter takes the list of known formats based on settings of
> `org-export-odt-convert-capabilities'. The above error indicates that
> docx is not part of the capabilities list. You can add an extension of
> your choosing by:
>
> M-x customize-variable RET org-export-odt-convert-capabilities RET
>
> I have now revised the setting of the above variable[1] to include
> "docx" . 
>
> Export to docx should work fine now [2]. You will see the following in
> the messages buffer:
>
> ,----
> | Executing soffice --headless --convert-to docx --outdir ~/tmp-odt/ ~/tmp-odt/convert.odt
> | convert ~\tmp-odt\convert.odt -> ~\tmp-odt\convert.docx using Office Open XML Text
> `----
>
> There are multiple output filters associated with a "docx" extension -
> "Office Open XML Text" seen above is one such filter . "Microsoft Word
> 2007/2010 XML" is the other one. (One can see these options in "Save As"
> UI of LibreOffice) [3].
>
> Footnotes: 
>
> [1] (info "(org) Exporting and converting to other formats")
> [2] Conversion works with LibreOffice 3.4.5. 
>
> To open the resulting "docx" file with LibreOffice and not with docview,
> you may want to customize `org-file-apps' suitably.
>
> [3] Similarly there are multiple output filters for the "doc" extension.
>
> Currently the ODT exporter's converter interface doesn't support
> choosing a particular output filter for a given document extension and
> lets LibreOffice choose a "suitable" one. (ie it doesn't support
> output_filter_name option down below)
>
> ,---- soffice command line syntax:
> | /opt/libreoffice3.4/program/soffice --help
> | LibreOffice 3.4 340m1(Build:101)
> | 
> | Usage: soffice [options] [documents...]
> | 
> | Options:
> | --minimized keep startup bitmap minimized.
> | --invisible no startup screen, no default document and no UI.
> | --norestore suppress restart/restore after fatal errors.
> | --quickstart starts the quickstart service
> | --nologo don't show startup screen.
> | --nolockcheck don't check for remote instances using the installation
> | --nodefault don't start with an empty document
> | --headless like invisible but no userinteraction at all.
> | --help/-h/-? show this message and exit.
> | --version display the version information.
> | --writer create new text document.
> | --calc create new spreadsheet document.
> | --draw create new drawing.
> | --impress create new presentation.
> | --base create new database.
> | --math create new formula.
> | --global create new global document.
> | --web create new HTML document.
> | -o open documents regardless whether they are templates or not.
> | -n always open documents as new files (use as template).
> | 
> | --display <display>
> | Specify X-Display to use in Unix/X11 versions.
> | -p <documents...>
> | print the specified documents on the default printer.
> | --pt <printer> <documents...>
> | print the specified documents on the specified printer.
> | --view <documents...>
> | open the specified documents in viewer-(readonly-)mode.
> | --show <presentation>
> | open the specified presentation and start it immediately
> | --accept=<accept-string>
> | Specify an UNO connect-string to create an UNO acceptor through which
> | other programs can connect to access the API
> | --unaccept=<accept-string>
> | Close an acceptor that was created with -accept=<accept-string>
> | Use -unnaccept=all to close all open acceptors
> | --infilter=<filter>
> | Force an input filter type if possible
> | Eg. -infilter="Calc Office Open XML"
> | --convert-to output_file_extension[:output_filter_name] [-outdir
> | ouput_dir] files
> | Batch convert files.
> | If -outdir is not specified then current working dir is used as
> | output_dir.
> | Eg. -convert-to pdf *.doc
> | -convert-to pdf:writer_pdf_Export -outdir /home/user *.doc
> | --print-to-file [-printer-name printer_name] [-outdir ouput_dir] files
> | Batch print files to file.
> | If -outdir is not specified then current working dir is used as
> | output_dir.
> | Eg. -print-to-file *.doc
> | -print-to-file -printer-name nasty_lowres_printer -outdir
> | /home/user *.doc
> `----
>
> Filters in LibreOffice:
> 1. Using Basic Macro
>    http://listarchives.libreoffice.org/global/users/msg15104.html
>
> 2. From git repo
>    http://cgit.freedesktop.org/libreoffice/filters/tree/filter/source/config/fragments/filters/

Hi Jambunathan,

thanks, this works great now.  Saves another few mouse clicks.

Just for the record:  For me it regularly fails, if I have LibreOffice
started (and pointing to the .odt/.doc, not sure if this is important).

Regards,
Andreas