Use With Web Applications

You can use this extension with web applications. Web applications use web resources to perform a computational task. Web applications offer a great deal of flexibility, but you should be aware of privacy, reliability and security issues when using the web to store or process your content. Be aware that web application service providers can stop providing the service, or put limits on its use. Third party web applications might not work all the time, in all countries, on all platforms. You should be aware of privacy, access cost and security issues that apply to people who use on-line services using your computer. For example, if someone uses an on-line service in a hotel, it might result in extra charges on your bill. If someone connects your computer at an insecure location like an airport or coffee shop, the service might misdirect them to a maliciously configured access point.

The OpenOffice.org application will make a connection with the web if you:

• • Set the Read Text Extension dialog to use a web application,

  • Click the Get On-line Help button in Read Text Extension's About... dialog, or

  • Use Tools > Extension Manager > Check for Updates...

If your computer is a little slow, I recommend you launch a browser and check your Internet connection before you use a web application, otherwise it can take a moment for the browser to launch and for the page to display. I also recommend you use an up-to-date standards compliant browser. The web applications shown by default in the dialogue box are free of cost and use a published application programming interface. This page tells you about some web applications you might want to try by copying and pasting a URL into the dialogue box. For some of these, you might experience slow or intermittent response if a free server is getting a lot of use. Some free web applications also limit the number of times you can access the service in a day.

You can use the extension with your system's default Web Browser for translation and text-to-speech.

However, if your system's main Web Browser is not compliant with web standards, the Web Applications may look better and work better if you install a different browser. In Windows 7, after you have installed your choice of browser, hit the Windows Key and type Default Programs in the Search bar to set up the default browser used by the system. With Ubuntu, use System > Preferences > Preferred Applications. For Apple OSX, read this article from the Apple Knowledge base

Web based applications give you a lot of flexibility. If you need a different language or a very reliable and secure speech application, you can set up a local network speech server or use a commercial web based speech service. Generally, you can use an application that accepts a uniform resource location (URL) with program parameters following a question mark.

Use a web application

You can cut and paste the examples below into the Use a web application combo box in the Extension dialog. The (LANGUAGE_CODE) is a code for the language - en for English, es for Spanish, fr for French etc. The (OOO_WEBTEXTBIG) is an URL encoded string of up to 9999 characters of the selected text. The (OOO_WEBTEXT) is an URL encoded string of up to 999 characters of selected text. The (OOO_WEBTEXTSMALL) is a URL encoded string of up to 99 characters of the selected text.

Google Translate

• https://translate.google.com/?&langpair=auto|(LANGUAGE_CODE)&tbb=1&ie=&hl=(LANGUAGE_CODE)&text=(OOO_WEBTEXT)

Google Search

Google Search is a comprehensive search engine of publicly available web resources. The results show a brief summary of the contents of each resource to help evaluate its relevance.

• • https://www.google.com//search?hl=(LANGUAGE_CODE)&q=(OOO_WEBTEXTSMALL)

  • http://172.217.14.238//search?hl=(LANGUAGE_CODE)&q=(OOO_WEBTEXTSMALL)

Try it.

Google Chart API (QR Code)

QR Code uses square patterns to encode characters in an image. You can publish QR Codes or display them on your computer screen to instantly transfer links, addresses, phone numbers or notes to a mobile device with a camera and a QR Code reader application. Read Text Extension 0.7.4 includes a link to a web application that can create QR Codes.

• Tools > Add-ons > Read selection...

  • Choose Use a web application

  • In the combo box, choose https://chart.apis.google.com/chart?chs=350x350&cht=qr&chl=(OOO_WEBTEXT)

  • If you want a smaller chart size, edit chs=350x350 so that it uses smaller numbers like chs=150x150

  • Click OK

To analyse QR and other coded images on your computer, try the on-line XZing decoder.

To decode images on a mobile device, you may need to download or enable a special application. it is best if you can use an application that decodes the image right on the device, because you do not need an Internet connection to read the codes. If you are using a Linux or Java powered mobile phone, look in your app repository for a reader that uses Zxing, which can decode QR and other codes without communicating with a server.

If you are using an iPod or iPhone, the built-in camera application can read QR codes.

For Android users, the original ZXing Barcode Scanner application does a great job of reading QR codes. Since the application is open source, there are some clones in the Android Play web store that serve advertisements. The original is free of advertising and you can get it for no cost.

If your mobile device has the option to turn off connectivity (Airplane mode), you can test whether the application requires access to a server to work on your mobile device.

Google Definitions

Define selected text using Google definitions.

• Tools > Add-ons > Read selection...

  • Choose Use a web application

  • In the combo box, enter https://www.google.com/search?hl=(SELECTION_LANGUAGE_CODE)&defl=(SELECTION_LANGUAGE_CODE)&q=define:(OOO_WEBTEXTSMALL)

  • Click OK

On-line applications that use "google" in the URL are powered by Google. “QR Code” is registered trademark of DENSO WAVE INCORPORATED in the following countries: Japan, United States of America, Australia and Europe.