I have found what I think are some serious inconsistencies and errors in how the
different OOo modules handle images.  I have done this with both SO6.1b2 and
OOo1.1b2.

You will find a much easier-to-read table of what I've done and learned at:

http://www.ccsd1.k12.wy.us/list.sxw

In Writer: 

o  When you drag a picture into the window from your desktop, local file system,
or a mapped drive, it is embedded
o  When you drag a picture into the window from a DFS file share, it is embedded
o  When you go to Insert - Graphic, it is embedded (with link as an option)
o  When you right-click a file in Windows and copy, then paste into the
document, it is embedded

In Calc: 

o  When you drag a picture into the window from your desktop, local file system,
or a mapped drive, it is LINKED
o  When you drag a picture into the window from a DFS file share, it is LINKED
but the link is BROKEN when you close and reopen, although the original image is
still in the same path
o  When you go to Insert - Graphic, it is embedded (with link as an option)
o  You apparently cannot copy an image file from Windows and paste it into Calc
(paste is greyed out)

In Impress: 

o When you drag a picture into the window from your desktop, local file system,
or a mapped drive, it is LINKED
o  When you drag a picture into the window from a DFS file share, it is LINKED
but the link is BROKEN when you close and reopen, although the original image is
still in the same path
o  When you go to Insert - Graphic, it is embedded (with link as an option)
o  When you copy an image from Windows explorer looking at your desktop, local
drive, or mapped network drive, and paste it into the window, it is LINKED
o  When you copy an image from Windows explorer looking at a DFS share, and
paste it into the window, it is LINKED but the link is BROKEN when you close and
reopen, although the original image is still in the same path

In Draw: 

o When you drag a picture into the window from your desktop, local file system,
or a mapped drive, it is LINKED
o  When you drag a picture into the window from a DFS file share, it is LINKED
but the link is BROKEN when you close and reopen, although the original image is
still in the same path
o  When you go to Insert - Graphic, it is embedded (with link as an option)
o  When you copy an image from Windows explorer looking at your desktop, local
drive, or mapped network drive, and paste it into the window, it is LINKED
o  When you copy an image from Windows explorer looking at a DFS share, and
paste it into the window, it is LINKED but the link is BROKEN when you close and
reopen, although the original image is still in the same path

Conclusions / ideas:

o  Writer is easily the most adept of the group in handling images.  Everything
you do image-wise is embedded.

o  Calc, Impress, and Draw will link images dragged into the window from a local
file or a mapped network drive, but will LOSE the link to an image on a DFS file
share and will LOSE the link to an image on a normal UNC network share.  The
link is lost even though the original linked image did not change or move in any
way.

DFS file shares take the form of \\dfsroot\dfsshare\folders\file.  The DFS share
is actually the same file share that I manually mapped to, so it's not a
permissions thing (I have admin access to all shares, anyway).  I tested with
two locations that were identical:

\\ccsd1\Technology\TechOffice  (pointing to the logical DFS name and share name)
\\tech-srvr-01\TechOffice  (pointing to the physical server name and share name)

To me, losing the linked image via UNC share is a critical flaw.  This makes any
network environment UNABLE to work with images, effectively.  You can never
depend on them being there.

Suggestions:

o  I'd suggest that any time a user puts an image into any kind of OOo document,
it should be EMBEDDED unless that user very explicitly chooses linking.  

In my experience, embedding is the behavior people expect -- file size isn't an
issue for them, the issue is having their images IN the documents and not
linked.  Especially in a networked environment or sharing situation, when people
are passing documents, sheets, and presentations around and the recipient
doesn't have access to the path or location where the images were originially.

Now I don't think we should copy Microsoft Office in everything, but embedding
is the default option in MSOffice and I think that the reasoning is good for that.

o  If someone chooses to link, there should be a way for that user to later find
out whether any image is linked or embedded.  I cannot find out any way to
determine if an image is embedded or linked (besides watching file size and
moving the original image to see if it comes back up).  Maybe a really-light
watermark over a linked image that says LINKED.


Thanks for listening!

 ______________________________________
  Chris Brown, Director of Technology
  Converse Co School Dist #1, Douglas, WY
  <<http://www.ccsd1.k12.wy.us/>>
  CBrown@ccsd1.k12.wy.us
 ______________________________________