[Solved] Java Runtime Environment (JRE)

[gkdiamond]

System: Windows Vista SP2 32 bit with JAVA 7 Update 3 (jre1.7.0_03) installed.

When I try to use anything in OpenOffice.org that requires JRE (e.g. File>Wizards>Letter...) I get the error message: OpenOffice.org requires a Java runtime environment (JRE) to perform this task. The selected JRE is defective. Please select another version or install a new JRE and select it under Tools - Options - OpenOffice.org - Java.

When I go to Tools>Options...>OpenOffice.org>Java and try to add it using the path C:\Program Files\Java\jre7\bin, I get the error: The folder you selected does not contain a Java runtime environment. Please select a different folder.

The JRE executibles are in the bin folder but it doesn't find them. JRE has been updated several times since the installation of OpenOffice.org, I'm not sure if that has anything to do with OpenOffice.org not finding it on my computer.

Another thing I would like to ask is how do you clear obsolete files from the Recent Documents list under File>Open..., I can't seem to find how to do it. Thanks.

[Greengiant224]

Java JRE v 1.7 does not work with oo/lo

You need to instal Java JRE v 1.6 to be able to use the features in oo/lo

To remove Recent Files you need to use the History Manager extension from OpenOffice,org

[Villeroy]

Install Java 6 (1.6.30)

[kingfisher]

Go here for History Master.

[gkdiamond]

Thank you kingfisher but it looks like it doesn't work with 3.3, at least for me. I noticed there was a couple of posts on the History Master extension page where it would not work for others too.

[George J Hedenkamp]

I have a Widows 7, 32 bit system. I upgraded from 3.3 to 3.4 this morning and I have been struggling ever since. After uploading 3.4 I opened an Open Source file and received an error message "Micrsoft Visual C ++ Runtime Library .... This application requested the runtime to terminate....". I was unable to open any files because the error messages could not be closed. I did a restore, which was supposed to reinstall 3.3 but I received the following message "Select JRE not Responding". I checked the Open Source and It appeared that 3.4 was still running. I installed 3.3 myself but it had the same problem. There was two copies of this error message displayed each time I opened a file. It advised me to go to "Tools" but I was unable to do so because the error messages could not be closed. I then reinstalled 3.4 but received this message again "Select JRE not Responding". JRE-6 is already on the computer. Whars my next step?

George Hedenkamp

[avoran]

"Java JRE v 1.7 does not work with oo/lo"

Is this still true? I just upgraded my system from XP to Win8 (64-bit) and had the same problems with Java. Using OO 4.1.

[RusselB]

I just tested a the situation mentioned in the original post (File -> Wizards -> Letter) and had no problems.
My Java version is Version 7 Update 55 (build 1.7.0_55-b14)

[avoran]

Thanks. I think it's working now. Finding the right version of Java is a pain - their site is very user unfriendly for a non-specialist

[Villeroy]

Added a mini tutorial Troubleshooting OpenOffice and Java.

[avoran]

Thanks again. That would probably have solved my problem.