Re: [boost] [Boost Document Library] Which SDK / OS to use for development?

Subject: Re: [boost] [Boost Document Library] Which SDK / OS to use for development?
From: Anurag Ghosh (ghoshanurag1995_at_[hidden])
Date: 2015-04-10 10:35:05

Hey

On Fri, Apr 10, 2015 at 12:50 AM, Abhinav Tripathi <ee130002001_at_[hidden]>
wrote:

> I am trying to start the development of a Document Library for Boost which
> was listed under the GSoC projects list.
> I successfully built Boost 1.57 on windows 8 with MinGW using some help
> from this mailing list.
> Now, i wish to develop the library on windows only (Although i can shift to
> linux if need be).... When i went through the links provided on the ideas
> list, i came across following things :
> --The OpenOffice SDK asks to either use linux or Visual Studio on Windows
> and there is practically nothing (documentation) for compiling with MinGW.
> --The LibreOffice SDK also asks to install many *nix tools first and also
> doesn't mention anything about compatibility with MinGW.
> --The last 2 links use .NET and some other MS libraries which i am pretty
> sure won't be much portable...
>

Both OpenOffice SDK and LibreOffice SDK have the nearly the same backend in
StarOffice, so there is not much of a difference there (courtesy the small
exposure that I have had with them.).

I am now in a dilemma..... Which of the 2 SDK should i try to use on
> Windows with MinGW.. Or should i NOT develop on windows and shift to
> linux...
>

I'm not sure about compiling with MinGW however, as you are a student (you
are applying for GSoC), you can register at dreamspark.com and get a
licensed copy of visual studio. (I did that, you may need to submit some
identity proof though and create a microsoft account.)

> Also, The MS Office formats are not open but other office formats might be
> open and hence i can also try and develop something without using any of
> the available SDKs. So, instead of developing of a wrapper, i can aim to
> develop a complete library to load and manipulate document files...
>
Please suggest some option and show me a way as to which SDK/Platform
> should i use. And how to continue the development for the Document Library.
>

For Libs and Includes of LibreOffice/OpenOffice SDK, (there might be very
slight differences so please bear with me)

1. You will need to run setsdkenv_windows.bat and provide the various
params. Download cat, sed etc from sourceforge/GnuWin32.

2. In the same terminal, then Go to C:\Program Files (x86)\LibreOffice
4\sdk\bin and run the following command to generate the includes,

cppumaker.exe -Gc -O"$OO_SDK_OUT\include" "C:\Program Files
(x86)\LibreOffice 4\URE\misc\types.rdb" "C:\Program Files (x86)\LibreOffice
4\program\types\oovbaapi.rdb" "C:\Program Files (x86)\Libreoffice
4\program\types\offapi.rdb"

This will generate all the necessary includes at $OO_SDK_OUT\include.

3. C:\Program Files (x86)\LibreOffice 4\sdk\lib contains all the necessary
libraries to be linked.

Now you have the libs and the includes which can be used by MinGW and msvc
to compile programs (and wrappers) using these libraries. (use /LIBPATH: or
/INCLUDE: or -I etc etc.)

Hope this should help you a bit. :)

Thanks

Anurag Ghosh