OLE and Java (ODF all versions)

["Alex Brown" <alexb@griffinbrown.co.uk>]

Dear all,

ODF declares the elements draw:object-ole (9.4.5.3) and draw:applet
(9.4.6) for non-XML object embedding.

draw:object-ole appears to be a generic container for all binary objects
since it is for "objects that only have a binary representation".

<draw:applet> is reserved for Java(tm) applets.

Digging a bit deeper, it appears the Java applet can be specified in two
ways: via the @draw:code or the @draw:object attribute ("[t]his element
must contain either the draw:code or draw:object attribute.") Note that
"must" needs to go here.

Now, @draw:object "specifies a resource that contains a serialized
representation of the state of the applet" (18.208), and "[t]he value of
this attribute is interpreted in [sic] relative to the codebase for an
applet". So if we specify that the resource resides at
"foo/mystate.bin", to what applet's codebase is that relative?

So, question: how is the "codebase for an applet" determined when
@draw:object is used? This is not clear from the text. (Note, anyway:
the term 'codebase' is never defined in the text -- is it like HTML's
?).

When @draw:object is used we are told (18.208) "[t]he serialized data
contains the class name of the applet". 

Question: how does it "contain" it?

When the @draw:code is used, in actual fact no "code" is involved
because we learn it specifies either:

----b
 - The name of a class file that contains the compiled applet subclass.
[or]
 - The path to the class, including the class file itself.
----e

Since we are specifying _class_ files here, this turns out just to be
another binary representation.

Question: why do binary representations of Java classes have the
privilege of their own element?

Question: are other non-binary object technologies permitted other than
Java?

I think the text needs to be clarified to anwer the questions above, and
generalised so as not to depend on proprietary, non-standard technology.

- Alex.