Writer's Tools extension for OpenOffice.org

Writer’s Tools is a set of utilities designed to help OpenOffice.org users perform a wide range of tasks. Using Writer’s Tools, you can back up documents, look up and translate words and phrases, manage text snippets, and keep tabs on document statistics.

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Writer’s Tools includes the following utilities:

• Lookup Tool allows you to lookup the currently selected word in several online references, including Cambridge Dictionaries, WordNet, and Google Define.
• Google Translate allows users to quickly translate selected text fragments between different languages using the Google Translate service.
• Show on the Map tool allows you to select a city, a street name, or a postal code and map it using Google Maps.
• Email Backup can be used to quickly send a backup copy of the currently opened document to a specified email address.
• Multi-format Backup macro saves the currently opened Writer document in the Word, RTF, and TXT formats. The backup files are stored in a zip archive with a date stamp.
• Remote Backup allows you to quickly save a backup copy of the current document on a FTP server.
• Wikify Word tool links a selected word or text fragment in the current document to a created on the fly Writer document. For example, if the word “Monkey” is selected, the macro automatically links it to the created on the fly Monkey.odt document.
• Start/Stop Timer tool can be used to keep tabs on time spent on the currently opened document and save the time data (the document name, used time, and date) in the accompanying WriterDB database.
• Quick Converter lets you perform conversion between the metric and imperial systems. The default conversion rules can be easily expanded.
• Word of the Day tool picks and displays a random word and its definition from the from the accompanying WriterDB database. As a writer, you may often come across a new word or an interesting expression. The WriterDB database allows you to store your language findings in one place, while the Word of the Day tool helps you to keep them active in your memory.
• Add to Basket tool is designed to quickly add text snippets, links, and notes to the supplied database. You can also categorize and tag the added entries.
• Database tool opens the WriterDB database, where you can use the available forms to manage notes and tasks.
• Tasks tool is a no-frills to-do manager that allows you to quickly add , view, and purge tasks.
• Convert To tool can convert Writer documents in a selected folder into a specified format. These tools can come in handy when you need to convert multiple Writer documents in one go.
• App Launcher is a customizable application launcher, which you can use to add and launch often-used applications directly from withing OpenOffice.org.
• Writer Templates is a separate extension that contains an article and a book templates.
• miniInvoices is a customizable invoicing solution for writers. miniInvoices is built with OpenOffice.org Base and relies on the Sun Report Builder extension. The solution features support for multiple currencies and basic reporting capabilities. The latter allows the user to generate print-ready invoices and earning reports. miniInvoices is available as a separate download.

The Writer’s Tools extension is released under GNU GPL. Writer’s Tools is very much a work in progress. Send your ideas, improvements, suggestions, comments etc. to dmpop@openoffice.org The latest development release is available in the following SVN Repository. Download the current stable version: writertools-0.9.43.zip.

The Writer's Tools Manual covers all the important topics, which can help you to get the most out of the Writer’s Tools OpenOffice.org extension.