[Tip] OpenOffice General Error troubleshooting
Posted: Sun Dec 21, 2025 1:14 pm
Especially if the standard fixes (like resetting your user profile):
viewtopic.php?p=555459#p555459
didn't work, the terminal is the best way to find out if the problem is actually with your computer's system settings rather than OpenOffice itself.
When you start a program from the terminal, you are looking "under the hood." Instead of the software just showing you a generic "General Error" popup, the terminal will often display a line-by-line log of what the computer is doing. If OpenOffice crashes, it will likely print the real reason (e.g., a missing library, a Java version conflict, or a specific corrupted file) right there in the text.
Here is how you can actually do it on different systems:
---
How to run it from the Terminal
On Windows
1. Press the Windows Key, type `cmd`, and hit Enter.
2. You need to tell the computer where the OpenOffice "engine" is. Copy and paste this exact line (including the quotes) and hit Enter:
`"C:\Program Files (x86)\OpenOffice 4\program\soffice.exe"`
*(Note: If you have an older 32-bit computer, it might be in `C:\Program Files\...` instead).
3. Watch the Command Prompt window as the error occurs.
On Linux
1. Open your terminal (usually `Ctrl + Alt + T`).
2. Type `soffice` and hit Enter.
3. If that doesn't work, try `/usr/bin/openoffice4`.
4. Look for messages like `segmentation fault`, `javaldx: gij not found`, or `Permission denied`.
On macOS
1. Open Terminal (from Spotlight or Applications > Utilities).
2. Copy and paste this line:
`/Applications/OpenOffice.app/Contents/MacOS/soffice`
3. Hit Enter and watch for the log output.
---
What to look for in the output
Once you run the command, try to open your `.odt` file. If the "General Error" appears, go back to the terminal window. You are looking for keywords like:
-Java / JRE: "Could not find Java Runtime Environment."
-Access/Denied: "Permission denied" or "Locked by another process."
-Missing File: "Could not load library..." or "file not found."
If you try this and see some error text in the terminal, feel free to copy and paste it in your messages when you ask questions in OpenOffice mailing lists or in OpenOffice forum — your friend there would help you translate what it means.
viewtopic.php?p=555459#p555459
didn't work, the terminal is the best way to find out if the problem is actually with your computer's system settings rather than OpenOffice itself.
When you start a program from the terminal, you are looking "under the hood." Instead of the software just showing you a generic "General Error" popup, the terminal will often display a line-by-line log of what the computer is doing. If OpenOffice crashes, it will likely print the real reason (e.g., a missing library, a Java version conflict, or a specific corrupted file) right there in the text.
Here is how you can actually do it on different systems:
---
How to run it from the Terminal
On Windows
1. Press the Windows Key, type `cmd`, and hit Enter.
2. You need to tell the computer where the OpenOffice "engine" is. Copy and paste this exact line (including the quotes) and hit Enter:
`"C:\Program Files (x86)\OpenOffice 4\program\soffice.exe"`
*(Note: If you have an older 32-bit computer, it might be in `C:\Program Files\...` instead).
3. Watch the Command Prompt window as the error occurs.
On Linux
1. Open your terminal (usually `Ctrl + Alt + T`).
2. Type `soffice` and hit Enter.
3. If that doesn't work, try `/usr/bin/openoffice4`.
4. Look for messages like `segmentation fault`, `javaldx: gij not found`, or `Permission denied`.
On macOS
1. Open Terminal (from Spotlight or Applications > Utilities).
2. Copy and paste this line:
`/Applications/OpenOffice.app/Contents/MacOS/soffice`
3. Hit Enter and watch for the log output.
---
What to look for in the output
Once you run the command, try to open your `.odt` file. If the "General Error" appears, go back to the terminal window. You are looking for keywords like:
-Java / JRE: "Could not find Java Runtime Environment."
-Access/Denied: "Permission denied" or "Locked by another process."
-Missing File: "Could not load library..." or "file not found."
If you try this and see some error text in the terminal, feel free to copy and paste it in your messages when you ask questions in OpenOffice mailing lists or in OpenOffice forum — your friend there would help you translate what it means.