LibreOffice Importer for WordPress

A powerful WordPress plugin that allows you to easily import posts from LibreOffice Writer documents. Import via ODT files or copy/paste formatted content directly, with automatic extraction of title, author, abstract, images, and footnotes.

Features

• Multiple Import Methods

  • Upload ODT (OpenDocument Text) files
  • Copy and paste formatted content directly from LibreOffice Writer

• Intelligent Content Extraction

  • Automatic title detection from the first line
  • Author name extraction and matching with WordPress users
  • Abstract/summary extraction from first few paragraphs
  • Preservation of all text formatting (headings, bold, italic, underline, etc.)

• Rich Media Support

  • Automatic image extraction and upload to WordPress media library
  • Image embedding with proper linking
  • Support for various image formats (PNG, JPG, GIF, etc.)

• Advanced Features

  • Footnote conversion to WordPress-style footnotes
  • List preservation (ordered and unordered)
  • Table support
  • Hyperlink preservation
  • Configurable post status (draft, pending, published)

Requirements

• WordPress 5.0 or higher
• PHP 7.4 or higher
• PHP ZIP extension (for ODT file support)
• PHP XML extension (for content parsing)

Installation

Method 1: WordPress Admin

1. Download the plugin ZIP file or create it using ./build.sh
2. Go to Plugins > Add New > Upload Plugin
3. Choose the ZIP file and click 'Install Now'
4. Click 'Activate Plugin'
5. Navigate to 'LO Importer' in the WordPress admin menu

Method 2: Manual Installation (FTP/SSH)

# Via SSH
cd /path/to/wordpress/wp-content/plugins/
git clone https://github.com/johanneswilm/wordpress-libreoffice-importer.git libreoffice-importer
chown -R www-data:www-data libreoffice-importer
chmod -R 755 libreoffice-importer

Then activate via WordPress admin.

Quick Start

Method 1: Upload ODT File

1. Go to LO Importer in WordPress admin
2. Click Upload ODT File tab
3. Select your .odt file
4. Click Import from ODT
5. Your post is created as a draft

Method 2: Copy & Paste

1. In LibreOffice: Select all (Ctrl+A) and copy (Ctrl+C)
2. In WordPress: Go to LO Importer
3. Click Copy & Paste tab
4. Paste in the editor (Ctrl+V)
5. Click Create Post from Content
6. Your post is created as a draft

Usage

Importing from ODT Files

1. Go to LO Importer > Import Document in your WordPress admin
2. Click the Upload ODT File tab
3. Select your .odt file
4. Click Import from ODT
5. Wait for processing to complete
6. View or edit your newly created post

Copy & Paste Import

1. Open your document in LibreOffice Writer
2. Select all content (Ctrl+A / Cmd+A)
3. Copy (Ctrl+C / Cmd+C)
4. Go to LO Importer > Import Document in WordPress
5. Click the Copy & Paste tab
6. Click in the editor area and paste (Ctrl+V / Cmd+V)
7. Click Create Post from Content
8. Your post will be created with all formatting preserved

Document Format Guidelines

For best results, structure your LibreOffice documents as follows:

Title

The first line of your document will be used as the post title. Make it short and descriptive.

Author Information

Include author information in one of these formats:

• Author: John Doe
• By John Doe
• Written by: John Doe

The plugin will attempt to match the author name with existing WordPress users.

Abstract/Summary

The first 2-3 paragraphs after the title and author information will be considered as the post excerpt/abstract (configurable in settings).

Alternatively, you can explicitly mark an abstract:

Abstract: This is the summary of my post...

Main Content

Write your main content using standard LibreOffice formatting:

• Headings (Heading 1-6) will be converted to HTML h1-h6
• Bold, italic, and underline formatting will be preserved
• Bulleted and numbered lists
• Tables
• Images (embedded inline)
• Hyperlinks
• Footnotes

Configuration

Navigate to LO Importer > Settings to configure:

Content Extraction

• Extract Author Information: Automatically detect and match authors
• Extract Abstract/Summary: Use first paragraphs as excerpt
• Abstract Maximum Paragraphs: Number of paragraphs to include (default: 3)

Import Options

• Import Images: Upload images to media library
• Import Footnotes: Convert footnotes to WordPress format
• Preserve Formatting: Keep all text styling

Post Settings

• Default Post Status: Set to Draft, Pending Review, or Published

Examples

Example 1: Simple Blog Post

My Amazing Blog Post

Author: Jane Smith

This is the introduction paragraph that will be used as the excerpt.

This is the main content of the post. It can include **bold text**, 
*italic text*, and [hyperlinks](https://example.com).

## Subheading

More content here with:
- Bullet points
- Multiple items
- Well formatted

### Another Subheading

Final thoughts and conclusions.

Example 2: Academic Paper

Research on WordPress Import Methods

Author: Dr. John Doe

Abstract: This paper explores various methods for importing content into 
WordPress content management systems, with a focus on LibreOffice 
document formats and their conversion efficiency.

# Introduction

The need for efficient content migration...

# Methodology

We analyzed several approaches...

# Results

The findings indicate[1] that automated imports significantly 
reduce manual work.

# Conclusion

In conclusion, this research demonstrates...

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[1] Based on a study of 100 documents

Configuration

Navigate to LO Importer > Settings to configure:

Content Extraction

• Extract Author Information: Automatically detect and match authors with WordPress users
• Extract Abstract/Summary: Use first paragraphs as excerpt
• Abstract Maximum Paragraphs: Number of paragraphs to include (default: 3)

Import Options

• Import Images: Upload images to media library
• Import Footnotes: Convert footnotes to WordPress format
• Preserve Formatting: Keep all text styling

Post Settings

• Default Post Status: Set to Draft, Pending Review, or Published (recommended: Draft)

Troubleshooting

ODT Files Won't Upload

• Check that the PHP ZIP extension is enabled
• Verify your WordPress upload file size limit
• Ensure the file is a valid ODT format

Images Not Importing

• Check your server's upload file size limits
• Verify you have write permissions to the uploads directory
• Ensure the 'Import Images' option is enabled in settings

Formatting Not Preserved

• Make sure 'Preserve Formatting' is enabled in settings
• Use standard LibreOffice styles rather than manual formatting
• Complex custom styles may not translate perfectly

Author Not Matched

• Ensure the author name matches a WordPress user's display name or login
• Check that 'Extract Author Information' is enabled
• The plugin will use the current user if no match is found

Credits

Developed by Johannes Wilm

• GitHub: https://github.com/johanneswilm
• Email: mail@johanneswilm.org

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Copyright © 2025 Johannes Wilm
Licensed under GPL v3 or later
Thank you for using LibreOffice Importer!