Is it possible to create a custom distribution of OpenOffice, or a way to package it into my java application?

Question

I've got simple java-based ppt->swf sub-project that basically works. The open source software out there, OpenOffice.org and JODConverter do the job great.

The thing is, to do this I need to install OO.o and run it in server mode. And to do that I have to install OO.o, which is allot of software (~160MB) just to convert the source PPT files to an intermediate format. Also, the public OO.o distributions are platform specific and I'd really like a single, cross platform set of files. And, I'd like to not interfer with a system's current settings, like file extension associations.

As things are now, my project is not particularly 'software distribution friendly'.

So, the questions are:

• Is it possible to create a custom distribution of OpenOffice? How would one about this?
• How lightweight and unobtrusive can I make the installation?
• Would it be possible to have a truly cross platform distribution since there would be no OO.o UI?
• Are there any licensing issues I need to be aware of? (On my list of things to check out, but if you them already then TIA!)

Answer 1

I have no idea to accomplish such task, but Microsoft has its PPT viewer that is for free and very small, maybe in .NET (C#) you can use some kinda function to save into a intermediate file that you need...

and by the way, how are you handling slide transictions?

I found a software that does that but you need MS PPT installed.

this was just an idea, now regarding your actually question:

you can create your own installation of OO, just jump to the Installation project and follow the lines.

I did not read 'til the end, but from the 1st paragraph it seams what you are searching for.

Answer 2

No, not unless you are neck deep coding in the OpenOffice project.