So we’re only a few days into 2008 and already stuck in to the next batch of improvements for Open Repository.

Firstly, we’ve upgraded the browse module and after some time trials, we estimate the browse feature is now running about three times faster than before, especially when pulling large lists, such as viewing 100 results. That’s live as of this morning.

Furthermore, admins will now see an ‘Export  to’ button, followed by a choice of either EndNote or RefMan, on each item view. This feature  is still a work in progress, hence only being available to admins for the time being. Choosing this export option will show the item’s metadata in EndNote or ReferenceManger format a new tab. The next step is to have the metadata download into the particular citation management software, but the main changes are up which is important. If anyone gets the chance to have a play with this feature and check the metadata exports are all ok, we’d be most grateful.

We’ve also expanded the in-submission document conversion tool for OpenOffice documents. This means that Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint documents can now also be converted into their respective Open Document formats (ODF), as well as into PDF. Additionally OpenOffice documents (including StarOffice documents up to 5.0) will be recognised when uploaded by the submission form and can also be converted into PDF. The system will accept all OpenOffice 2.x documents and older.

This improvement comes at an auspicious time with the news that the Norwegian government has mandated the use of Open Document Formats (ODF) for files published for use by the Norwegian public. Part of the press release reads: The government has decided that all information on governmental websites
should be available in the open formats HTML, PDF or ODF. With this decision the
times when public documents where only available in Microsoft’s Word-format is
coming to an end.