Group: OpenOfficeExtensions/Instructions

Beta instructions for using the free repository

NOTE: These are draft instructions -- bug reports and suggestions for better ways to make the switch are welcome.

The setting for the extension repository URL is in the OpenOffice.org registry. To use our replacement, open a file in your favorite text editor (like emacs, vim, or gedit) called:

   $HOME/.openoffice.org/3/user/registry/data/org/openoffice/Office/ExtensionManager.xcu

and paste these lines:

   <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
   <oor:component-data xmlns:oor="http://openoffice.org/2001/registry"
   xmlns:install="http://openoffice.org/2004/installation" xmlns:xs="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema"
   xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" oor:name="ExtensionManager" oor:package="org.openoffice.Office">
     <node oor:name="ExtensionRepositories">
       <prop oor:name="WebsiteLink">
         <value>http://www.fsf.org/openoffice</value>
       </prop>
     </node>
   </oor:component-data>

If you have OpenOffice.org running, you'll need to restart it before the change will take effect.

Now when you go to Tools => Extension Manager => Get more extensions online, you should be taken to the FSF listing.

On Microsoft Windows, the file should be:

   ...\OpenOffice.org 3\user\registry\data\org\openoffice\Office\ExtensionManager.xcu

To access the file on Mac OS X, right-click (or control-click) on the OpenOffice.org application, select "Show Package Contents", and navigate to:

   /Contents/basis-link/share/registry/data/org/openoffice/Office/ExtensionManager.xcu