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NeoOffice :: View topic - Newbie question about cross platform odt-compatibility
Newbie question about cross platform odt-compatibility
 
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Kalkas
Agent


Joined: Sep 29, 2009
Posts: 12

PostPosted: Tue Sep 29, 2009 4:43 pm    Post subject: Newbie question about cross platform odt-compatibility

Hello,

I am concerned about cross platform compatibility of odt-files. My question is not concerned how much compatible odt is with MS docs, but rather how odt-files are displayed in various platforms.

For instance, if I write an odt-file in Windows using OpenOffice, will the file be displayed with all settings intact (as for instance settings for styles, tables, etc.) in NeoOffice under Mac OS X? Also, will the odt-file created in NeoOffice "be same" when reading in OpenOffice for Mac?

For instance, consider that I and my friend work together with a project, writing together a scientific paper, which will be saved as an Open Document (odt). I am writing it with NeoOffice under Mac OS X, while my friend uses OpenOffice under Windows XP. Will all changes (via Record Changes) be reliably preserved, together with notes?

Kind regards,
Aleksandar
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pluby
The Architect
The Architect


Joined: Jun 16, 2003
Posts: 11949

PostPosted: Tue Sep 29, 2009 5:03 pm    Post subject:

NeoOffice is based on OpenOffice.org so we use OpenOffice.org's code to open and save all .odt files. So, you should not lose any formatting or content when switching back and forth between the latest version of NeoOffice and OpenOffice.org.

The only exceptions to the above that I have found are the following three cases:

1. Line heights may be slightly different. This is not an issue with NeoOffice or OpenOffice.org but is caused by the slight differences in size between fonts on Windows and on Mac OS X. While many people assume that if you set the font size to some size like 24 points, the line height will be exactly 24 points, that is rarely the case. With most fonts, the font designer will make the font height or leading (the desired space between lines) slightly taller or shorter than the point size. Since Apple designs its own font, you may see slight line height differences between the same font on Windows and Mac OS X.

2. The number of lines can be slightly different. This is caused by the same issue that causes line height to be different: even when the same font name exists on Windows and Mac OS X, they were most likely created by different font designers. As a result, each designer may make certain letters slightly wider or narrower than other designers have done. As a result of these differences, the text in a line may be longer or shorter on Windows than on Mac OS X so text may roll onto the next line or text from the next will be moved up into the current line to fill the line. These character width differences can add up quickly and cause an .odt document to have a different number of lines on Windows than on Mac OS X.

3. There is a bug and .odt import or export bug that is not in OpenOfice.org (or vice versa). NeoOffice's underlying OpenOffice.org code is very, very large so users do find bugs in OpenOffice.org. Every once in a while, a bug is found in their code and while OpenOffice.org may have fixed it in their latest version, NeoOffice does not yet have the fix as we are using a slightly older version of the OpenOffice.org code.

Patrick
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Kalkas
Agent


Joined: Sep 29, 2009
Posts: 12

PostPosted: Tue Sep 29, 2009 5:17 pm    Post subject:

Hello,

Thanks for your helpful reply.

I presume that the same consideration of cross platform compatibility will also apply for Linux?

I am not so worried if the fonts are slightly different in size. I am most concerned whether the settings for styles will be preserved; I mean the definitions of various styles, with names of different headings, bullets, etc. Most importantly, whether making notes and record of changes would work smoothly.

I think that I can tolerate if fonts are little bit different, or if line heights are also changed.


Kind regards,
Aleksandar
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pluby
The Architect
The Architect


Joined: Jun 16, 2003
Posts: 11949

PostPosted: Tue Sep 29, 2009 6:08 pm    Post subject:

Kalkas wrote:
I presume that the same consideration of cross platform compatibility will also apply for Linux?


That is correct. Linux will have the same font issues.

Kalkas wrote:
I am not so worried if the fonts are slightly different in size. I am most concerned whether the settings for styles will be preserved; I mean the definitions of various styles, with names of different headings, bullets, etc. Most importantly, whether making notes and record of changes would work smoothly.


I have not seen any problems in these areas with .odt files. I have definitely seen issues like these with Microsoft Office file formats. However, since .odt is the native format for OpenOffice.org (the OpenOffice.org engineers designed the file format themselves to closely match their code), issues like these should be rare if you are using the latest versions of OpenOffice.org and NeoOffice.

If you do find an issue in NeoOffice but not in OpenOffice.org, then let us know. We will then try to reproduce it in both NeoOffice and the latest version of OpenOffice.org. If the issue only occurs in NeoOffice, then it is a bug in our code and we will try to fix it.

Patrick
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Kalkas
Agent


Joined: Sep 29, 2009
Posts: 12

PostPosted: Wed Sep 30, 2009 10:49 am    Post subject:

Hello,

Thank you for your helpful reply. I appreciate your quick answer.

Kind regards,
Aleksandar
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PGAGA
Captain


Joined: Jan 22, 2009
Posts: 50

PostPosted: Fri Oct 02, 2009 8:38 am    Post subject: Re: Newbie question about cross platform odt-compatibility

Friday, October 02, 2009

Kalkas wrote:
For instance, consider that I and my friend work together with a project, writing together a scientific paper, which will be saved as an Open Document (odt). I am writing it with NeoOffice under Mac OS X, while my friend uses OpenOffice under Windows XP. Will all changes (via Record Changes) be reliably preserved, together with notes?


While I am not collaborating with someone, my ODT files do move through a variety of platforms - WinXP at office, OS X on my home desktop, and OS/2 on my laptop. The files remain intact through the platforms. The only OOo derivative which can cause problems is Lotus Symphony - and that may be do its use of an early version of ODT.

That leads to a reminder to make sure you are using the same ODT version between platforms.

As noted, you will run into font metric differences which are caused not only by fonts, but by change of video and printer drivers. To minimize this, on WinXP and OS/2 I have the Ghostscript printer driver installed as the default printer.

Phil
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