I’m trying to write a script for a while now but it seems that one part of it just does not work.
Situation: I need a VB script that can use any LibreOffice (/ OpenOffice) Calc (3.5.4 in my case) installation on any Windows XP or 7 system for export of xls to csv (as many csv files as there are sheets in the xls). It has to be VBS and LibreOffice in this case. No macro installed, everything controlled externally by vbscript.
So, first step was to use the macro recorder in order to get the right filter settings.
StarBasic macro:
dim document as object
dim dispatcher as object
document = ThisComponent.CurrentController.Frame
dispatcher = createUnoService("com.sun.star.frame.DispatchHelper")
dim args1(2) as new com.sun.star.beans.PropertyValue
args1(0).Name = "URL"
args1(0).Value = "file:///C:/Users/lutz/Desktop/test.csv"
args1(1).Name = "FilterName"
args1(1).Value = "Text - txt - csv (StarCalc)"
args1(2).Name = "FilterOptions"
args1(2).Value = "9,0,76,1,,0,false,true,true"
dispatcher.executeDispatch(document, ".uno:SaveAs", "", 0, args1())
This macro (in LibreOffice) writes a CSV of the current sheet (after LO telling me that only the current sheet will be saved), encoding UTF-8, field separator Tab, no text separator. This works.
I tried to get this to work in my vbs but it absolutely did not. So I searched a lot in OpenOffice and LibreOffice forums, here at stackoverflow, etc. and used another method.
Problem: Everytime it saves the file(s) it saves them as ODS, no matter which filter or filter options I use. It always saves to zipped OpenDocument. I tried numerous Filters, even PDF. It seems that it works with pdf when I only use the FilterName property but somehow it doesn’t work anymore. And I don’t know why.
The code:
' Scripting object
Dim wshshell
' File system object
Dim objFSO
' OpenOffice / LibreOffice Service Manager
Dim objServiceManager
' OpenOffice / LibreOffice Desktop
Dim objDesktop
' Runcommand, if script does not run with Cscript
Dim runcommand
Dim Path
Dim Savepath
Dim Filename
Dim url
Dim args0(0)
Dim args1(3)
' Create File system object
Set wshshell = CreateObject("Wscript.Shell")
Set objFSO = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
' If not run in cscript, run in cscript
if instr(1, wscript.fullname, "cscript.exe")=0 then
runcommand = "cscript //Nologo xyz.vbs"
wshshell.run runcommand, 1, true
wscript.quit
end if
' If files present, run Calc
If objFSO.GetFolder(".").Files.Count>0 then
Set objServiceManager = WScript.CreateObject("com.sun.star.ServiceManager")
' Create Desktop
Set objDesktop = objServiceManager.createInstance("com.sun.star.frame.Desktop")
else
' If no files in directory
wscript.echo "No files found!"
wscript.quit
End If
on error resume next
bError=False
For each File in objFSO.GetFolder(".").Files
if lcase(right(File.Name,3))="xls" then
' Access file
url = ConvertToURL(File.Path)
objDesktop = GlobalScope.BasicLibraries.loadLIbrary( "Tools" )
Set args0(0) = objServiceManager.Bridge_GetStruct("com.sun.star.beans.PropertyValue")
Set objDocument = objDesktop.loadComponentFromURL(url, "_blank", 0, args0 )
' Read filenames without extension or path
Path = ConvertToURL( File.ParentFolder ) & "/"
Filename = objFSO.GetBaseName( File.Path )
Savepath = ConvertToURL( File.ParentFolder )
' set arguments
Set args1(0) = objServiceManager.Bridge_GetStruct("com.sun.star.beans.PropertyValue")
Set args1(1) = objServiceManager.Bridge_GetStruct("com.sun.star.beans.PropertyValue")
Set args1(2) = objServiceManager.Bridge_GetStruct("com.sun.star.beans.PropertyValue")
sFilterName = "Text - txt - csv (StarCalc)"
sFilterOptions = "9,0,76,1,,0,false,true,true"
sOverwrite = True
Set args1(0) = MakePropertyValue( "FilterName", sFilterName )
Set args1(1) = MakePropertyValue( "FilterOptions", sFilterOptions )
Set args1(2) = MakePropertyValue( "Overwrite", sOverwrite )
' Save every sheet in separate csv file
objSheets = objDocument.Sheets
For i = 0 to objDocument.Sheets.getcount -1
objSheet = objDocument.Sheets.getByIndex(i)
Call objDocument.CurrentController.setActiveSheet(objSheet)
Call objDocument.storeToURL( ConvertToURL( File.ParentFolder & "\" & Filename & "_" & objDocument.sheets.getByIndex(i).Name & ".csv" ), args1 )
Next
' Close document
objDocument.close(True)
Set objDocument = Nothing
Path = ""
Savepath = ""
Filename = ""
Else
End If
Next
' Close / terminate LibreOffice
objDesktop.terminate
Set objDesktop = nothing
Set objServiceManager = nothing
The function ConvertToUrl is not listed here. It is a vbscript function that converts Windows paths to URL paths (file:/// etc.). It is tested and works.
What I also tried:
- Saving in ods first (StoreAsUrl) then try to save in different format.
- Use MakePropertyValue( “SelectionOnly”, true )
None of that worked nor did it combined. I used http://extensions.services.openoffice.org/de/project/OOcalc_multi_sheets_export as a source of inspiration. But it is a macro, not direct access from an external vb script.
It seems that the problem is a general one with StoreToUrl or the properties / arguments:
Even FilterName “writer_pdf” or “Calc MS Excel 2007 XML” don’t work. Problem is: I don’t know what’s the culprit here. The settings that the macro recorder uses are the same and if one uses the macro directly in LibreOffice it works.
Maybe someone knows what needs to get changed in the code or how I can get the dispatcher used in the macro to work.
Thank you for your help in advance!
Ok, I found the solution after days of research and tiny little information scattered everywhere. I hope that this code will serve someone well:
I hope that at least this small contribution from me helps others.