Identify a new document at opening time, as opposed to existing ones, and perform a dedicated setup.
Control the processing of document save, document copy, print or mail-merge requests.
Recalculate table of contents, indexes or table entries of a Writer document when document is going to be closed
Import math Python packages before opening a Calc document. Release these packages when the document closes.

Next to assigning macros to events, one can monitor events raised by Office documents. Application Programming Interface (API) broadcasters are responsible for calling event scripts. Unlike listeners that require to define all supported methods, even if unused, document monitors require only two methods next to hooked event scripts.

Monitoring Document Events

Monitoring is illustrated herewith for Basic and Python languages using object-oriented programming. Assigning OnLoad script, to the Open Document event, suffices to initiate and terminate document event monitoring. Tools - Customise menu Events tab is used to assign either scripts.

Intercepting events helps setting scripts pre- and post-conditions such as loading and unloading libraries or track script processing in the background. Access2Base.Trace module usage is illustrating that second context.

With Python

Events monitoring starts from object instantiation and ultimately stops when Python releases the object. Raised events are reported using Access2Base console.

OnLoad and OnUnload events can be used to respectively set and unset Python programs path. They are described as Open document and Document closed.


         # -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
         from --future-- import unicode-literals
             
         import os.path, uno, unohelper
         from com.sun.star.document import DocumentEvent, \
             XDocumentEventListener as AdapterPattern
         from com.sun.star.lang import EventObject
             
         class UiDocument(unohelper.Base, AdapterPattern):
             """ Monitor document events """
             '''
             adapted from 'Python script to monitor OnSave event' at
             https://forum.openoffice.org/en/forum/viewtopic.php?t=68887
             '''
             def --init--(self):
                 """ Document events monitor """
                 ''' report using Access2Base.Trace console OR
                 report in 1st sheet, 1st column for Calc docs '''
                 ctx = uno.getComponentContext()
                 smgr = ctx.getServiceManager()
                 desktop = smgr.createInstanceWithContext(
                 'com.sun.star.frame.Desktop' , ctx)
                 self.doc = desktop.CurrentComponent
                 #self.row = 0  # uncomment for Calc documents only
                 Console.setLevel("DEBUG")
                 self.listen()  # Start monitoring doc. events
             
             @property
             def Filename(self) -> str:
                 sys-filename = uno.fileUrlToSystemPath(self.doc.URL)
                 return os.path.basename(sys-filename)
             
             def setCell(self, calcDoc, txt: str):
                 """ Output doc. events on 1st column of a Calc spreadsheet """
                 sheet = calcDoc.getSheets().getByIndex(0)
                 sheet.getCellByPosition(0,self.row).setString(txt)
                 self.row = self.row + 1
             
             def listen(self, *args):  # OnLoad/OnNew at the earliest
                 """ Start doc. events monitoring """
                 self.doc.addDocumentEventListener(self)
                 Console.log("INFO", "Document events are being logged", True)
             
             def sleep(self, *args):  # OnUnload at the latest (optional)
                 """ Stop doc. events monitoring """
                 self.doc.removeDocumentEventListener(self)
                 Console.log("INFO", "Document events have been logged", True)
             
             def documentEventOccured(self, event: DocumentEvent):
                 """ Intercepts all doc. events """
                 #self.setCell(event.Source, event.EventName) # only for Calc docs
                 Console.log("DEBUG",
                     event.EventName+" in "+self.Filename,
                     False)
             
             def disposing(self, event: EventObject):
                 """ Release all activities """
                 self.sleep()
                 Console.show()
             
         def OnLoad(*args):  # 'Open Document' event
             listener = UiDocument()  # Initiates listening
             
         def OnUnload(*args):  # 'Document has been closed' event
             pass  # (optional) performed when disposed
             
         g-exportedScripts = (OnLoad,)
             
         from com.sun.star.script.provider import XScript
         class Console():
             """
             (Back/Fore)ground console to report/log program execution.
             """
             @staticmethod
             def trace(*args,**kwargs):
                 """ Print free item list to console """
                 scr = Console.-a2bScript(script='DebugPrint', module='Compatible')
                 scr.invoke((args),(),())
             @staticmethod
             def log(level: str, text: str, msgBox=False):
                 """ Append log message to console, optional user prompt """
                 scr = Console.-a2bScript(script='TraceLog')
                 scr.invoke((level,text,msgBox),(),())
             @staticmethod
             def setLevel(logLevel: str):
                 """ Set log messages lower limit """
                 scr = Console.-a2bScript(script='TraceLevel')
                 scr.invoke((logLevel,),(),())
             @staticmethod
             def show():
                 """ Display console content/dialog """
                 scr = Console.-a2bScript(script='TraceConsole')
                 scr.invoke((),(),())
             @staticmethod
             def -a2bScript(script: str, library='Access2Base',
                 module='Trace') -> XScript:
                 ''' Grab application-based Basic script '''
                 sm = uno.getComponentContext().ServiceManager
                 mspf = sm.createInstanceWithContext(
                     "com.sun.star.script.provider.MasterScriptProviderFactory",
                     uno.getComponentContext())
                 scriptPro = mspf.createScriptProvider("")
                 scriptName = "vnd.sun.star.script:"+library+"."+module+"."+script+"?language=Basic&location=application"
                 xScript = scriptPro.getScript(scriptName)
                 return xScript

Mind the misspelled documentEventOccured method that inherits a typo from Office Application Programming Interface (API).

Start application and Close application events can respectively be used to set and to unset Python path for user scripts or Office scripts. In a similar fashion, document based Python libraries or modules can be loaded and released using Open document and Document closed events. Refer to Importing Python Modules for more information.

With Office Basic

Using Tools - Customise menu Events tab, the Open document event fires a ConsoleLogger initialisation. -documentEventOccured routine - set by ConsoleLogger - serves as a unique entry point to trap all document events.

controller.Events module


        Option Explicit
        
        Global -obj As Object ' controller.ConsoleLogger instance
        
        Sub OnLoad(evt As com.sun.star.document.DocumentEvent) ' >> Open Document <<
            -obj = New ConsoleLogger : -obj.StartAdapter(evt)
        End Sub ' controller.OnLoad
        Sub -documentEventOccured(evt As com.sun.star.document.DocumentEvent)
            ''' ConsoleLogger unique entry point '''
             -obj.DocumentEventOccurs(evt)
        End Sub ' controller.-documentEventOccured

controller.ConsoleLogger class module

Events monitoring starts from the moment a ConsoleLogger object is instantiated and ultimately stops upon document closure. StartAdapter routine loads necessary Basic libraries, while caught events are reported using Access2Base.Trace module.


          Option Explicit
          Option Compatible
          Option ClassModule
              
          ' ADAPTER design pattern object to be instantiated in the "Open Document" event
          Private Const UI-PROMPT = True
          Private Const UI-NOPROMPT = False ' Set it to True to visualise documents events
              
          ' MEMBERS
          Private -evtAdapter As Object ' com.sun.star.document.XDocumentEventBroadcaster
          Private -txtMsg As String ' text message to log in console
              
          ' PROPERTIES
          Private Property Get FileName As String
              ''' System-dependent filename '''
              Const -LIBRARY = "Tools" : With GlobalScope.BasicLibraries
                  If Not .IsLibraryLoaded(-LIBRARY) Then .LoadLibrary(-LIBRARY)
              End With
              Filename = Tools.Strings.FilenameOutofPath(ThisComponent.URL)
          End Property ' controller.ConsoleLogger.Filename
              
          ' METHODS
          Public Sub DocumentEventOccurs(evt As com.sun.star.document.DocumentEvent)
              ''' Monitor document events '''
              Access2Base.Trace.TraceLog("DEBUG", -
                  evt.EventName &" in "& Filename(evt.Source.URL), -
                  UI-NOPROMPT)
              Select Case evt.EventName
                  Case "OnUnload" : -StopAdapter(evt)
              End Select
          End Sub ' controller.ConsoleLogger.DocumentEventOccurs
              
          Public Sub StartAdapter(Optional evt As com.sun.star.document.DocumentEvent)
              ''' Initialise document events logging '''
              Const -LIBRARY = "Access2Base" : With GlobalScope.BasicLibraries
                  If Not .IsLibraryLoaded(-LIBRARY) Then .LoadLibrary(-LIBRARY)
              End With : Access2Base.Trace.TraceLevel("DEBUG")
              If IsMissing(evt) Then -txtMsg = "" Else -txtMsg = evt.EventName & "-"
              Access2Base.Trace.TraceLog("INFO", -txtMsg & "Document events are being logged", UI-PROMPT)
              -evtAdapter = CreateUnoListener( "-", "com.sun.star.document.XDocumentEventListener" )
              ThisComponent.addDocumentEventListener( -evtAdapter )
          End Sub ' controller.ConsoleLogger.StartAdapter
              
          Private Sub -StopAdapter(Optional evt As com.sun.star.document.DocumentEvent)
              ''' Terminate document events logging '''
              ThisComponent.removeDocumentEventListener( -evtAdapter )
              If IsMissing(evt) Then -txtMsg = "" Else -txtMsg = evt.EventName & "-"
              Access2Base.Trace.TraceLog("INFO", -txtMsg & "Document events have been logged", UI-PROMPT)
              Access2Base.Trace.TraceConsole() ' Captured events dialog
          End Sub ' controller.ConsoleLogger.-StopAdapter
              
          ' EVENTS
          ' Your code for handled events goes here

Mind the misspelled -documentEventOccured method that inherits a typo from Office Application Programming Interface (API).

Discovering Documents Events

The broadcaster API object provides the list of events it is responsible for:

With Python


         # -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
         from --future-- import unicode-literals
             
         import uno, apso-utils as ui
             
         def displayAvailableEvents():
             """ Display document events """
             '''
             adapted from DisplayAvailableEvents() by A. Pitonyak
             https://forum.openoffice.org/en/forum/viewtopic.php?&t=43689
             '''
             ctx = XSCRIPTCONTEXT.getComponentContext()
             smgr = ctx.ServiceManager
             geb = smgr.createInstanceWithContext(
                 "com.sun.star.frame.GlobalEventBroadcaster", ctx)
             events = geb.Events.getElementNames()
             ui.msgbox('; '.join(events))
             
         g-exportedScripts = (displayAvailableEvents,)

The Alternative Python Script Organizer (APSO) extension is used to render events information on screen.

With Office Basic


         Sub DisplayAvailableEvents
             ''' Display document events '''
             Dim geb As Object ' com.sun.star.frame.GlobalEventBroadcaster
             Dim events() As String
             geb = CreateUnoService("com.sun.star.frame.GlobalEventBroadcaster")
             events = geb.Events.ElementNames()
             MsgBox Join(events, "; ")
         End Sub

Listening to Document EventsMonitoring Document Events With Python With Office Basic Discovering Documents Events With Python With Office Basic Related Topics