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.
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.
On Windows XP it
will usually be found in "C:\Program Files\<OpenOffice.org
folder>\program\soffice.exe", where the "<OpenOffice.org folder>"
is the name of the folder where OpenOffice.org was installed.
On Windows 7 it will usually be found in "C:\Program Files (x86)\<OpenOffice.org
folder>\program\soffice.exe".
NOTE: In Microsoft Windows, OODocBatchConverter
will start OpenOffice in its "headless" state. That is, OpenOffice will
not display its usual user interface and will be invisible. There is no
need for the interface because OODocBatchConverter will communicate directly with Openffice. When you exit OODocBatchConverter, it will also terminate the invisible OpenOffice process.
On Unix or Linux variants the OpenOffice.org or LibreOffice executable will usually be found in /usr/lib/openoffice/program/soffice or /usr/lib/libreoffice/program/soffice.
Note that in Linux or Unix the OpenOffice or LibreOffice GUI (Graphical
User Interface) will open. Do not close OpenOffice or LibreOffice until
you are done with your conversions because OpenOffice or LibreOffice is
what is doing the work of conversion.
NOTE: In Linux OODocBatchConverter
will start OpenOffice in its normal state, displaying its usual user
interface. Since you do not need to interact with OpenOffice itself
while using OODocBatchConverter to convert files, you can minimize the interface or move it out of the way. When you exit OODocBatchConverter, OpenOffice will still be running. You can then use its user interface to exit OpenOffice.
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:
You
can set up for the conversion as follows:
Select
the input files to be converted:
Click on
the Select Input Files
button. A file selection dialog will appear.
Navigate
to the folder containing the files you want to convert.
Select
the files you want to convert by the usual clicking, shift-clicking,
and/or Ctrl-clicking.
Click the Open button to
complete the selection.
Select the
destination folder:
Click on the Select Output Folder
button
Navigate to the folder that you want the
converted files to be stored into.
Click on the Open button to
complete the selection.
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.
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.
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.
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.
"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.