Math editor broken in 2.3?

[ejmopenoffice]

I have been experiencing problems with the Math Editor in OO-2.3 in both the Windows version and the Linux x86_64 version on Suse 10.3. When the Math Editor window opens, non of the top menu choices can be selected. I can not change fonts, align, anything. All have worked up to 2.2. I installed 2.3 for XP in my office at KSU just before semester break, and first noticed the problem.

I upgraded my home Linux workstation from Suse 10.2 x86_64 to Suse 10.3. 10.2 used oo-2.2 which worked fine, suse 10.3 installs 00-2.3 and the problems resurface. I changed the Linux version fonts to match the fonts in the XP version (after installing MS fonts). That worked. But since then, no changes are possible. I have used this editor for my math classes at KSU for the past 6 years and it has been great.

I uninstalled the oo2.3 for Windows at school, and reinstalled oo2.2 and the Math Editor works fine. I am going to do the same for my home Linux version.

Anyone else noticing this, or am I missing something that changed from 2.2 to 2.3 versions?

Thanks

[Hagar Delest]

Well, works fine for me with OOo 2.3.1 under Linux. I can change fonts, access the top menus, ...
You can perhaps try to rename your OOo user profile (~/.openoffice.org2).
You can also try to install the official version of OOo instead of your distro packages. For Windows, it's rather strange, I'll try to give it a try tomorrow.

[ejmopenoffice]

I installed the 'official version' from OO, re-installed on Suse10.3. same problem. Can change the fonts, etc once. After that, none of the math editor menu items will activate.

Re-installed Suse 10.2 x86_64 on my workstation (comes with OO-2.2), and all works correctly. Installed-OO2.3 on several XP workstations at home and at the university, all have the same problem.

The only OO2-3 that I have found to work correctly is on the Ubuntu 7.1 (32 version) that I have on a dual boot Acer notebook.

[Hagar Delest]

No idea at all. I tried today under W2k and it works fine also.
Have you tried to rename the OOo user profiles?

[ejmopenoffice]

Thanks. The renaming seemed to solve the problem on Suse 10.3 x86_64 OO-2.3. What is with the requirement to rename the user profile?

[Hagar Delest]

Renaming the OOo user profile makes OOo create another one, brand new with default settings. It helps spotting the flaws (like this one) that come from a bad configuration file. How the configuration file has been damaged? Good question

Renaming the profile allows you to keep your personal settings, then, you can try either to spot the damaged configuration file or to copy & paste whole directories to get back your customization (like the macros, the toolbars, ...).

I tag the thread as Solved then.

[ejmopenoffice]

It seems like I spoke too soon.

I just reopened OO 2.3 to work on my KSU stuff and the problem resurfaced! It seems to be triggered when I undock the command line window from the bottom of the screen. I don't use the selector icon palate, I type the commands in, manually. I undock the command window so I can move it around while adding math objects to my Writer, Impress, or Draw documents.

Just undocked the window, and voila!, none of the top menu formatting options will activate. Right back to where I was!

I added the MS core fonts to Suse 10.3 KDE (so my docs will interchange with those I compose at the University on XP) I modified all of the Linux OO-2.3 Math Editor fonts to match those with the XP OO2-3. That didn't seem to be a problem. It seems to occur when the command window is undocked.

[acknak]

Seems to be a Novell bug: the undocked menus work ok for me with both the 2.3.1 from OO.org and the Fedora 2.3.0. The formula "Commands" window disappears completely the first time you try to use it after it's undocked, but after that, it works perfectly and all it's menus are functional.

Works for me also under KDE (3.5).

[Hagar Delest]

Well, you're right, I see the same under W2k! but not under my Ubuntu box.
It seems that OOo is lost as soon as the command line pane is undocked. Note that I've managed to access the top menus once but don't know how I did it. But I can reproduce that 100% when only the Math editor is open.

You should file a bug and give the link here (see: [Tutorial] Reporting bugs). Even if it's not a showstopper, this behavior could perhaps propagate to other windows in the future.

I've removed the [Solved] tag for the thread (you can do that also by editing the title of your first post). I've also deleted the other thread.

[ejmopenoffice]

I just downloaded and installed OOo 2.3.1 for XP, and the math editor problem is still present. Uninstalled and dropped back to OOo 2.2 in XP, kept the 2.2 on Suse x86. OOo 2.3 works fine on Ubuntu 7.10. Any thoughts?

[r4zoli]

Try to install OOo 2.3.1 on openSuSE 10.3 x86_64 from this site: ftp://ftp-1.gwdg.de/pub/opensuse/reposi ... SUSE_10.3/
Add to YAST source and refresh OOo, from online update, it works for me.

[ejmopenoffice]

Just installed 2.3.1 on one computer in the faculty office at KSU, and works fine.
Installed on another computer, and the Math Editor did not work!

On the machine that had the problem, I went to the Application Data folder in XP and deleted the openoffice.org2 folder.
Relaunched OOo2.3.1 and it started with the dialog asking for user name, initials, etc.

Went to the Tools-customize-keyboard and changed the F2 key to insert-formula (the 'second formula' choice' on the list), and VOILA!! The Math Editor now works, even with my customized keyboard and view-selection turned off.

Could there be some problem with older the version's Personal Settings that are corrupting the Math Editor in 2.3

I just happened to try this because it seemed odd that the new version of OOo recognized my customized keyboard settings from the 00o2.2 version that was previously installed.

I will try deleting the personal settings in my Linux /home directory on Suse 10.2 x86 and see if this will allow for the Math Editor to function properly in Linux. The working OOo2.3 on the Ubuntu was a new install, so that is probably why OOo2.3 works on the Ubuntu dual boot laptop that my wife uses. The personal settings in the Ubuntu /home directory were set up from within the first launch of 2.3.

[r4zoli]

On openSuSE the OOo user settings directory is home/<user>/.ooo-2.0 to do not conflicts with the Sun's ~/.openoffice.org2.

[davisdl]

I verified the problem with 2.3 on SUSE 10.3 X86_64. It seams to be a window focus problem where the undocked entry window keeps focus when the cursor moves back to the main window. Hope this helps. I cannot redock the window either. A work around is to exit math by clicking somewhere on the main window. then double click the equation to reenter math, the menus work until the mouse enters the math entry window.

[ejmopenoffice]

By trial and error, I have found that the Math Editor will function correctly in v2.3 IF you delete ALL copies of openoffice.org2 that are present ANYWHERE on the local drive.

Once these have been deleted and you restart OOo2.3, it will initialize anew and build a new profile. From now on, it seems to work correctly in XP and Suse 10.2_X64.

There must be some glitch whereby OOo2.3 searches for openoffice.org2 in many places and runs old versions.

Now...my another problem arises.
I use the incredible Draw file, GraphPlotter1.1, to construct graphs for tests, worksheets, and in class slideshows (Impress). In Impress, the graphs can have each element 'animated' for some very good classroom visuals.

OOo2.3 seems to have changed their macro engine, as it will not open GraphPlotter.sxd.

This is a BIG application for me. Mucho Kudo's to the author of this document. It is a very powerful tool for mathematics teachers.

[Hagar Delest]

Now...my another problem arises.
I use the incredible Draw file, GraphPlotter1.1, to construct graphs for tests, worksheets, and in class slideshows (Impress). In Impress, the graphs can have each element 'animated' for some very good classroom visuals.

OOo2.3 seems to have changed their macro engine, as it will not open GraphPlotter.sxd.

This is a BIG application for me. Mucho Kudo's to the author of this document. It is a very powerful tool for mathematics teachers.

Please read the Survival Guide for the forum. Please create another thread in the Draw forum for that new question, else nobody will notice it.