google docs uses Aspose.Words for Java 4.0.3.0 ?

[T N]

When I export a google doc as RTF, it appears to indicate that google
is using Aspose.Words for Java 4.0.3.0 to handle the conversion to
RTF.

Does anyone know if this is true?

Also, is it the case that google docs (on google servers) exist in one
of two possible formats (an older and newer version)?

I'm (finally) wondering about ingestion into these google doc
formats. Specifically, is there some way to create a local RTF
document from a local ASCII document such that when the RTF is
imported into a google document, the document can then be exported
from google docs as text and maintain fidelity with the original ASCII
(well, after conversion from UTF8)? (I'm close but still having
problems with gdocs stripping out all tabs, and my test cases so far
are limited, there may be more issues.)

Looking for a way to easily/programmatically verify (md5) ASCII
fidelity easily in cases where the doc doesn't change while in google
docs, and/or reliably see locally what has changed when a file is
brought down from google docs after being imported previously. I also
need to meet technical requirements that local ASCII put in google
docs has formatting desired while in google docs (font, font size,
borders, page orientation and size, line spacing, etc.).

Of course, I have been studying the Aspose.Words RTF that google docs
exports to see if that might inspire some tricks in my own ASCII -->
RTF conversion on my side, but this may be a waste of time since
obviously there may be absolutely no relationship between the
ingestion and the export from google docs.



Thanks,

Trever N.


P.S. Feature request for "Notepad/vi/emacs/plain text friendly" mode
for google docs! I understand the market wants it to be like Word.
But please keep us UNIX etc. users in mind Google...

[Ali Afshar]

Hi Trever,

I can't really comment on what is happening at the code-level in the
backend — sorry.

I am a Vim user myself, so I hear your feature request. I doubt it
will happen though, as the product has wide appeal, and Vim/Emacs
key-bindings are not exactly widespread outside small parts of
developer communities. Having said this, a Documents List API-based
Vim save filter would be a cool project, in my opinion, and one I
would certainly use.

Regards

--
Ali Afshar | www.googplus.org/ali | Google Developer Relations

[T N]

Hi Ali,

Thank you for your reply. I hear you.

But, seems worth re-iterating a bit: if Google Docs handles plain
text maximally graciously, that is useful, and I bet to a fair number
of folks.

Specifically:
- allow API user to specify defaults for text import formatting (eg.
font, font size, borders, page orientation) [Vic at google has
submitted this feature request]
- preserve tabs (it's clear to me now that they are stripped out when
exported, no matter what)
- don't strip out leading or trailing white space
- preserve white space generally (my current work around: convert
spaces to non-breaking prior to import to gdocs)

These things would be nice.... especially where these features are
practically possible for google. Eg. I realize white space issues can
be tough, but do tabs really have to be stripped out?

Thanks again,

Trever N.