OODocBatchConverter

Description 

OODocBatchConverter converts any number of files from one format, such as ".doc" to another, such as ".pdf" or ".txt". It isn't limited to word processing files. It can do any conversion that OpenOffice.org can perform because it uses OpenOffice.org to do the actual conversion. OpenOffice.org is an excellent office suite that includes a word processer (Writer), a spreadsheet (Calc), a presentation program (Impress), a drawing program (Draw), and a database program (Base), all for no cost. OODocBatchConverter will run on any computer and any operating system that has Java and OpenOffice.org installed. A variant of OpenOffice.org, called "LibreOffice" has been created recently and will also work with OODocBatchConverter.

OODocBatchConverter is a Graphical User Interface (GUI) client, written in Java, that uses the OpenOffice.org program as a server. OpenOffice.org actually does the conversions. When OODocBatchConverter starts up, it also starts OpenOffice.org. Then, to request a conversion, OODocBatchConverter communicates with OpenOffice.org and makes the request. Open office determines what conversion to make depending on the input files' extensions (which don't all have to be the same) and the output extension (which is the same for all output files).

Requirements

For OODocBatchConverter to work, you must have OpenOffice.org or LibreOffice installed in your computer. You can get OpenOffice.org for free at: http://www.openoffice.org/. LibreOffie is available at: http://www.libreoffice.org/, also free. OODocBatchConverter is written in Java so you must also have Java 1.4 or later  installed. The latest version of Java is available free at: http://www.java.com/. Because it is written in Java, OODocBatchConverter will run on any machine that has Java installed. OODocBatchConverter should run on the Apple Macintosh but I have not tested it there. If you try it on your Mac, please let me know whether you were successful. 

Download OODocBatchConverter

OODocBatchConverter is currently version 1.1, which is the latest version as of 6/30/2013.
Download OODocBatchConverter by clicking this link: www.Statistics101.net/OODocBatchConverter/RegisterEmail/guestbook1.asp.

Installation

OODocBatchConverter downloads as a ZIP file, OODocBatchConverter.zip. You need to unzip the file and extract the folder "OODocBatchconverter".  In Microsoft Windows, you can do that by right-clicking the ZIP file and selecting "Extract all...". Move the extracted folder to the directory where you normally store your application programs, for example in Microsoft Windows, that would be C:\program files\. Once you've moved the folder to its proper location, open the folder and find the file OODocBatchConverter.jar. Double-clicking that file will start the program running. If you wish, you may manually make a desktop shortcut to that OODocBatchConverter.jar file.

First run

On its first run, the program will attempt to open OpenOffice.org. If it cannot find the OpenOffice.org executable file, soffice.exe, it will ask you to find it.
If you can't find the OpenOffice executable, right-click the OpenOffice.org desktop shortcut (in Windows), select properties and the property window will open. Choose the Shortcut tab. The Target: text box will have the location of the soffice.exe file. You will only have to do this once because the program will store the location for its future reference.

Performing conversions

When you start the program, it will first open the OpenOffice.org program, which does the actual file format conversions. Then the main panel will appear:

Front Panel

You can set up for the conversion as follows:
  1. Select the input files to be converted:
    1. Click on the Select Input Files button. A file selection dialog will appear.
    2. Navigate to the folder containing the files you want to convert.
    3. Select the files you want to convert by the usual clicking, shift-clicking, and/or Ctrl-clicking.
    4. Click the Open button to complete the selection.
  2. Select the destination folder:
    1. Click on the Select Output Folder button
    2. Navigate to the folder that you want the converted files to be stored into.
    3. Click on the Open button to complete the selection.
  3. Choose the document type from the Select document type drop down list. This selection will narrow the selections in the output file extension list. If you choose "All", then the output file extension list will include extensions from all the different document types.
  4. Choose the output file type from the Select output file extension drop down list. If the extension you want isn't in the list, just type your desired extension in. If the conversion can't be done for that type, you will be informed when the conversion is attempted.
  5. Click on the Perform Conversion button. The conversion will proceed. When it is complete a message dialog will appear announcing completion and whether there were any conversion failures. 
  6. To see a report of the successful and unsuccessful conversions, click on the Show Log button. If you want a permanent copy of the log, select all the text in the log window and copy it to a word processor such as Word or notepad. From there you can save it to a file or print it out.

Giftware

OODocBatchConverter is a giftware program. I have enjoyed creating it and I give it to you in hopes that you will enjoy using it. It is my gift to you.  If you use it and like it, you might feel moved to make a gift to me. If so, you can do so with the link below, with complete security. Any amount will make me happy. If you decide to make a gift, you will be helping me pay for the maintenance of the program and this website.
If you decide not to donate money, maybe you'd like to send me a note about your experiences with OODocBatchConverter (suggestions for improvement, problems).  I will consider your note a gift, for it is an investment of your time and interest.
Thanks for your interest, 
John Grosberg 

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About the author

John Grosberg
Contact Author

License

OODocBatchConverter was written by John Grosberg. You may contact him here.
The licenses for OODocBatchConverter are given below.

OODocBatchConverter uses several publicly available code libraries that are licensed as follows:
Library nameLicense
JODConverterGNU Lesser General Public License
BrowserLauncher2GNU Lesser General Public License
       TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR USE OF OODocBatchConverter SOFTWARE PROGRAM

The OODocBatchConverter software is Copyright © 2009 John Grosberg all rights reserved.

"The User" is the person who downloads and/or uses the
OODocBatchConverter software. "The Author" is John Grosberg,
the writer of the OODocBatchConverter program. The Author
may be contacted via email.

By downloading and/or using the OODocBatchConverter software
the user agrees to all of the following:

1) The user understands that the software is provided in as-is condition and may have errors. The software is provided WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, ANY WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF TITLE, NON-INFRINGEMENT, MERCHANTABILITY, OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE COPYRIGHT OWNERS OR CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.

The user understands that the user is solely responsible for determining the appropriateness of using the OODocBatchConverter  software and the user assumes any risks and costs associated with the user's exercise of permissions under this License.

2) The user absolves the author and the developers of any libraries used by OODocBatchConverter of any financial responsibility for any consequential costs of the user's use of the program.

3) The user will not use the OODocBatchConverter software for commercial gain without compensation to the Author
mutually agreed to by the Author and the User.

4) The user may distribute copies of OODocBatchConverter to others without written permission from the program's
Author as long as it is distributed in the exact form it was downloaded from the author's website.

5) The user will not decompile or reverse-engineer the OODocBatchConverter software.

The user is encouraged to report any bugs or problems found in the program to John Grosberg via this form.