[Solved] Creating macros - Java message

[IanP]

Hi all,

I've just started to look at macros to speed up repetitive operations and, although not actually stopping me working, I get a Java message I can't understand.

The message says (see attachment Msg1). If I got to Tools/Options as advise I get another confusing screen (Msg2). I can, nevertheless create a macro. If I then go for Tools/Macros/Run Macro, I get Msg1 but, on accepting, get to the macro menu and am able to run it.

Is there a correction for this?

Second, getting to the name of a particular macro takes several keystrokes, which to some extent defeats the object of the macro. Is there a shortcut?

Thanks,

Ian

PS, just checked the posted message and need to correct the info there. I', running Openoffice 4.1.7 on Windows 10 (all updates).

[RoryOF]

Download and install a 32 bit Java and select it in /Tools /Options /OpenOffice /Java.

[Villeroy]

Programming Basic or Python macros and running them does not require any Java. Just avoid the dialog Tools>Macros>Run and use Tools>Macros>Organize...[Run] instead or use your own UI elements or start them from the IDE.

Or better install https://libreoffice.org/ which supports 64-bit Java on 64-bit platforms and where this specific Java dependency has been removed anyway.

[IanP]

Thanks for the prompt response, Villeroy. I'll have a look. I do use Libreoffice on my laptop, running Linux. I'll load it on to the PC and give it a go.

Thanks again,

Ian

[IanP]

Hi again,

Libreoffice installed and I get exactly the same messages!

Ia

[RoryOF]

Have you restarted computer since installing the LibreOffice?

[IanP]

Hi Rory,

Yes, twice, once as part of the install.

Ian

[RoryOF]

Check that the installed Java is detected in the location I have mentions (altered for LibreOffice, of course).

[Villeroy]

LibreOffice 7 does not raise that error message anymore when I disable Java. Indeed, LO 6 still has that silly problem. It is silly because it does not really limit the ability to work with macros.
Anyway, for LO 6 (64 bit) the Java path starts with C:\Program Files\ whereas the Java path for OpenOffice (32 bit) starts with C:\Program Files (x86)\ where all the 32-bit programs reside.
In the rare cases where Windows runs on 32 bit, the path is always C:\Program Files\

[IanP]

Rory - I see the same screen (Msg2) as with OO.

Villeroy - not keen on disabling Java without knowing what else it'll affect. I'll struggle on for now. At least the macros work.

Thanks both,

Ian

[Villeroy]

I don't ask you to disable Java. I just tested if the run macro dialog of LO7 depends on Java. DIsabling Java is the most simple way to test if some functionality requires Java or not. LO7 runs that dialog fine after disabling Java in the office options. The dialog raises the same errors with LO6 and Java disabled, though. So this changed between LO6 and LO7.
The entire Calc component is free of any Java code unless you installed some very special Java extensions for Calc. That stupid run-macro dialog does not prevent you from running your macros nor does it prevent you from coding. I ran OpenOffice for years without any Java installed on my system. There are dozends of ways to run macro code without that silly dialog.

Troubleshooting Open/LibreOffice and Java explains all the Java trouble and which features actually depend on Java. In the office options you can disable Java completely for your office suite but you can enable it only if you have installed a bit-compatible Java runtime. OpenOffice for Windows is a 32-bit application because during the past 10 years nobody took the pain to convert this dead horse to 64 bit. Therefore OO runs as a 32-bit application on Windows (it is installed under C:\Program Files (x86)\ and it requires a 32-bit Java (if Java is needed at all).
Contrary to OpenOffice, LibreOffice for Windows can be installed as a 64-bit application on a 64-bit system and the regular 64-bit Java you download more or less automatically will fit. If it happens to be LO7, you can even run that silly dialog without Java.

[IanP]

Thanks for your patience, Villeroy. I'll have another go after disabling Java and advise.

Ian

[IanP]

Sorted, thanks. Just one supplementary - I looked in the Help files but can't see an option to delete a macro.

Ian

[Bill]

Msg1 is not a message. It is the Options dialog where you can set the Java options. It is telling you that you have enabled use of a JRE. However, the box labeled "Java runtime environments (JRE) already installed:" is empty which is telling you that there is no compatible JRE installed on your system that you can select. Msg2 is just reminding you that you have not selected a JRE. The normal fix is to install a compatible JRE which you can select.

To delete a recorded macro, select Tools > Macros > Organize Macros > OpenOffice Basic. On the OpenOffice Basic Macros dialog, select the module where the macro was saved, select the macro in the module, then click the Delete button.

[Villeroy]

Delete the macro modules. Tools>Macros>Organize>Basic... then button [Organizer...] which opens another dialog. On tab "Modules" you can select and delete modules that are embedded in documents and the global ones under "My Macros".
Now you may get warnings that a macro can not be found which indicates that something tries to call the deleted code. Tools>Customize... tab "Events" shows events that will trigger macro code without user intervention when a document is loaded, stored, printed, ...

[IanP]

Deleting macros - Thanks Bill, Villeroy. Process noted.

Villeroy - the files Msg2 and Msg2 were just names for the screen captures. Unticking the JRE box on the real page solved the problem.

Thanks again,

Ian

[Bambamn]

="Villeroy....

Or better install https://libreoffice.org/

Is this better than OpenOffice??

[Hagar Delest]

AOO is rock solid but lack development.
LO has more features, more consistent in some ways.
Make sure to install a stable release, the last version tends to include some bugs. Stable releases are older but better for production work.

[RoryOF]

You may also find yourself having to search LibreOffice for facilities that have been moved from their OpenOffice location. I stick with OpenOffice, which does what I want.

[Villeroy]

Without exact knowledge about the requirements, I would recommend LO as the somewhat "better" choice because it solved more problems than it raises new problems. It can do more things better than AOO. And back on topic: LO 6.4 opens the Tools>Macros>Run dialog with Java being disabled (just tested in our office where we run 6.4 on Windows).