Support for OpenOffice formats

JonAxtell · Post by **JonAxtell** » 16 Oct 2008 08:08

Since OpenOffice (now at version 3) is gaining more and more support, its about time that FH supported OO documents with the .odt file extension.

Since Microsoft Word's new file extension is .docx, FH should support this as well.

PDFs should also be supported as document types.

This is a simple request to add the file extensions to the Insert Document dialog, not to actually display the above document types within FH. As such this is a request that can easily be slipped into a minor release update and not the next major update, especially since the above document types have been around for some time now and it's been a loooooong time since the last minor update (v3.1.2).

http://www.fhug.org.uk/wishlist/wldispl ... lwlref=396

ID:3079

ChrisBowyer · Post by **ChrisBowyer** » 16 Oct 2008 08:10

Shouldn't it be looking in the system registry for registered file types rather than guessing what I might have installed on my system?

YouTube · Post by **Jane** » 16 Oct 2008 11:21

I might be missing the point, but if you do insert multimedia, and change the drop down to all files, you can attach any file extension you like and double clicking on the icon will launch the relevant program from the multimedia window.

Post by **NickWalker** » 16 Oct 2008 18:23

I think all Jon is saying is that a user selecting 'Insert Document' would probably expect it to show a Word Document (or an Open Office document) by default but it only shows an old-style .doc (as well as .txt, .wri (!) and .rtf). I guess this would take less than a minute for Calico to add to the next version!

JonAxtell · Post by **JonAxtell** » 16 Oct 2008 19:59

Nick's got the point. If the insert document dialog lists some file types for known documents, it should include all commonly used formats. Otherwise there is no point in having the file type selector and it might as well be kept as *.*

ChrisBowyer · Post by **ChrisBowyer** » 17 Oct 2008 07:20

It's not a big issue, but I still think the list of 'commonly used formats' is subjective, and potentially enormous. Including any in particular seems to imply some sort of support for for the format, which is not the case. I would prefer just *.*, or those file types that are registered on my system (and therefore can be launched from FH).

GladToBeGrey · Post by **GladToBeGrey** » 21 Oct 2008 23:01

I'm with Chris - I'd like FH to support any format registered on my machine. I guess that would include video, sound ... that would be nice, though how FH would support them in reports would be interesting! [confused]

JonAxtell · Post by **JonAxtell** » 22 Oct 2008 09:06

I agree that a definitive list of document types can be subjective, but I'm not looking for every single possible type of document to be covered, only those who are obviously the most popular or used by the most popular packages. This is a list based on facts. Note that I say document, not images or multimedia or any other file type.

So I'm talking about DOC, DOCX, and PDF as a minimum. Since ODF now has ISO support, it should be included as well. TXT is a very common extension for text files. FH outputs RTF should it also be able to recognise it so RTF should be on the list. WRI is from Write on Windows95 which is so out of date that there is an argument not to have it, but it is part of Windows and supported by WordPad and many documents might still exist in it's format. There is an argument for html files (.HTML, .MHT), spreadsheets (.XLS, .ODS), and databases (.DBF) to be included under documents, though presentations should be under multimedia (.PPS, .ODP).

As for images/pictures, that is a different dialog and currently the most popular formats are already supported. Though GIF is in the wrong dialog as it's under other multimedia rather than pictures.

As for allowing all formats types registered on a computer, that issue gets very complicated since there is no description against a file extension to say what kind of file it is. This would mean that FH would have to have a huge database of all possible types as opposed to just the most popular types. Also, you might have a file that you don't have the program for, but which is supported by another program. How would the list of registered types help in this situation.

However, it is currently possible to have all formats registered on a computer recognised by FH - by using the insert OLE object menu option.

SunnyLady · Post by **SunnyLady** » 22 Oct 2008 21:56

I would support pdf, docx and open office documents... though, with the latter two, both the latest version of Word and Open Office allow one to save in the 'doc' format.

ChrisBowyer · Post by **ChrisBowyer** » 23 Oct 2008 08:36

gladtobegrey said:
I'd like FH to support any format registered on my machine... how FH would support them in reports would be interesting!

I think what's confusing this thread is the word 'support'. FH can launch any document format that's registered on the machine, so should in my opinion offer them as file types when you say Insert Document. It should not offer document types that cannot be launched, i.e. that are not registered on my machine (such as in my case Open Office document types) unless you explicitly choose All Files (*.*). In a report, the best it can really do is show a link to the file. Whether that can be used directly will depend on the format you save the report in.

For pictures and other multi-media formats, it should offer those file types that it can display (or play) itself... i.e. are 'supported' by FH (again, unless you explicitly choose *.*).

I think the distinction between pictures and other multi-media formats is possibly spurious. GIFs for example can be animated, and may not therefore display as expected in a report.

ChrisBowyer · Post by **ChrisBowyer** » 23 Oct 2008 08:53

JonAxtell said:
...As for allowing all formats types registered on a computer, that issue gets very complicated since there is no description against a file extension to say what kind of file it is. This would mean that FH would have to have a huge database of all possible types as opposed to just the most popular types. Also, you might have a file that you don't have the program for, but which is supported by another program. How would the list of registered types help in this situation.

However, it is currently possible to have all formats registered on a computer recognised by FH - by using the insert OLE object menu option.

File type descriptions are registered.

OLE objects are not the same thing.

The idea of database of file types is unnecessary (and inevitably incomplete and/or out of date).

AlanWhite · Post by **AlanWhite** » 22 Dec 2008 17:14

Sorry to bump this old thread but I'm still catching up with the wishlist [smile].

Two comments: firstly this item has got rather technical and, while that doesn't bother me, in this case I don't think it's necessary. All that's required, as has already been said, is for the file filter on Insert... to be removed and left as *.*. This fixes the problem and negates any discussion about what file types are 'best' or 'popular' (I've never heard of Open Office).

Secondly, and moderately related, why on earth are there so many Insert... options anyway? It took me three attempts the other day to find the option which would achieve what I wanted (insert a PDF)*. They all just end up as a multimedia record anyway. There should be just one menu item.

* Having achieved it I realised that my struggles were completely unnecessary. I could simply create a MM record in the record window. The only advantage of Insert... seems to be to automatically fill in the name.

JonAxtell · Post by **JonAxtell** » 23 Dec 2008 07:05

OpenOffice is one of the office packages that supports the new international standard for documents (ISO/IEC 26300:2006). Microsoft Word produces documents following the alternative standard.

AlanWhite · Post by **AlanWhite** » 23 Dec 2008 10:59

Fine, but do you agree that despite the thread title your request is best satisfied by simply removing the file filter?

I suggest that the title makes the request seem more complicated and more 'niche' than it really is, and therefore less likely to be understood by others and so less likely to be voted on and implemented.

JonAxtell · Post by **JonAxtell** » 23 Dec 2008 17:41

Since FH doesn't do anything different for a document or a multimedia file then there is no need for the Insert->Document, Insert->Image, or Insert->Other Multimedia. The only difference is with images where a preview is displayed. Neither is there any need for a filter and so *.* could be used.

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