Connecting Python Project with LibreOffice Calc in PyCharm

Question

How do I connect a Python project with LibreOffice Calc in PyCharm?

Answer

While JetBrains does not provide an official integration between PyCharm and LibreOffice, you can use the LibreOffice UNO (Universal Network Objects) bindings to establish a connection. Follow the steps below to connect your Python project with LibreOffice Calc and send calculation results back to sheet cells.

Step 1: Install LibreOffice UNO bindings

Run the following commands to install the UNO bindings on your system:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install python3-uno

Verify the installation:

python3 -c "import uno; print(uno.__file__)"

Step 2: Create a PyCharm virtual environment with system package access

Since LibreOffice UNO is installed as a system package, your virtual environment must include access to system packages. Replace the default PyCharm virtual environment with the following setup:

rm -rf .venv

python3 -m venv .venv --system-site-packages

source .venv/bin/activate

Verify the setup:

python -c "import uno; print(uno.__file__)"

Step 3: Start LibreOffice with UNO enabled

Launch LibreOffice with the required UNO settings using the following command:

soffice \
  --accept='socket,host=127.0.0.1,port=2002;urp;StarOffice.ComponentContext' \
  --norestore --nofirststartwizard

Step 4: Perform a minimal connection test

Create a Python script (test.py) to verify the connection:

import uno

local_ctx = uno.getComponentContext()

resolver = local_ctx.ServiceManager.createInstanceWithContext(
    "com.sun.star.bridge.UnoUrlResolver",
    local_ctx
)

ctx = resolver.resolve(
    "uno:socket,host=127.0.0.1,port=2002;urp;StarOffice.ComponentContext"
)

print("Connected to LibreOffice!")

Save and run the script to confirm the connection to LibreOffice Calc.

By following these steps, you should be able to connect your Python project in PyCharm to LibreOffice Calc and work with data dynamically.