Calc: Adding cryptographic hash functions

[lalle]

Hi,
we use several cryptographic functions in our operations, e.g. MD5 to create unique customer IDs (instead of logging original data we store only the hash), or to create one-time passwords where we combine date/time with input from the user. Another common function is of course to calculate file integrity, which many others do too.

The function is already implemneted in an extension to OO3: “Cryptographic Hash Functions UNO Component for OpenOffice.org” See more at: http://extensions.openoffice.org/en/project/cryptographic-hash-functions-uno-component-openofficeorg#sthash.42nVdsJE.dpuf

We hope it can be added as a native function into Calc and thereby beat the other productivity suites in the market, which is still miss this valuable functionality.

[oweng]

These types of functions are not specified in ODF v1.2 so would need to be added to the underlying specification before being made available. The only references to “hash” in either ODF v1.2 or ISO/IEC 29500-1 2012 (OOXML) are in relation to file/sheet/range/protection/sharing encryption rather than spreadsheet functions for computing a hash, using “MD2, MD5, SHA-1, SHA-256, SHA-384 [or] SHA-512.”

It would be much easier and better for the extension provider to upgrade the extension in question so it works with current versions of AOO/LO (I have not tested it so it may still work). This is what extensions are for: extending the basic capability of a product.