Sharing Files with Microsoft Office Users

Contents

Overview	iv

Copyright and trademark information	iv

Feedback	iv

Acknowledgments	iv

Modifications and updates	iv

File formats	1

Bulk conversion	1

Opening files	2

Opening text format files	2

Opening spreadsheets	2

Opening presentations	2

Opening graphics files	2

Opening formula files	3

Saving files	3

Default file format	3

Export to PDF	3

Saving files in other formats	3

Writer can save to these file formats	4

Calc can save to these file formats	4

Impress can save to these file formats	4

Draw can save to these file formats	4

The HTML writer can save in these formats	5

AportisDoc and PocketWord files for transport to your PDA	5

Object Linking and Embedding (OLE)	5

Linked files	5

WordArt / FontWork	6

Vector graphics	6

Frames / text boxes	6

Active content controls	6

Macros	6

Import / export / sharing issues in text documents	7

Good practice in text documents	7

Compatibility settings in OpenOffice.org for the current document	7

Tops of pages	7

Aligning tabs	7

Spacing between paragraphs	7

Font and font spacing	8

Tables	8

Mail merge documents	8

Forms	9

Footnotes, end notes, tables of contents and indexes	9

Numbered paragraphs, outline numbering, cross-references	10

Page numbering	10

Date and time fields	10

Importing Word fields	11

Import / export / sharing issues in Spreadsheets	12

Password protected workbooks	12

Number of rows	12

Number of sheets	12

Form fields	13

Array formulas	13

Optional parameters in formulas	13

Functions	13

DataPilot / Pivot Table	14

AutoFilter	14

Charts	15

Right aligned text	15

Number formats	15

Grid lines	15

Import / export / sharing issues in presentations	16

Color gradients and borders	16

Multimedia	16

Chart animations	16

Pack and Go	16

Fields	16

Action Settings / Interaction	16

PowerPoint custom animations – Impress object effects	17

PowerPoint – Impress slide transitions	17

Overview

This document describes some of the issues when importing and exporting Microsoft Office (MSO) to and from OpenOffice.org (OOo).

Copyright and trademark information

The contents of this Documentation are subject to the Public Documentation License, Version 1.0 (the "License"); you may only use this Documentation if you comply with the terms of this License. A copy of the License is available at:
http://www.openoffice.org/licenses/PDL.rtf

The Original Documentation is Sharing Files with Microsoft Office Users. The Initial Writer(s) of the Original Documentation is/are Ian Laurenson © 2004. All Rights Reserved. (Initial Writer contact(s): hillview@paradise.net.nz. The Initial Writer contact(s) is to report errors in the documentation. For questions regarding how to use the software, subscribe to the Users Mail List and post your question there: http://support.openoffice.org/index.html)

All trademarks within this guide belong to legitimate owners.

Feedback

Please direct any comments or suggestions about this document to:
authors@user-faq.openoffice.org.

Acknowledgments

Thanks to the OOoAuthors team for proofreading this work, particularly Paul Miller and Jean Hollis Weber.

Modifications and updates

Version	Date	Description of Change
1.0	7 November 2004	First published edition

File formats

This section gives an overview of file format from an end-user’s perspective. For details about XML formats, see http://books.evc-cit.info/book.php.

OpenOffice.org “natively” stores its files in a compressed (zipped) human readable (when unzipped) XML format. This format is openly documented and is available under the GNU General Public Library License (http://www.gnu.org).

Note: Some compression utilities only check the file extension and so may not recognize the file as being compressed in the zip format. To open an OpenOffice.org file with such a compression utility, rename the file to have the extension .zip.

By contrast, Microsoft Office files are stored in a proprietary format which is not human readable. Microsoft have not publicly documented their file formats, which causes a lot of problems for software developers to write filters for importing and exporting in Microsoft Office formats.

Table 1. File extensions

Document type	Application	Document Extension	Template Extension	Microsoft Office eqv
Text	Writer	.sxw	.stw	.doc .dot
Spreadsheet	Calc	.sxc	.stc	.xls .xlt
Drawing	Draw	.sxd	.std	na
Presentation	Impress	.sxi	.sti	.ppt .pot .pps
Formula	Math	.sxm	na	
Master document	Writer	.sxg	na	
HTML document	Writer	.html	na	

Note: OpenOffice.org can open Microsoft Office files. The reverse is NOT true: Microsoft Office can not open OpenOffice.org formats. So if you need to deal with someone using Microsoft Office, save your file first in the native OpenOffice.org format; then you can save it to one of the many supported Microsoft Office formats. This way you ensure that even if the filter can’t translate perfectly, you have your original in its native format.

Bulk conversion

To convert a lot of files:

File > AutoPilot > Document Converter...

Note: Converting a lot of files can take a long time. Recommend to set it going when the computer is not going to be used for a while, but check for sufficient disk space.

Before doing a bulk conversion of files, think about whether it is really necessary. Read this document right through to get an appreciation of the limitations of the conversion process.

Opening files

Opening text format files

OpenOffice.org Writer can import the standard Microsoft Office formats (as shown in the right column of Table 1) as well as the .rtf, .txt, .csv and StarWriter formats.

When opening .HTM or .HTML files, OpenOffice.org customizes Writer for working with these files.

Opening spreadsheets

In addition to the native formats, OpenOffice.org can open the following spreadsheet formats:

Microsoft Excel 97/2000/XP (*.xls; *.xlw)

Microsoft Excel 97/2000/XP Template (*.xlt)

Microsoft Excel 95 (*.xls; *.xlw)

Data Interchange Format (*.def)

dBase (*.dbf)

Sylk

Rich Text Format

Text CSV (*.csv; *.txt)

Lotus 123 (*.wk1; *.wk1)

StarCalc formats

HTM and HTML files including Web page queries

Opening presentations

In addition to the native formats, OpenOffice.org can open the following presentation formats:

Microsoft PowerPoint 97/2000/XP (*.ppt; *.pps)

Microsoft PowerPoint 97/2000/XP Template (.pot)

StarDraw, StarImpress

CGM - Computer Graphics Metafile (*.cgm)

Opening graphics files

In addition to the native formats, OpenOffice.org can open the following graphic formats:

BMP

DXF

EMF

EPS

GIF

JPEG

MET

PBM

PCD

PCX

PGM

PLT

PNG

PPM

PSD

RAS

SGF

SGV

Star Draw

SVM

TGA

TIFF

WMF

XBM

XPM

Opening formula files

In addition to its native format, OpenOffice.org can open the following formula files:

StarMath and MathML (*.mml).

When opening a Word document that contains an embedded equation editor object, if the option for it is checked in Tools > Options > Load/Save > Microsoft Office then the object will be automatically converted to an OpenOffice.org Math object.

Saving files

Figure 1. The first half of the writer Save As pulldown menu Default file format

To set the default file format when saving new files:

Tools > Options... > Load/Save > General

Note: If the default is set to an OpenOffice.org format and a Microsoft Office file is being saved, then a warning dialog will be displayed about potential loss of formatting.

Export to PDF

In each application there is the ability to directly export to PDF. This industry-standard file format for file viewing is ideal for sending the file to someone else to view using Acrobat Reader or any other PDF display program like ggv or Xpdf.

You can export directly to PDF using a button on the toolbar (next to the Printer icon) for export directly to PDF, or by choosing File > Export, which allows you to select some more detailed options.

Saving files in other formats

To save files in different formats:

File > Save As > File Type:

Writer can save to these file formats

In addition to its native formats, Writer can save in these formats:

OpenOffice.org Writer template (.stw)

Microsoft Word 97/2000/XP (.doc)

Microsoft Word 95 (.doc)

Microsoft Word 6.0 (.doc)

Rich Text Format (.rtf)

StarWriter 5.0 (.sdw)

StarWriter Template (.vor)

StarWriter 4.0 (.sdw)

StarWriter 4.0 Template (.vor)

StarWriter 3.0 (.sdw)

StarWriter Template 3.0 (.vor)

Text (.txt)

Text Encoded (.txt)

HTML (.html; .htm)

Note: The .rtf format is a common format for transferring text files between applications but be aware of the lack of formating available in that format. It also seems that there is a bug concerning files saved in the .rtf format that contain images when opened by Microsoft Office. So the best way to pass a file in writer to a Microsoft Word user is to save it as Microsoft Word 97/2000/XP (.doc).

Calc can save to these file formats

In addition to its native formats, Calc can save in these formats:

Microsoft Excel 97/2000/XP (*.xls; *.xlw)

Microsoft Excel 97/2000/XP Template (*.xlt)

Microsoft Excel 95 (*.xls; *.xlw)

Data Interchange Format (*.dif)

dBase (*.dbf)

SYLK (*.slk)

Text CSV (*.csv; *.txt)

StarCalc formats (*.sdc, *.vor)

HTM and HTML files

Impress can save to these file formats

Microsoft PowerPoint 97/2000/XP (*.ppt; *.pps)

Microsoft PowerPoint 97/2000/XP Template (*.pot)

StarDraw, StarImpress (*.sda, *.sdd, *.vor)

Impress can also export to MacroMedia Flash (*.swf) and any of the graphics formats as listed below for Draw.

Draw can save to these file formats

Draw can only save in its native format and StarDraw format, but can export to:

BMP

EMF

EPS

GIF

JPEG

MET

PBM

PCT

PGM

PNG

PPM

RAS

SVG

SVM

TIFF

WMF

XPM

The HTML writer can save in these formats

HTML Document (*.html; *.htm)

OpenOffice.org 1.0 HTML Template (*.stw)

StarWriter/Web5.0 and 4.0 (*.vor)

Text (OpenOffice.org Writer/Web) (*.txt)

Text Encoded (OpenOffice.org Writer/Web) (*.txt)

AportisDoc and PocketWord files for transport to your PDA

When installing OpenOffice.org, you can optionally choose to install DocBook and XLST filters. They are then added to the Save As menu automatically. For more information, see the chapter on installing OpenOffice.org.

Object Linking and Embedding (OLE)

To change the settings for Microsoft Office OLE objects:

Tools > Options > Load/Save > Microsoft Office

Having all of these options checked will allow embedded objects to be converted and thus be editable in both office suites.

For other OLE objects, it will depend on the machine where the file is being edited just as it does with Microsoft Office alone. Thus Windows application based OLE objects will not be editable in OpenOffice.org on a Linux machine, although the object will still be displayed correctly and is able to be resized.

Linked files

Cells copied from Excel and pasted special, linked and with RTF format, into Word are imported into Writer as a normal table. This means that when the document is imported, the link to the Excel file is lost.

Similarly when a chart is copied from Excel and pasted special, linked into Word, and then the file imported into Writer, the chart is imported as an embedded OLE object but is not converted into a Calc chart. On saving the file in Word format and then opening the file in Word and trying to edit the chart by double-clicking, it displays an error message.

Warning: The links are lost!

WordArt / FontWork

The equivalent to Microsoft Office’s WordArt in OpenOffice.org is FontWork. WordArt objects are imported as graphics so the ability to edit them is lost. Similarly, FontWork objects are exported into Microsoft Office files as graphics only. See the chapter on FontWork.

Vector graphics

The basic shapes (lines, arrows, rectangles, ovals) all import and export without any problem. OpenOffice.org provides a greater degree of control over some properties than Microsoft Office does, so sometimes there will be changes when going from OpenOffice.org to Microsoft Office. Examples include the size of arrow heads, and line styles.

The Microsoft Office autoshapes, like the smiley face, lose their special characteristics. For instance the ability to adjust the degree of the smile / frown on the smiley face is lost.

Microsoft Office provides more shadow options than OpenOffice.org, so sometimes there will be a change in shadow appearance. Microsoft Office shadow styles 1, 2, 4, 6,14, 17 and 18 are supported in OpenOffice.org. Horizontal and tapered shadows do not get imported.

On exporting documents containing graphics, such as callouts, the locations frequently change.

Frames / text boxes

When frames or text boxes from Microsoft Office are imported into OpenOffice.org with linked text, the links do not remain.

Active content controls

These are the controls in Microsoft Office available on the Controls toolbar.

Checkboxes, radio buttons, text fields, labels, list boxes, combo boxes, and toggle buttons all import without a problem. But as these controls typically require macros to be of use, they will be functionally useless in the absence of macros custom built for use in OpenOffice.org.

Scrollbars and images import as OLE objects.

Macros

OpenOffice.org cannot run Microsoft Office macros. Although the macro language is very similar, the underlying objects are quite different. To set whether OpenOffice.org keeps attached macros for Word, Excel and PowerPoint files, use:

Tools > Options... > Load/Save > VBA properties

Note: Opening a Microsoft Office file infected with a virus is quite safe in OpenOffice.org.

OpenOffice.org has the ability to record macros. The recorder uses something called a dispatcher. It is better practice to use the application program interface (API).

Import / export / sharing issues in text documents

Good practice in text documents

Some issues can be avoided simply by using good word-processing practice:

Use character and paragraph styles rather than direct formatting.

Use paragraph formatting for space before and after rather than hard returns, particularly in numbered or bulleted lists.

Use paragraph text flow properties (e.g. keep with next) rather than using manual page breaks.

Do not use multiple tabs or spaces to align text – either set specific tab stops or better yet use a table.

Use only commonly available fonts.

Compatibility settings in OpenOffice.org for the current document

The following settings change the way OpenOffice.org works with the current document so that it works more like Microsoft Office.

Use Tools > Options... > Text Document > General

Tops of pages

In Writer, if this setting isn’t checked, if a paragraph at the top of the page (or column) is formatted with space above then the space above is ignored, whereas in Word the space above is included it. Checking this option causes Writer to behave in the same way as Word.

Aligning tabs

This setting specifies whether centered and right-aligned paragraphs containing tabs are formatted as a whole in the center or aligned to the right. If this checkbox is not marked, only the text to the right of the last tab is aligned to the right, while the text to the left remains as is. (From help.)

Spacing between paragraphs

Writer uses the greater of the two spacings for above and below paragraphs; Word sums the two together. Check this box to have Writer behave in the same way as Word.

Font and font spacing

Text effect animations are not imported by Writer from Word files.

Hidden text in writer is a field, whereas in Word it is a font attribute.

Typically Word’s character spacing is tighter than Writer’s, so often Word will fit more characters to a line. It is also possible that the spacing between lines could be slightly different. The end result is that the page breaks may be in different places.

Tables

Writer doesn’t allow a row within a table to be split across pages. Word (by default) allows a row to be split across pages.

Writer doesn’t support vertical text within a cell.

Warning: There is a vertical option for formatting text (Format > Character... > Rotation / Scaling) for some reason that the authors haven’t figured out this is not recommended for using in a table; see: http://www.openoffice.org/issues/show_bug.cgi?id=16944. If it is used in a table in a document and that document gets exported to Word then Word goes into a loop perpetually trying to re-paginate the document.

Text in a table with vertical alignment imported from Word: the vertical text simply becomes horizontal.

Fields for calculations within tables are imported as the text of the saved result. In other words, the field for performing the calculation is lost.

Summary: Documents containing tables can be imported and exported between OpenOffice.org and Microsoft Office, but they cannot contain vertical text, nor should a row span more than a page.

Mail merge documents

As OpenOffice.org and Writer have different approaches to data sources, on importing a Word document that is the main document for a mail merge there is no connection with the data source. It is not just a matter of making that connection, each field needs to be reinserted. See the Mail Merge section in the Text Document differences chapter.

Also in Word you can have another Word document as a data source for a mail merge. There is no way of specifying a Word (or Writer) document as a data source in OpenOffice.org.

Writer doesn’t have the option of suppressing blank lines when data fields are empty, so you need to use conditional fields. See.

Writer merge fields export as text with the name of the field between angle brackets, e.g. <Name>.

Summary: To work in a shared environment would require a separate file for each “main document”: one in Word format, the other in OpenOffice.org format.

Forms

Issues with forms created in Microsoft Office:

A locked file in Microsoft Office imports unlocked into OpenOffice.org; that is, in design mode.

Text form fields import into OpenOffice.org as Input fields and so lose their type. For example, a text form field of type “number” or “date” will accept any text for input. In use a text form field in OpenOffice.org displays a dialog for entering the text. Exporting back to Microsoft Office, text form fields are changed into “Fillin” fields. The current date and time and calculation fields import as simple text.

Check-boxes import/export ok.

Drop-down form fields import as Input List fields. Like text form fields in operation these display a dialog from which the user can select an option. On export back to Microsoft Office they return to drop-down form fields again.

Issues with forms created in OpenOffice.org:

The controls are exported as active controls when there is a Microsoft Office equivalent. As Word doesn’t have the same database functionality of OpenOffice.org and as the macros aren’t compatible, it would be very difficult to have one form that works in both environments using standard form controls.

Summary: To work in a shared environment with forms is not easy but one workaround would be to use other fields like Input field and Input List. To insert these fields use: Insert > Fields > Other... > Functions.

Footnotes, end notes, tables of contents and indexes

Footnotes, endnotes and indexes all import / export ok. Some issues found:

The location of the endnotes may change (in Word the endnotes were placed before the index. In Writer they are always at the end of the document).

Writer bibliographic entries become text in Word.

A three column index exported from Writer to Word as three columns but on re-import it was one column.

On importing a Word file containing index entry fields, the index entry fields are imported but as fields to the left of the text rather than the field containing the text.

Summary: Working in a shared environment is possible with some minor issues.

Numbered paragraphs, outline numbering, cross-references

Import / Export without a problem, except for references to numbered paragraphs:

Cross-references to the numbers of numbered paragraphs that aren’t numbered using outline numbering don’t work as Writer doesn’t have this ability

Writer also doesn’t have the ability to use relative numbering in its cross-references to numbers.

Cross-references to chapter numbers don’t have the same format as that displayed.

Page numbering

A quick and dirty approach in Word for having a different first page (like a cover page) and then to have the numbering start on the second page but numbered as page 1 is to have a layout of different first page and setting the starting page to be zero. Unfortunately, on importing such a file into OpenOffice.org the page number on the second page is 2 instead of 1. To fix this problem in Writer, use:

Create a page style for how the pages after the first page should look. Name it (for example) Convert1.

Have the cursor in the first paragraph of the second page.

Format > Paragraph > Text Flow.

In the Breaks portion of the dialog, select the checkbox Enable.

Check With Page Style.

Choose the page style created in step 1.

Leave the position as Before and set the page number to 1.

On exporting this document back to Word it will work, the only difference being that the document will have a section break at the end of the first page. Documents created with section breaks like this in Word will work fine importing and exporting with Writer. There is one difference with Word: there will now be a blank page between the cover page and the next page when printed (or print previewed).

Summary: For some documents a little work maybe required to fix up the page numbering on importing to Writer. Once “fixed” the page numbering of the documents will import/export without a problem.

Date and time fields

Word’s CreateDate and SaveDate fields don’t get imported with the same formats. For example, if the fields in the Word document have a format that includes time, then this information is not displayed by default. To include time in the format:

Right click on the field > Fields... > scroll to the bottom of the Formats listbox > Additional formats... > in format code add HH:MM:SS

On export the SaveDate / DocInformation:Modified is exported as text.

Writer’s Time Fixed and Date Fixed fields get exported as text.

Importing Word fields

Table 2: Imported Word fields conversion

Word Field:	Writer converts to:
ASK	Input field
AUTHOR	DocInformation:Created
AUTONUM	Number Range AutoNr
AUTONUMLGL	Number range AutoNr
AUTONUMOUT	Number range AutoNr
COMMENTS	DocInfomation:Comments
CREATEDATE	DocInformation:Created
DATE	Date
EDITTIME	DocInformation:Modified
FILENAME	File name
FILLIN	Input field
HYPERLINK	(as a hyperlink)
INFO xxx	DocInformation:xxx
KEYWORDS	DocInformation:Keywords
LASTSAVEDBY	DocInformation:Modified
MACROBUTTON	(the name of the macro?)
MERGEFIELD	Mail merge fields (displayed as the name of the field)
MERGEREC	Record number
NEXT	Next record
NOTEREF	Show variable
NUMCHARS	Statistics (with select = Characters)
NUMPAGES	Statistics (with select = Pages)
PAGE	Page numbers
PAGEREF	Bookmarks (displayed as name of bookmark)
REVNUM	DocInformation:Document number
SAVEDATE	DocInformation:Modified
SEQ	Number range
SET	Set variable
SUBJECT	DocInformation:Subject
TEMPLATE	Templates
TIME	Date
TITLE	DocInformation:Title
TOC	(Displays the table of contents)

The following fields are not imported into OpenOffice.org (only the text that they displayed when last saved): =, IF, DOCPROPERTY, FILESIZE, LINK, LISTNUM, QUOTE, SECTION, SECTIONPAGES, STYLEREF, TOA, USERADDRESS, USERINITIALS, USERNAME.

The following fields are ignored on import: AUTOTEXT, AUTOTEXTLIST, BARCODE, BIDIOUTLINE, DOCVARIABLE, EQ, GOTOBUTTON, INCLUDETEXT, LISTNUM, MERGESEQ, PRINT, RD, SKIPIF, SYMBOL, TA, TC.

The Word field EDITTIME is mapped to Writer field DocInformation:Modified on import but the meaning has changed to the date and time last saved rather than how long the file has been open for editing.

Import / export / sharing issues in Spreadsheets

Password protected workbooks

Workbooks that have been password protected in Excel cannot be opened by Calc. The file needs to be saved in Excel without password protection so that Calc can open it. If you don’t have access to Excel, then to open the files you need another program. In Windows you can use an Excel viewer (free to download from Microsoft) and in Linux you can use Gnumeric 1.2.6 and above. (As Gnumeric is open source it is probable that this limitation will soon be removed from Calc.)

Number of rows

Calc only supports 32,000 rows (compared to Excel’s 65,536). When importing an Excel workbook that contains a sheet with more than 32,000 rows, Calc creates a new sheet so the data isn’t lost, but any formulas that refer to that data need to be manually changed.

Number of sheets

The maximum number of sheets in Calc is 256. When importing an Excel spreadsheet with more than 256 sheets, a warning about data loss is displayed.

Form fields

Combo boxes, list boxes and checkboxes with links to spreadsheet cells all import and export properly, although due to font handling the number of rows displayed in list boxes may be slightly different. List boxes in Calc can either have multi-selection or not, whereas Excel has two multi-selection modes: multi and extend. In Excel a multi-selection listbox’s link to a cell is ignored (at least in Excel2000; the author hasn’t checked Excel XP). In Calc the link works, but if more than one item is selected, the cell’s value is set to #N/A.

Option buttons import into Calc, but the link with cells works differently. In Calc each option button has its own link to a cell, setting its value to true or false depending on whether the option is selected. In Excel the cell link returns the number of the selected option button. On exporting option buttons to Excel, the option buttons lose their radio operation – in other words, they are not grouped so that selecting one “unselects” the others.

Scroll bars and spinners are not implemented in Calc.

Array formulas

Calc supports array formulas (formulas entered using Control+Shift+Enter) but there are two things which Excel can do that Calc can’t do.

In Excel it is possible to have an array formula with two ranges in the formula and Excel matches each cell in the ranges to get a result. For example, {=SUM(IF(A2:A5=1,B2:B5))} would work like SUMIF and sum those cells in column B where in the same row column A contained a 1. Calc returns “Err504”. Often this can be worked around by using SUMIF, COUNTIF, or the database functions.

Array constants are not available in OpenOffice.org. The workaround is to have the constant values in cells on a sheet and refer to them.

Optional parameters in formulas

Some formulas have more than one optional parameter at the end of the parameter list. In Excel it is possible to leave an optional parameter blank and specify a later parameter, but this is not possible in Calc. Formulas with optional parameters are not correctly imported into Calc.

Functions

Statistical, engineering and financial functions

The statistical functions return slightly different results. They are the same up to at least 5 decimal places, but after that there is a discrepancy. Gnumeric (another open source spreadsheet package) returns exactly the same results as Excel (based on the author’s simple tests). The author hasn’t compared the results returned by a statistical package such as R or SAS for the statistical functions.

In Excel some of the financial functions accept string parameters for dates; in OpenOffice.org they require a serial number, and thus they are not correctly imported into Calc.

Analysis ToolPak Functions

The function EFFECT provided by the Analysis ToolPak for Excel is converted to EFFECT_ADD in Calc and returns the same results.

Other functions not implemented / imported

Only three other functions are not imported: INFO, GETPIVOTDATA, and HYPERLINK. Hyperlinks are supported but not as a function – use the Hyperlink button on the Function bar.

DataPilot / Pivot Table

DataPilots are Calc’s equivalent to Excel’s Pivot Tables. However there are a number of limitations. Pivot tables import from Excel into Calc but as soon as they are worked on these limitations become apparent. The limitations are:

There is no PivotChart facility, but a DataPilot can be used as the data source for a chart.

Page fields have not been implemented, but there is a filter option which gives similar functionality.

Can have no more than 8 fields in the data, row or column areas.

There is no ability to group data (for example, a date field grouping by month can’t be done). The workaround is to create a new column with a formula for calculating the grouping, e.g. =Month().

You can’t define different formats for different fields.

There are no calculated fields.

There is no ability to show data fields as things like “Difference From” or “% of”

The Application Program Interface specification is incomplete for writing macros that work with DataPilots—for example, the ability to control through another program, such as OpenOffice.org’s own macro language, BASIC, whether the tables have grand totals, or having access to DataPilots created from external data.

AutoFilter

AutoFilter imports and exports ok with the required rows being hidden. However, there are a number of differences between Excel and Calc:

There is only one AutoFilter active for a spreadsheet document at a time. The rows remain hidden but the drop downs in the first row disappear on applying AutoFilter elsewhere.

The remaining visible row numbers don’t change color to warn that there is a filter in place.

Error values don’t show as an option in the drop down lists when cells in the column have errors.

In the drop down lists, the equivalent to Excel’s “Custom” is called “Standard”.

Charts

Chart types that Excel provides that Calc doesn’t:

Bar of pie converts to a 2D - columns - normal

Pie of pie converts to a 2D - columns - normal

Radar filled converts to 3D – columns deep

Radar with markers – converts to 2D – net – normal but counter clockwise rather than Excel’s clockwise

Other charting issues include:

There are fewer axis options, such as no option for having an inverted y axis (negative at top towards positive at bottom).

The data must be contiguous, with the labels in the first row or column.

Right aligned text

In Excel if text is longer than the cell can hold and right aligned and there is nothing in the cell to the left, then the text “spills” into this cell. In Calc, the text will “spill” into the cell to the right if it is empty.

Number formats

There is no “accounting” format (with the currency symbol at the left edge of the cell). A workaround would be to have another column to the left that contains the currency symbol.

There is no predefined option for bracketing negative numbers. Use a custom format such as “$#,##0.00_);[RED]($#,##0.00)”.

Grid lines

In Excel gridlines are a property of a Worksheet; in Calc it is an application wide option:

Tools > Options > Spreadsheet > View

Import / export / sharing issues in presentations

Color gradients and borders

The author had not noticed the following changes, so this is a direct quote from “StarOffice 7 Migration Guide” by Sun.

Unlike Microsoft PowerPoint, StarOffice Impress does not support three color gradients, double and triple borders, or round-dotted borders. To improve the results of the import, you have to make the necessary adjusts before import. Change three-color presets to similar two-color gradient fills and change double and triple border lines to a single border line with appropriate width. Round-dotted border lines that are mapped to rectangle-border closely resemble the original line style in PowerPoint so that manual editing should not be necessary.

Multimedia

Voice-over narration is not supported by Impress.

There appear to be no settings for multimedia custom animations, such as the ability to play a sound for the next x slides.

Chart animations

There is no facility in Impress for “Chart Effects” as there is in PowerPoint, such as presenting a series or category at a time. On import the charts simply appear. A workaround is to have multiple copies of the chart with each one set up to display as desired.

Pack and Go

This feature in PowerPoint allowed a PowerPoint file to be split up over several floppy disks and assured that all related files were included. This facility is not included in Impress, nor can Impress open such files.

Fields

Date fields are exported as text, so they don’t automatically update.

Action Settings / Interaction

PowerPoint provides action settings for mouseover, but Impress doesn’t have this option, only on mouse click, so mouseovers get mapped to mouse clicks. PowerPoint has an option for highlighting the object on mouse click / mouse over; Impress doesn’t have this, so it gets ignored on import.

PowerPoint custom animations – Impress object effects

Table 3 shows how the custom animations / object effects are imported into Impress and exported to PowerPoint.

Table 3. Importing/exporting custom animations between PowerPoint and Impress

PowerPoint	Impress
Appear	Appear
Blinds	Fade Horizontally
Box	Fade To Center
Checkerboard	Checkerboard
Diamond	Appear
Crawl	Fly In From bottom
Dissolve	Dissolve
Flash once	Appear
Peek	Short Fly In from Bottom
Random Bars	Horizontal lines
Spiral	Spiral Outward Clockwise
Split	Close Vertical
Stretch	Stretch Vertical
Strips	Fade From Top Right
Swivel	Rotate Horizontally
Wipe	Cross-Fade From Top
Zoom	Fade From Center
Random effects	Vertical Lines

PowerPoint – Impress slide transitions

Table 4 shows how slide transitions are imported into Impress and exported to PowerPoint.

Table 4. Importing/exporting slide transitions between PowerPoint and Impress

PowerPoint	Impress
Blinds Horizontal	Fade Horizontally
Blind Vertical	Fade Vertically
Box In	Fade To Center
Box Out	Fade From Center
Checkerboard Across	Horizontal Checkerboard
Checkerboard Down	Vertical Checkerboard
Cover Down	Fly In From Top
Cover Left	Fly In From Right
Cover Right	Fly In From Left
Cover Up	Fly In From Bottom
Cover Left Down	Fly In From Upper Right
Cover Right Down	Fly In From Top Left
Cover Left Down	Fly In From Upper Right
Cover Right Up	Fly In From Lower Left
Cut	No effect
Cut through Black	No effect
Dissolve	Dissolve
Fade Through Black	No effect
Random Bars Horizontally	Horizontal Lines
Random Bars Vertically	Vertical Lines
Horizontal In	Close Vertically
Horizontal Out	Open Vertically
Split Vertical In	Close Horizontally
Split Vertical Out	Open Horizontally
Strips Left Down	Fade From Top Right
Strips Left Up	Fade From Bottom Right
Strips Right Down	Fade From Top Left
Strips Right Up	Fade From Bottom Left
Uncover Down	Uncover Downwards
Uncover Left	Uncover To Left
Uncover Right	Uncover To Right
Uncover Up	Uncover Upwards
Uncover Left Down	Uncover To Lower Left
Uncover Left Up	Uncover To Upper Left
Uncover Right Down	Uncover To Lower Right
Uncover Right Up	Uncover To Upper Right
Wipe Down	Cross-Fade From Top
Wipe Left	Cross-Fade From Right
Wipe Right	Cross-Fade From Left
Wipe Up	Cross Fade From Bottom
Random Transition	Automatic (random)

Import / export / sharing issues in presentations

Sharing Files with Microsoft Office Users	16

Title:	Sharing Files with Microsoft Office Users:
Version:	1.0
First edition:	November 2004

Overview

Sharing Files with Microsoft Office Users	xvi

Sharing Files with Microsoft Office Users

Ian Laurenson

2004-10-27T11:59:08

Jean Hollis Weber