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author | Adolfo Jayme Barrientos <fitojb@ubuntu.com> | 2015-03-22 21:21:57 -0600 |
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committer | Adolfo Jayme Barrientos <fitojb@ubuntu.com> | 2015-03-22 21:21:57 -0600 |
commit | 89d825c30ed812264585f45a43b1ebda0b74a44f (patch) | |
tree | 3830de917285a494fdca47b6be24c42021ecc3ea /README.md | |
parent | ea59d42d2098e8be8b3ab9667922e8427ee4b714 (diff) |
README.Code → README.md
So that mirrors pick it up and display it, instead of the Android README.
Change-Id: I0c4a8b8c7fe11b83c43342003ad27a0d9ef6b2eb
Diffstat (limited to 'README.md')
-rw-r--r-- | README.md | 66 |
1 files changed, 66 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 000000000000..e362798690e9 --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,66 @@ +A quick overview of the LibreOffice code structure. + +## Overview + +You can develop for LibreOffice in one of two ways, one +recommended and one much less so. First the somewhat less recommended +way: it is possible to use the SDK, for which you can read the API +docs [here](http://api.libreoffice.org/). This re-uses the (extremely +generic) APIs we provide for macro scripting in StarBasic. + +The best way to add a generally useful feature to LibreOffice +is to work on the code base however. Overall this way makes it easier +to compile and build your code, it avoids any arbitrary limitations of +our scripting APIs, and in general is far more simple and intuitive - +if you are a reasonably able C++ programmer. + + +## The important bits of code + +Each module should have a `README` file inside it which has some +degree of documentation for that module; patches are most welcome to +improve those. We have those turned into a web page here: + +http://docs.libreoffice.org/ + +However, there are two hundred modules, many of them of only +peripheral interest for a specialist audience. So - where is the +good stuff, the code that is most useful. Here is a quick overview of +the most important ones: + +Module | Description +----------|------------------------------------------------- +sal/ | this provides a simple System Abstraction Layer +tools/ | this provides basic internal types: 'Rectangle', 'Color' etc. +vcl/ | this is the widget toolkit library and one rendering abstraction +svx/ | graphics related helper code, including much of 'draw' / 'impress' +sfx2/ | core framework: document model / load/save / signals for actions etc. +framework | UNO wrappers around the core framework, responsible for building toolbars, menus, status bars, and the chrome around the document using widgets from VCL, and XML descriptions from */uiconfig/ files + +Then applications + +Module | Description +----------|------------------------------------------------- +desktop/ | this is where the 'main' for the application lives, init / bootstrap. the name dates back to an ancient StarOffice that also drew a desktop +sw/ | writer. +sc/ | calc +sd/ | draw / impress + +There are several other libraries that are helpful from a graphical perspective: + +Module | Description +----------|------------------------------------------------- +basebmp/ | enables a VCL compatible rendering API to render to bitmaps, as used for LibreOffice Online, Android, iOS, etc. +basegfx/ | algorithms and data-types for graphics as used in the canvas +canvas/ | new (UNO) canvas rendering model with various backends +cppcanvas/ | C++ helper classes for using the UNO canvas +drawinglayer/ | code to render and manage document drawing shapes and break them down into primitives we can render more easily. + + +## Finding out more + +Beyond this, you can read the `README` files, send us patches, ask +on the mailing list libreoffice@lists.freedesktop.org (no subscription +required) or poke people on IRC `#libreoffice-dev` on irc.freenode.net - +we're a friendly and generally helpful mob. We know the code can be +hard to get into at first, and so there are no silly questions. |