Issues with AOO Calc on Linux Mint 18.1

Issues with installing under all GNU/Linux Distributions
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gspg
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Issues with AOO Calc on Linux Mint 18.1

Post by gspg »

Hello, I have problems with OpenOffice Calc since I upgraded to Linux Mint 18.1 (Cinnamon). The program freezes when I try to connect cells from different tables using a function. Even old files that have worked without problems cause the program to crash. I had read the thread, which deals with the problems in 4.1.3 and installed version 4.1.4. But that does not make any difference. If I start OpenOffice as root it works.
OpenOffice 4.1.4 on Linux Mint 18.1
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RusselB
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Re: Issues with AOO Calc on Linux Mint 18.1

Post by RusselB »

Please note that the release of 4.1.4 is still under testing stages. The last full official release, as of this posting, is 4.1.3
Since the problems started after you upgraded your operating system, I can only suspect that the upgrade is at fault, not Open Office.
Can you reverse the upgrade to see if everything works ok still under the previous version of your OS?
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RoryOF
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Re: Issues with AOO Calc on Linux Mint 18.1

Post by RoryOF »

Or try a live DVD/USB from a different version of Linux. OO 4.1.3/.4 run well for me on Xubuntu 16.04.03
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gspg
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Re: Issues with AOO Calc on Linux Mint 18.1

Post by gspg »

RusselB wrote:Please note that the release of 4.1.4 is still under testing stages. The last full official release, as of this posting, is 4.1.3
Since the problems started after you upgraded your operating system, I can only suspect that the upgrade is at fault, not Open Office.
Can you reverse the upgrade to see if everything works ok still under the previous version of your OS?
I upgraded AOO to 4.1.4 only because I had read that someone solved his problems with 4.1.3 by upgrading. There is no need to reverse the upgrade of Linux Mint because I can test AOO on a different partition with Linux Mint 17.3. installed. It is identical to the installation I upgraded to 18.1, But I am quite sure that it will work because it always used to work without any problems for me.

Do you think that those issues would disappear with a fresh installation of Mint 18.1? (or 18.2 that just has been released)
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RoryOF
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Re: Issues with AOO Calc on Linux Mint 18.1

Post by RoryOF »

Before you install OpenOffice on Linux Mint, have you removed LibreOffice? When I install OpenOffice on any linux distro which comes with LibreOffice as standard, I remove LibreOffice by typing "sudo apt purge LibreOffice*" in a terminal. Without this there are installation errors for OpenOffice, which can easily be overlooked in the onscreen report. The trailing "*" after LibreOffice is important in the above command line.
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Re: Issues with AOO Calc on Linux Mint 18.1

Post by gspg »

RoryOF wrote:Before you install OpenOffice on Linux Mint, have you removed LibreOffice? When I install OpenOffice on any linux distro which comes with LibreOffice as standard, I remove LibreOffice by typing "sudo apt purge LibreOffice*" in a terminal. Without this there are installation errors for OpenOffice, which can easily be overlooked in the onscreen report. The trailing "*" after LibreOffice is important in the above command line.
Hi,

yes I did. I am used to this, because I did it several times:

Code: Select all

sudo apt-get remove --purge libreoffice*
sudo apt-get clean
sudo apt-get autoremove
Above that, 4.1.3 ran without any problems on Linux Mint 18.1 for about 3 months. I use it very often - daily - and since a very long time. Tables as well without issues, but not this special function, connecting cells in different tables. I detected it today because I had to work with my annual tax declaration. It is the only issue I have.

And as already said: If I start Calc as root it works as should.
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RoryOF
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Re: Issues with AOO Calc on Linux Mint 18.1

Post by RoryOF »

Do you install "for all users" or "for me alone"? If you are Root and install ""for me alone" that might be the problem.
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gspg
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Re: Issues with AOO Calc on Linux Mint 18.1

Post by gspg »

RoryOF wrote:Do you install "for all users" or "for me alone"? If you are Root and install ""for me alone" that might be the problem.
I don't know exactly. I install it with my regular account. I tar -xzvf the installation file, then change to DEBS folder and sudo dpkg -i *.deb. This used to work with Linux 17.3 and as I already said: It installed AOO without any problems on 18.1. Are there any switches or an option that would guarantee an installation for all users?
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RoryOF
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Re: Issues with AOO Calc on Linux Mint 18.1

Post by RoryOF »

I have no experience with Linux Mint; I normally install from the prepared .deb files. Note that you may need to change to folder desktop-integration and run the same sudo dpkg line again to get the entries for OpenOffice into the Office folder. My memory (which may be imperfect) is that a first installation of OpenOffice asks if it should be for all users or for the current user only; subsequent install (upgrades) may not make this request.
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Re: Issues with AOO Calc on Linux Mint 18.1

Post by gspg »

RoryOF wrote:I have no experience with Linux Mint; I normally install from the prepared .deb files. Note that you may need to change to folder desktop-integration and run the same sudo dpkg line again to get the entries for OpenOffice into the Office folder. My memory (which may be imperfect) is that a first installation of OpenOffice asks if it should be for all users or for the current user only; subsequent install (upgrades) may not make this request.
Hi,

Sure I change to the desktop-integration folder, after having installed the main program and sudo dpkg -i *.deb again.

I also tested the AOO 4.1.3 installation on a Mint 17.3 partition, that I use for different (music) purposes. No problems as said. I purged Libre Office and the new AOO installed and worked without any issues. And without asking if it should install just for me, or for alls users.
Then I tried to install an older (AOO 4.1.0) on my everyday Mint 18.1 system with the same bad effect: As soon as I try to connect a cell from another table within AOO-Calc, it freezes completely.

During the last - maybe five years I have never been asked, if I wanted to install AOO just for me or for everybody. And I've updated AOO several times.

I think it is possibly a Mint 18.1 or Cinnamon problem - I don't know - and since I am no Linux expert and not that deep into it I am not able to answer this question. But since others did report similar problems it will maybe fixed some time. In the meantime for these special purposes I can run an older Windows Copy under Wine, that also causes no problems or boot the 17.3 partition.

Thank you very much for your help!
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RoryOF
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Re: Issues with AOO Calc on Linux Mint 18.1

Post by RoryOF »

If you know linux, I'd suggest using a copy of Xubuntu rather than Windows. OO runs wel for me on Xubnutu.
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gspg
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Re: Issues with AOO Calc on Linux Mint 18.1

Post by gspg »

RoryOF wrote:If you know linux, I'd suggest using a copy of Xubuntu rather than Windows. OO runs wel for me on Xubnutu.
I have been a pleased Mint user since four or five years now. Till this day I have been able modify everything, that didn't work as I expect it to work, but would not say that "I know Linux". And before my Mint experience I was not satisfied by Linux Desktop Systems I tried. Mint was exceptional for me, especially with the Cinnamon Desktop. I also tried some Ubuntu Live Systems but did not feel as if they were, what I was locking for. Mint was it, and I rarely boot the Windows system that is still on my computer. So it would really be sad, if this story of success ended with 17.3 (that is still usable of course...) Anyhow I would not switch back to Windows, I think. We'll see...
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erbsenzahl
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Re: Issues with AOO Calc on Linux Mint 18.1

Post by erbsenzahl »

Did you try out a parallel installation, the same as described here on: https://wiki.documentfoundation.org/Ins ... n_parallel (no desktop-integration)?
In daily work there is no difference if only one user works on this program (but I have no experience with more than one user. If you have more than one user so one could copy the entire program to his or her home directory. With nowadays harddisks you rarely have problems with space limitation... It is also possible to install once and to have more than one user directories, but never tried out that).

If you can reproduce the problems on OpenOffice version 4.1.4 so Cinnamon could be the evildoer. On LinuxMint 18/18.1/18.2 Mate I never had problems with OO 4.1.4, but 4.1.3, as described here in this forum. On different computers I installed OO 4.1.4 on the one hand as parallel and on the other hand as substitution for built in LibreOffice.
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gspg
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Re: Issues with AOO Calc on Linux Mint 18.1

Post by gspg »

erbsenzahl wrote:Did you try out a parallel installation...
Hi,

Gnumeric already did the job. Since up to now only the described problem ocurred, there are several options. Maybe I install parallel, but maybe I switch completely to LibreOffice. I already used OpenOffice when it was StarOffice, but if that is so complicated now, I do not know if I still want to...

Thanks for your response.
OpenOffice 4.1.4 on Linux Mint 18.1
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