[Solved] OpenOffice interface in (Arch-based) Linux

[TheExplorer]

Hello,

I have an interface "issue" with OpenOffice in Linux. It used to look nicer and more uniform with the chosen theme in my Destop Environment in Debian.
Now that I have switched to Void Linux and Artix Linux (Arch-based distro), it stopped to look good.
There is a PKGBUILD that simply takes .rpm or .deb files, extracts them and creates a native Arch package. After installing, the OpenOffice interface looks a bit like Win98 (all these depressing grey bars and colors...) and I cannot figure out what system file (or OpenOffice file) I should tweak in order to make it look nicer and more uniform with the DE theme as it used to be.

Here is the screenshot (can be zoomed):

H-Ph.png (55.44 KiB) Viewed 4373 times

Thank you in advance.

[floris v]

That's pretty much the same as in Ubuntu Linux. Maybe you should move on to LibreOffice.

[TheExplorer]

Maybe you should move on to LibreOffice.

That's not the right answer on the OpenOffice forum.

I don't want this bloated stuff with tons of new features which I simply don't need. I addition, I've had issues with MS files in the past resulting whether in weird formatting or even total hangs. It even starts for me like three times slower (yes, a pretty old machine)

That's why I've been always happy with OO.

The only thing is that it looks nicer and more uniform with the themes that I choose in the DE. I don't know why there is only "one look" in Arch and Void without the ability to change anything. Just asking this.

[floris v]

Please leave it to the regular users on this forum to decide what the right answer is on this forum. Most experienced users and all the staff now recommend moving to LibreOffice, not because they were paid to change or for political reasons, but because it is, all things considered, the rational thing to do. OpenOffice is a productivity tool, not a subject for political debate, and so, people here recommend what's best to do if you want to get on with your work.

[Hagar Delest]

In addition...

That's not the right answer on the OpenOffice forum.

Have a look at the forum banner. This forum is not limited to AOO.

I don't want this bloated stuff with tons of new features which I simply don't need. [...]

That's why I've been always happy with OO.

That had been my opinion for years. However, AOO is now walking dead and performances improvement and some new features are quite welcomed with LO. That's why I ended in switching to LO few years ago. And I don't regret it.

I addition, I've had issues with MS files in the past resulting whether in weird formatting or even total hangs. It even starts for me like three times slower (yes, a pretty old machine)

Then don't use MS Office file format. The point in using AOO/LO is to use the ODF.
Never saw any slower starting time with LO compared to AOO (both under xubuntu or Windows).

[TheExplorer]

Please leave it to the regular users on this forum to decide what the right answer is on this forum

Well, I'm the regular user here with a simple question. Do you have a certain answer? If not, then why so much demagogy? Should've answered "Not possible" and that's it.

OpenOffice is a productivity tool, not a subject for political debate

What? Political debate? Seriously? Where?

Most experienced users and all the staff now recommend moving to LibreOffice

So, the staff recommends to leave OO? Well, okay. Taking back my question then and leaving it for you to whether mark it solved or not. Good luck.

[TheExplorer]

Have a look at the forum banner. This forum is not limited to AOO.

Sorry, didn't notice. Cheers.

[RoryOF]

Try changing the theme used by your operating system; I use Greybird on Xubuntu 22.04, which only offers a limited number of themes, and looks very like your screenshot. Not ideal, but I prefer to be working rather than tweaking.
.

Edit:  On Xubuntu the themes are set using the "Style" tab on Settings : Appearance. This may be different on your computer. A slightly wider range of themes is available on Settings : Window manager : "Style" tab. I cannot recollect if this was part of the distro, or separately installed later.

[TheExplorer]

Try changing the theme used by your operating system; I use Greybird on Xubuntu 22.04

It doesn't help, otherwise I wouldn't post here. Anyway, thank you very much. You're the one who tried to really help and not just talk about moving to LibreOffice. The saddest part is that LO segfaults in Artix Linux. So, no luck trying it out. Will stay with OO for now.

Cheers.

[Hagar Delest]

Well, I'm the regular user here with a simple question. Do you have a certain answer? If not, then why so much demagogy? Should've answered "Not possible" and that's it.

So are we. Just users like you, trying to help other users like you. We are not "staff" from the AOO project (the forum is merely hosted on their servers).
We provide the best answer we can. In most case, it is to switch to LO, in some others, it's to keep AOO. It depends on the user need.
If you're not happy with that, well, that's life.

The saddest part is that LO segfaults in Artix Linux. So, no luck trying it out.

If you had said that initially, you wouldn't have had the suggestion to switch to LO.

You're the one who tried to really help and not just talk about moving to LibreOffice.

Again, there is no agenda to make users move to LO (even if it is actually the best advice we can give IMHO given the near death state of AOO development). It just happened to be a possible solution.

Since this is a very technical issue, ask the dev mailing list instead (no dev in this forum).
Note: personally, I change the VCL setting to prevent the application to use the default DE theme. But it applies to LO, don't know/remember how AOO manages the DE theme.

[RoryOF]

My decision not to use LO is because I normally use it for writing, with /View /Non printing characters turned on; I find the fluorescent blue of the LO non printing characters display intrusive. I also have several long works in progress, using some customised macros, which I might have to tweak for LO; I believe in "not changing horses midstream".

[TheExplorer]

If you had said that initially, you wouldn't have had the suggestion to switch to LO

I've tried it later after all your messages. Like an hour ago to be exact. Anyway, I'm not here for "political debate". I understood that nothing would help with the OO interface. I'm outta here. Bye.

[TheExplorer]

"not changing horses midstream"

Same here. Just got accustomed to it.

[TheExplorer]

I've posted a question here before: viewtopic.php?t=109643
But nobody could answer me. So, I'm posting this again, because the solution was simple and (oh, well) mentioned on the official site.

When the Apache OpenOffice UI looks old-fashioned (like if it would run on Windows 98 or similar), it is very likely that a specific library is not installed. In a terminal, please check if the package is installed. If not, you have to add it. After a restart of Apache OpenOffice, you should see a much more modern UI.

The source is in every release notes (scroll to the end): https://cwiki.apache.org/confluence/dis ... ease+Notes

All you need is the gdk-pixbuf-xlib package (for Arch Linux, but the name can vary on other distros).

Now it looks cool and modern.

Cheers.

[Hagar Delest]

I've posted a question here before: viewtopic.php?t=109643
But nobody could answer me. So, I'm posting this again, because the solution was simple and (oh, well) mentioned on the official site.
[...]
The source is in every release notes (scroll to the end): https://cwiki.apache.org/confluence/dis ... ease+Notes

It is in the 4.1.15 version, released few days ago. It was not the case in March, when you posted your question. It is not in previous release notes.

I have merged your new topic, there is no need to create a single post as a new discussion to close the initial discussion.