[Solved] Can't install OpenOffice on Linux Mint Cinnamon

[Newbie-Margie]

I found a tutorial and started the steps. I deleted LibreOffice (I have used Open Office for years, not interested in Libre) I installed Java 8. I found the download for OpenOffice for Linux. Problem - I can't get the download to install. The instructions on the tutorial do not work. HELP.

[Newbie-Margie]

It shows up on Downloads, but I can't get it to install. Help! Help!

[FJCC]

What exactly do you see in the downloads folder?

[Newbie-Margie]

/home/margie/Downloads/Apache_OpenOffice_4.1.14_Linux_x86-64_install-rpm_en-US.tar.gz

[FJCC]

You have downloaded an rpm installation package. Go back to http://www.openoffice.org/download/index.html and change the download to
Linux 64-bit (x86-64) (DEB)
You should see
Apache_OpenOffice_4.1.14_Linux_x86-64_install-deb_en-US.tar.gz
in your Downloads folder.

[Newbie-Margie]

I tried to extract the file; this is what I got:
tar xvf Apache_OpenOffice_4.1.13_Linux_x86-64_install-deb_en-US.tar.gz
tar: Apache_OpenOffice_4.1.13_Linux_x86-64_install-deb_en-US.tar.gz: Cannot open: No such file or directory
tar: Error is not recoverable: exiting now

[robleyd]

Are you in the download directory, assuming that is where the tar.go file is located, when you try to run the tar command? If not, first cd to that directory.

[FJCC]

Are you sure you have the file
Apache_OpenOffice_4.1.13_Linux_x86-64_install-deb_en-US.tar.gz
I would expect you to have version 4.1.14:
Apache_OpenOffice_4.1.14_Linux_x86-64_install-deb_en-US.tar.gz

On my Linux Mint, if I double click on the tar.gz file, it opens to show a folder named en-US. I can select that and click the Extract button at the upper left corner of that window. This extracts the en-US folder into Downloads. I then exit that window and navigate to ~/Downloads/en-US/DEBS and open a terminal there. I install OpenOffice by running

Code: Select all

sudo apt install ./*.deb ./desktop-integration/*.deb

[Newbie-Margie]

I don't know how to navigate to the Downloads directory. My computer knowledge is minimal

[FJCC]

Open any folder and on the left side of the window there should be a list of locations that includes My Computer. If there are items listed under My Computer, the Downloads folder will be among them. If there are no items under My Computer, click the small triangle next to it and the list of items will be shown. Click on Downloads and the contents of that folder will appear in the main part of the window. Double click on the en-US folder and then on the DEBS folder to get to the desired location. Right click in the main are of the window and select Open In Terminal. You can then run the command I showed in my last post.

[FJCC]

The en-US folder will not exist until you extract it by double clicking on the tar.gz file, select en-US, and click Extract.

[RoryOF]

I think this earlier posting by me gives the exact step sequence needed:

viewtopic.php?p=498288#p498288

[Newbie-Margie]

this is what I see:
argie@margie-ThinkPad-T410:~$ cd downloads
bash: cd: downloads: No such file or directory

margie@margie-ThinkPad-T410:~$ tar vxf Apache_OpenOffice_4.1.14_Linux_x86-64_deb_en-US.tar.gz
tar: Apache_OpenOffice_4.1.14_Linux_x86-64_deb_en-US.tar.gz: Cannot open: No such file or directory
tar: Error is not recoverable: exiting now

[robleyd]

cd /home/margie/Downloads

or if you are in your home directory

cd Downloads

Linux is case sensitive for file and directory names.

[Bill]

"Downloads" must be capitalized.

cd Downloads should work if you're in your home directory. You can use cd ~/Downloads from any directory.

[Newbie-Margie]

margie@margie-ThinkPad-T410:~$ cd Downloads
margie@margie-ThinkPad-T410:~/Downloads$ tar vxf Apache_OpenOffice_4.1.14_Linux_x86-64_deb_en-US.tar.gz
tar: Apache_OpenOffice_4.1.14_Linux_x86-64_deb_en-US.tar.gz: Cannot open: No such file or directory
tar: Error is not recoverable: exiting now
margie@margie-ThinkPad-T410:~/Downloads$

[Newbie-Margie]

margie@margie-ThinkPad-T410:~$ cd Downloads
margie@margie-ThinkPad-T410:~/Downloads$ tar vxf Apache_OpenOffice_4.1.14_Linux_x86-64_deb_en-US.tar.gz
tar: Apache_OpenOffice_4.1.14_Linux_x86-64_deb_en-US.tar.gz: Cannot open: No such file or directory
tar: Error is not recoverable: exiting now
margie@margie-ThinkPad-T410:~/Downloads$

[robleyd]

margie@margie-ThinkPad-T410:~$ cd ~/Downloads

to change to the relevant directory.

margie@margie-ThinkPad-T410:~/Downloads$ ls *.tar.gz

to see what files of type tar.gz you have. Or use your file manager to see what files you actually have there.

[Newbie-Margie]

tar vxf Apache_OpenOffice_4.1.14_Linux_x86-64_install-deb_en-US.tar.gz
typed that in, got a long list of files, but nothing opened.

[FJCC]

Can you now run the commands

Code: Select all

cd ~/Downloads/en-US/DEBS/

Code: Select all

sudo apt install ./*.deb ./desktop-integration/*.deb

The second command will require your user password.

[Newbie-Margie]

What does this mean:

Download is performed unsandboxed as root as file '/home/margie/Downloads/en-US/DEBS/openoffice-ure_4.1.14-1_amd64.deb' couldn't be accessed by user '_apt'. - pkgAcquire::Run (13: Permission denied)

[FJCC]

I have not seen that permission problem before. I'll look into it but it is late for me. Perhaps someone else can help before I come back online.

[Hagar Delest]

It may be because dpkg is already running in parallel (if you have launched the graphical interface that can be provided with the distro).
Or it may be just a notice, like in this case: https://www.reddit.com/r/linux4noobs/co ... files_apt/.

Have you followed this tutorial: [Tutorial] Installing Apache OpenOffice on GNU/Linux?
You did manage to install it sooner this year: [Solved] I cannot get OpenOffice to install.

You seem to be rather lost in your system. You should get some help first to make sure you understand the commands that are provided here. We may assume a certain level of knowledge for GNU/Linux users that will lead to some shortcuts in our answers. We may take for granted that the user gets what's to be done and follows the instructions with the necessary adjustments that are trivial for us (like the capitals in the paths, how to navigate to the correct folder...).

[Newbie-Margie]

Some explanation: I am a refugee from Windows with no computer training other that what I have picked up over the years. I have three computers: one desktop which has to be Windows due to work requirements and two laptops. I successfully loaded Linux Mint and Open Office in Laptop 1 in January. Windows 7 appeared to be updated on a regular basis on Laptop 2 until last week. I therefore decided to change Laptop 2 to Linux Mint. Unfortunately I failed to document the process for Laptop 1. I was able to download and install Mint on Laptop 2 and hook it up to the internet without major problems. I found the tutorial and followed the steps for installing Open Office. When it didn't work, I asked this forum for help.

Open Office has loaded on Laptop 2 (with your appreciated coaching) but I am concerned about the error message

[Hagar Delest]

If AOO runs fine, then it means that it was not an error message but a mere notification as said in the link given above.

[Bill]

The message is an information message, not an error message. I purged AOO, then reinstalled the deb packages using apt instead of dpkg. The message appeared after the packages were installed. I purged AOO again, then moved the en-US directory to /tmp and reinstalled using apt. This time the message did not appear.

Apt tries to access the deb files as user "_apt", but user "_apt" doesn't have permission to access the files in the user's home directory, so the files were accessed by "root" instead of by "_apt". This generates the message. When the deb files are in /tmp, they can be accessed by "_apt" and no message is necessary.

Download is performed unsandboxed as root as file

[Newbie-Margie]

Thank you ALL for your help!!

[RoryOF]

A suggestion: I have 60 years computer experience, but since changing to linux (Xubuntu in my case) some 15 or so years ago, I keep a notebook specifically for linux, in which I note the sequence and syntax of various commands. Much of this has become outmoded in detail over time, but it is still my first port of call for information.

[Newbie-Margie]

Good idea!