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Posted to dev@openoffice.apache.org by Hemant Kumar <he...@codemancers.com> on 2012/08/28 09:59:15 UTC

User friendly version of Conditional Text

Hello folks,

I have been using Conditional Text feature quite a bit, but I have following gripes with it:

1. It is not possible to have more than one else clause. Something similar to switch/case. Or am I missing something?

2. In general, when combined with field variables, this feature is somewhat harder to use for end user. My main problems being, setting variable part is not intuitive. Once you create a variable, it is not editable. 

So, for my needs I am contemplating to write a extension that simplifies this feature. 

1. Allow more than one condition to be specified.
2. Variable declaration and specifying conditional text happens in one screen.

However, before I actually start writing the code, I would like to know if something like this was attempted before. Also, since I am new to OpenOffice development side of things, I am wondering, what will be best way to write the extension. Should I explore OpenOffice UNO API or Visual Basic Scrpting interface will suffice?



With Regards
Hemant Kumar
http://twitter.com/gnufied
Co Founder - http://www.codemancers.com

Re: User friendly version of Conditional Text

Posted by Peter Eberlein <pe...@refofd.verwalt-berlin.de>.
Hi Hemant
Am 14.09.2012 13:59, schrieb Jürgen Schmidt:
> Hi Hemant Kumar,
>
> first of all sorry for answering so late, I saw your email today when I
> worked through a bigger mail backlog after vacation.
>
> On 8/28/12 9:59 AM, Hemant Kumar wrote:
>> Hello folks,
>>
>> I have been using Conditional Text feature quite a bit, but I have following gripes with it:
>>
>> 1. It is not possible to have more than one else clause. Something similar to switch/case. Or am I missing something?
>>
>> 2. In general, when combined with field variables, this feature is somewhat harder to use for end user. My main problems being, setting variable part is not intuitive. Once you create a variable, it is not editable.
>>
>> So, for my needs I am contemplating to write a extension that simplifies this feature.
>>
>> 1. Allow more than one condition to be specified.
>> 2. Variable declaration and specifying conditional text happens in one screen.
>>
The UI and most of the code is stoneaged (mid of the 90th), and if 
you're on it, take a look at 
https://issues.apache.org/ooo/show_bug.cgi?id=69332 (nesting IF-Fields).

Regards

Peter

Re: User friendly version of Conditional Text

Posted by Jürgen Schmidt <jo...@gmail.com>.
Hi Hemant Kumar,

first of all sorry for answering so late, I saw your email today when I
worked through a bigger mail backlog after vacation.

On 8/28/12 9:59 AM, Hemant Kumar wrote:
> Hello folks,
> 
> I have been using Conditional Text feature quite a bit, but I have following gripes with it:
> 
> 1. It is not possible to have more than one else clause. Something similar to switch/case. Or am I missing something?
> 
> 2. In general, when combined with field variables, this feature is somewhat harder to use for end user. My main problems being, setting variable part is not intuitive. Once you create a variable, it is not editable. 
> 
> So, for my needs I am contemplating to write a extension that simplifies this feature. 
> 
> 1. Allow more than one condition to be specified.
> 2. Variable declaration and specifying conditional text happens in one screen.
> 
> However, before I actually start writing the code, I would like to know if something like this was attempted before. Also, since I am new to OpenOffice development side of things, I am wondering, what will be best way to write the extension. Should I explore OpenOffice UNO API or Visual Basic Scrpting interface will suffice?
> 

I don't know if something like this was attempted before but it sounds
interesting and potentially useful to allow more than one condition.

I would start to play with the UNO API either in our BASIC or in Java
from for example NetBeans. Trying to figure out if it possible at all
via the API. Maybe it is not yet possible I don't know without
experimenting on my own. If the API allows this changes you can think
about an extension (here I would use Java) where you provide an
alternative UI for setting conditional text/styles ...

Later on if it works we can analyze together with UX if it would be an
useful enhancement in general and we can enhance the existing dialog.

Well it's just an idea. You can also start to build the office on your
own and play with the C++ code directly.

Anyway you are welcome at AOO and feel free to ask questions here on the
list.

Regards

Juergen



> 
> 
> With Regards
> Hemant Kumar
> http://twitter.com/gnufied
> Co Founder - http://www.codemancers.com
> 
> 
> 
> 
>