Earlier I had been converting Office 2007 on Linux command line using OdfConverter as per the instructions at http://www.oooninja.com/2008/01/convert-openxml-docx-etc-in-linux-using.html.

Today saw Ubuntu Linux opening Office 2007 files in OpenOffice 2.4. I have been using Fedora (as of this writing I’m running Fedora 9) on my laptop.Definitely there had to be something similar, for OpenOffice 2.4 in Fedora 9.

Found it at the following URL: http://katana.oooninja.com/w/odf-converter-integrator

1. Fedora users can install the RPMs from http://katana.oooninja.com/f/software/odf-converter-integrator-0.1.5-1.i386.rpm
2. Once this RPM is installed, double clicking any Office 2007 file will open the corresponding file in OpenOffice.

How it works

1. It basically registers a script – a python script – called odf-converter-integrator (found in /usr/bin directory) which is associated with the MIME (Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions) types of Office 2007 files.
2. This script uses the same OdfConverter binary which I used before and converts the Office 2007 file on the fly.

Shortcomings

1. While this will open an Office 2007 file using double click, you cannot open an Office 2007 file using File->Open in OpenOffice.
2. Don’t expect to be able to save the file in Office 2007 format. You will have to choose one of the OpenOffice supported file formats (like ODT, DOC, ODS, XLS, ODP, PPT etc.).

Update (Oct 20, 2008): The convertor documents do not show SmartArt (if used) in the Office 2007 files, not even as an embedded image.

I have myself done two comprehensive SRS (System Requirement Specification) documents – about 50 pages in length and full of UI diagrams – using OpenOffice Draw. The connectors, the basic shapes and  numerous the export options (or file formats) are all indispensable. But what was missing was a clipart of common shapes and elements.

I myself made tini-mini ODG files (OpenOffice Draw files) for combo boxes, dialog boxes and scrollbars, and re-used them in my diagrams.

Then, discovered this link to Custom OO shapes. Downloaded the .odg fies from this page and opened them in OpenOffice Draw Following is the screenshot of basic UI (user interface) elements like windows, dropdowns, frames, buttons, checkboxes etc.

Custom OO Shapes - GUI Elements and Controls

The way you can use them is:

1. Open the downloaded .odg files in OpenOffice Draw
2. Select the shape/component/element
3. Copy and paste the shape in your own diagram
4. Edit the shape – for example, change the label of the button from “OK” to “DONE”

Do not expect:

1. A Visio like, always accessible, sidebar/menu links to the clipart.
2. Colorful shapes