Use SVG graphics in OpenOffice.org

OpenOffice.org (still) doesn't offer native support for vector graphics in the SVG format. The SVG Import Filter for OpenOffice.org solves this problem. It installs as a regular OpenOffice.org extension and allows you to open SVG files by converting them into the OpenDocument format. Although the SVG Import Filter generally does a good job of handling SVG graphics, there are some features that have not yet been implemented. This includes color and transparency gradients "due to deficiencies in the current OpenOffice.org implementation of OpenDocument".

Email Backup extension for OpenOffice.org

You can use any email account (e.g. Gmail) to quickly backup the Writer document your are currently working on. Simply install the Email Backup extension, and you can email the active document with a single mouse click. To install the extension:

1. Download the EmailBackup.zip package. Do not unzip it.
2. Choose Tools -> Extension Manager.
3. Select My Extensions and press the Add button.
4. Select the EmailBackup.zip package and press Open.

Once the extension is installed, restart OpenOffice.org. To backup the current document, choose Tools -> Add-Ons -> Email Backup (see figure), enter the email address you want to use, and you are done.

If you want to know more about how the extension works, take a look at the OOoBasic crash course: One-click email backup of OpenOffice.org documents article by yours truly.

Download: Email Backup Extension

The Email Backup extension is released under GPL.

Tabs in Writer

The Tabbed Windows Extension allows you to manage multiple documents using tabs, and it works in the pretty much same way as the Tabs feature in Firefox. The current version of the extension offers only limited functionality, and it's still rather buggy. In fact, the author considers it a working demo rather that a ready-to-use extension. Nevertheless, it offers a pretty good idea what a tabbed interface may look like in OpenOffice.org.

Figure: Tabbed Windows Extension