ODF backend for AsciiDoc

*This presentation is used as a starting point to make ODF, LibreOffice and AsciiDoc a stronger combination, therefore it highlights various shortcomings. It was delivered at the ODF Plugfest 2012 in Brussels.*

Writing technical documentation can be fun, even if you have to produce DOC, ODF or PDF files that need to conform to a visual corporate identity. This presentation highlights one solution that combines the intuitive power of AsciiDoc for writing content, the joy of Git/Subversion for collaborating and the efficiency of LibreOffice for styling in a beautiful (subject to eye of the beholder) marriage of Open Source technology.

If you often have to write proposals, design documents or technical procedures, you will enjoy this presentation and proposed solution. The toolchain increases efficiency, makes collaboration possible. Styling and formatting become an afterthought.

More information at: http://github.com/dagwieers/asciidoc-odf

Transcript

1. ODF backend for AsciiDoc ODF backend for AsciiDoc Professional documents Professional documents while keeping it simple while keeping it simple ODF Plugfest 2012, Brussels ODF Plugfest 2012, Brussels Dag Wieërs, dag@wieers.com Dag Wieërs, dag@wieers.com
2. Why AsciiDoc ? Why AsciiDoc ? • It is plain text It is plain text • Intuitive markup language Intuitive markup language • Maps 1:1 to simplified DocBook Maps 1:1 to simplified DocBook • Flexible to extend Flexible to extend
3. Why ODF ? Why ODF ? • “ “The” The” O Open Source document standard pen Source document standard • Can be easily converted to other formats Can be easily converted to other formats • LibreOffice PDF output is superb ! LibreOffice PDF output is superb ! • Visual styling using LibreOffice Visual styling using LibreOffice
4. How does it work ? How does it work ? • Collaborate on Collaborate on content content (e.g. Git) (e.g. Git) • Conversion to Flat ODF using AsciiDoc Conversion to Flat ODF using AsciiDoc • Styling through LibreOffice Styling through LibreOffice • Re-apply styles to future documents Re-apply styles to future documents
5. AsciiDoc-ODF functionality ! AsciiDoc-ODF functionality ! • AsciiDoc features AsciiDoc features admonitions, blocks, captions, comments, admonitions, blocks, captions, comments, footnotes, table-of-content, themes footnotes, table-of-content, themes • Filter integration Filter integration ascii-art, charts, mathml, plantuml, qrcode, ascii-art, charts, mathml, plantuml, qrcode, syntax highlighting syntax highlighting • ODF functionality ODF functionality annotation, columns, covers, headers/footers, annotation, columns, covers, headers/footers, metadata metadata
6. Live demonstration ! Live demonstration !
7. Various ODF-related issues. Various ODF-related issues. • Unspecified ODF-consumer behavior Unspecified ODF-consumer behavior – Images with only width or height Images with only width or height #23 #23 – Ordering of styles Ordering of styles #31 #31 – Standard naming of styles Standard naming of styles #5 #5 – Open and save rewrites styles Open and save rewrites styles
8. Various ODF-related issues.. Various ODF-related issues.. • Issues in LibreOffice Issues in LibreOffice – Native SVG support Native SVG support #17 #17 → fixed → fixed – Crashes on incorrect ODF Crashes on incorrect ODF → fixed → fixed – Flat ODF integration Flat ODF integration #22 #22 → in progress → in progress – style:rel-width/rel-height bug style:rel-width/rel-height bug #23 #23 – Content/style pollution Content/style pollution #15 #15 – Open and save trashes output Open and save trashes output #28 #28 • Other ODF-consumers ? Other ODF-consumers ?
9. Various ODF-related issues... Various ODF-related issues... • Unsupported AsciiDoc constructs Unsupported AsciiDoc constructs – Admonitions Admonitions #12 #12 → abuse sections/columns → abuse sections/columns – Nested paragraphs Nested paragraphs #18 #18 → avoid → avoid – Reference label Reference label #14 #14 → abuse bookmarks → abuse bookmarks – Table styles Table styles #13 #13 → per cell is ” → per cell is ”horror horror” ” – Complex tables Complex tables → more “ → more “horror horror” ” – Pagebreaks Pagebreaks #10 #10 → only in paragrap → only in paragraphs hs
10. Various ODF-related issues.... Various ODF-related issues.... • Validation using xmllint Validation using xmllint #19 #19 → fixed → fixed • Lack of ODF support in 3rd party tools Lack of ODF support in 3rd party tools • ODP is a whole different animal ODP is a whole different animal #30 #30
11. Your use-case is needed ! Your use-case is needed ! • Join us at GitHub: Join us at GitHub: github.com/dagwieers/asciidoc-odf github.com/dagwieers/asciidoc-odf • Discuss on the AsciiDoc list: Discuss on the AsciiDoc list: asciidoc@googlegroups.com asciidoc@googlegroups.com • Tools mentioned in the presentation Tools mentioned in the presentation unoconv, pandoc, codiicsa, docbook2asciidoc unoconv, pandoc, codiicsa, docbook2asciidoc
12. Thank you for listening ! Thank you for listening !