Extension for cropping in OpenOffice Draw, and more

You can crop pictures by selecting them, then clicking the Crop icon.

You then get this window where you must type how much off the top, bottom, and sides you want.

If you'd rather draw where the crop goes, you can use this extension.

Note, before you begin, that there is no undo.

1. Install the extension. To do this, download it from the link above, then choose Tools > Extension Manager. Click Add and select the extension file. Then restart OpenOffice.org.

2. Create a new drawing file and insert a picture, or go to a Draw file with a picture in it.

3. Select the picture and choose Tools > Addons > CropOOo. 

4. You'll see a dashed line with handles appear around the picture.

5. Use the handles to resize the dashed line to the area you want to crop.

6. Press Enter (or Return) and the picture will be cropped.

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Comments

[Ken]

SUPER.... the funky way OpenOffice forced one to crop a picture was my single biggest reason for sticking with MS-Office. I do alot of technical illustrations, and I absolutely hated the manner in which OpenOffice functioned in this area. Thanks

[bh]

Hi. Thanks for the tip on where it installed and how it works, things the extension authors often omit.

I did initially get an error but after closing OOo and the quickstarter, the second time was perfect. In addition to Draw and Impress which the author mentions, I see it also made a Writer toolbar called "oooCrop" and seems to work. But I'd like to pass along my experiences with OOo cropping in general:

*WARNING* - OOo cropping does *NOT* remove the unwanted areas from the picture. It is not scissors.

OOo only stops presenting the unwanted information until someone says different.

If a picture previously cropped in OOo is selected and OOo's crop tool is opened, the entire original picture is shown in the viewer. There are bars at the current crop limits. The crop limits can easily be moved back to the original borders. Or with the ooocrop extension, the handles yanked outward and Enter pressed.

The ORIGINAL PICTURE, uncropped, is always in the XML ODF file and would be sent to any recipients (easily seen using any zip program, too).

So, consider OOo cropping like folding back the unwanted edge of a photo, rather than tearing it off. Anyone who peeks can see it.

This "unexpected disclosure of information" is not uncommon. I recall large headline embarassments with other brands of software over the years where "redacted" info was easily revealed. OOo has the "delete user data info" button on the File/Properties menu, so maybe they do mention how the crop feature works but maybe I missed it. Many folks expect crop is always like "cut."

Thanks again
Bh

[Solveig]

Hi bh,

Thanks for the tip! Good point, very good point. (Gimp can be used for true cropping.) That's how the regular crop function works so I guess it makes sense that this crop would work the same way.

Solveig