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Timasmith
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 Posted: Tue Mar 13, 2007 6:56 am Post subject: How to embed word processing into Swing... lets brainstorm t |
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Talk about banging ones head agains a wall. I guess ascii and ascii
is art is great.
I really want, really want word processing which is cross platform and
outputs beautifully on reports.
Yes, I know it is impossible. But surely, if all 100,000 of us put
our heads together we could do it...
Lets see the problems:
a) Format
i) RTF - cannot output naturally on the web.
ii) HTML - cannot output with precision layout.
iii) PDF - perfect output for reports and printing, editing not
possible.
iv) XML - ODF can be converted to HTML, PDF, MS Word, RTF so seems
the best choice.
b) Tools
i) RTL - nothing cross platform
ii) HTML - cross platform if you run a browser, not useful for a
fat client and most of them use Javascript (ugh)
iii) PDF - no tool to directly edit
iv) XML - ODF in the form of MS Word, Open Office, KWord but
nothing that can be embedded in an app/applet
v) Google docs - problem the only one with half decent paste from
MSWord
So I guess my main choice was to have a browser embedded in a frame,
running Google word processing with the ability to save it locally
(into my database, yum).
Still, even then it is clumsy. I hope someone, one day will write an
amazing, open source, word processing Swing app which outputs ODF,
PDF, HTML and if it rocks I will make sure you get a slice of my pie... |
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Knute Johnson
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| Posted: Tue Mar 13, 2007 8:26 am Post subject: Re: How to embed word processing into Swing... lets brainsto |
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Timasmith wrote:
| Quote: |
Talk about banging ones head agains a wall. I guess ascii and ascii
is art is great.
I really want, really want word processing which is cross platform and
outputs beautifully on reports.
Yes, I know it is impossible. But surely, if all 100,000 of us put
our heads together we could do it...
Lets see the problems:
a) Format
i) RTF - cannot output naturally on the web.
ii) HTML - cannot output with precision layout.
iii) PDF - perfect output for reports and printing, editing not
possible.
iv) XML - ODF can be converted to HTML, PDF, MS Word, RTF so seems
the best choice.
b) Tools
i) RTL - nothing cross platform
ii) HTML - cross platform if you run a browser, not useful for a
fat client and most of them use Javascript (ugh)
iii) PDF - no tool to directly edit
iv) XML - ODF in the form of MS Word, Open Office, KWord but
nothing that can be embedded in an app/applet
v) Google docs - problem the only one with half decent paste from
MSWord
So I guess my main choice was to have a browser embedded in a frame,
running Google word processing with the ability to save it locally
(into my database, yum).
Still, even then it is clumsy. I hope someone, one day will write an
amazing, open source, word processing Swing app which outputs ODF,
PDF, HTML and if it rocks I will make sure you get a slice of my pie...
|
Open Office
--
Knute Johnson
email s/nospam/knute/ |
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H. S. Lahman
Guest
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| Posted: Tue Mar 13, 2007 9:03 pm Post subject: Re: How to embed word processing into Swing... lets brainsto |
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Responding to Timasmith...
| Quote: |
Talk about banging ones head agains a wall. I guess ascii and ascii
is art is great.
I really want, really want word processing which is cross platform and
outputs beautifully on reports.
|
OK. Modern word processors are applications and most of the Big Names
employ cross-platform formats and provide precision printing. But...
| Quote: |
Yes, I know it is impossible. But surely, if all 100,000 of us put
our heads together we could do it...
Lets see the problems:
a) Format
i) RTF - cannot output naturally on the web.
ii) HTML - cannot output with precision layout.
iii) PDF - perfect output for reports and printing, editing not
possible.
iv) XML - ODF can be converted to HTML, PDF, MS Word, RTF so seems
the best choice.
b) Tools
i) RTL - nothing cross platform
ii) HTML - cross platform if you run a browser, not useful for a
fat client and most of them use Javascript (ugh)
iii) PDF - no tool to directly edit
iv) XML - ODF in the form of MS Word, Open Office, KWord but
nothing that can be embedded in an app/applet
v) Google docs - problem the only one with half decent paste from
MSWord
|
You seem to want something that you can pop into a context like a Java
applet. I don't think that is going to happen, though, because modern
word processors are complex applications with large integer MLOCs of code.
As a result most of the world has gone the Interoperability Route and
just talks to the word processor application seamlessly (e.g., PathMATE
can generate MS Word documentation from UML OOA models automatically
behind the scenes). AFAIK, all the Big Name word processors provide
interoperability interfaces. They are also willing to sell you run-time
versions to interface with specific applications using run-time
licensing in case you can't count on a particular customer having the
word processor de jour installed.
BTW, MS Word uses HTML internally and is quite capable of providing
precision printed output. Also, PDF formats are editable; you just have
to pay Adobe for a version of Acrobat that has that capability (or pay
for Framemaker).
*************
There is nothing wrong with me that could
not be cured by a capful of Drano.
H. S. Lahman
hsl@pathfindermda.com
Pathfinder Solutions
http://www.pathfindermda.com
blog: http://pathfinderpeople.blogs.com/hslahman
"Model-Based Translation: The Next Step in Agile Development". Email
info@pathfindermda.com for your copy.
Pathfinder is hiring:
http://www.pathfindermda.com/about_us/careers_pos3.php.
(888)OOA-PATH |
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Timasmith
Guest
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| Posted: Wed Mar 14, 2007 6:50 am Post subject: Re: How to embed word processing into Swing... lets brainsto |
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On Mar 13, 12:03 pm, "H. S. Lahman" <h.lah...@verizon.net> wrote:
| Quote: |
Responding toTimasmith...
Talk about banging ones head agains a wall. I guess ascii and ascii
is art is great.
I really want, really want word processing which is cross platform and
outputs beautifully on reports.
OK. Modern word processors are applications and most of the Big Names
employ cross-platform formats and provide precision printing. But...
Yes, I know it is impossible. But surely, if all 100,000 of us put
our heads together we could do it...
Lets see the problems:
a) Format
i) RTF - cannot output naturally on the web.
ii) HTML - cannot output with precision layout.
iii) PDF - perfect output for reports and printing, editing not
possible.
iv) XML - ODF can be converted to HTML, PDF, MS Word, RTF so seems
the best choice.
b) Tools
i) RTL - nothing cross platform
ii) HTML - cross platform if you run a browser, not useful for a
fat client and most of them use Javascript (ugh)
iii) PDF - no tool to directly edit
iv) XML - ODF in the form of MS Word, Open Office, KWord but
nothing that can be embedded in an app/applet
v) Google docs - problem the only one with half decent paste from
MSWord
You seem to want something that you can pop into a context like a Java
applet. I don't think that is going to happen, though, because modern
word processors are complex applications with large integer MLOCs of code.
As a result most of the world has gone the Interoperability Route and
just talks to the word processor application seamlessly (e.g., PathMATE
can generate MS Word documentation from UML OOA models automatically
behind the scenes). AFAIK, all the Big Name word processors provide
interoperability interfaces. They are also willing to sell you run-time
versions to interface with specific applications using run-time
licensing in case you can't count on a particular customer having the
word processor de jour installed.
BTW, MS Word uses HTML internally and is quite capable of providing
precision printed output. Also, PDF formats are editable; you just have
to pay Adobe for a version of Acrobat that has that capability (or pay
for Framemaker).
*************
There is nothing wrong with me that could
not be cured by a capful of Drano.
H. S. Lahman
h...@pathfindermda.com
Pathfinder Solutionshttp://www.pathfindermda.com
blog:http://pathfinderpeople.blogs.com/hslahman
"Model-Based Translation: The Next Step in Agile Development". Email
i...@pathfindermda.com for your copy.
Pathfinder is hiring:http://www.pathfindermda.com/about_us/careers_pos3.php.
(888)OOA-PATH- Hide quoted text -
- Show quoted text -
|
Exactly, I just want to pop it into my app, along with thousands of
other developers I suspect. And you state it correctly, that Word and
Open Office and the like a large applications, in order to compete in
the word processing arena. Intefaces are impractical as I am not
going to force users to install those apps to use my software.
And I dont want all those features, I just want something sufficient.
Sufficient varies from app to app but at a minimum provides font
formatting, tables, images, links, lists, etc.
Maybe HTML is the way to go - but good luck forcing a page break where
you want it - not going to happen. Even iReport which looks great in
HTML still cant make the page break consistent. |
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