Apache OpenOffice (AOO) Bugzilla – Issue 121481
openoffice installs its own /usr/bin/soffice instead of using debian alternatives system
Last modified: 2016-10-02 10:28:09 UTC
Since the fork between LibreOffice and OpenOffice.org (now Apache OpenOffice), both suites install an /usr/bin/soffice link directly on Debian systems. This completely prevents users to install both on the same computer, despite Debian does provide a fully mature way to support that: the alternatives. This is particularly annnoying since /usr/bin/soffice is already a link, so technically there is no point in forcing its destination at installation. With the current setting, attempting to install the suite A when suite B has been installed beforehand fails (whatever are A and B, the problem is the same in both installation orders). The failure is that dpkg refuses to overwrite /usr/bin/soffice since it is owned by the first package installed. Installation can be force using dpkg only using the --force-overwrite flag. This is really inconvenient and seems to contradict Debian installation rules. Even if people manage to install both packages using dpkg and --force-overwrite, upgrading also don't work and the same trick has to be reused to overwrite the link. Apache OpenOffice (and LibreOffice too) should use the alternatives mechanism to set up the /usr/bin/soffice link on the Debian packaging system. Note that the same bug report has already been filed on the Debian bug tracker for LibreOffice (see http://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=695916).
confirm it.
My miseration is about the .wpi installer for Apache Open Office 4.1.1.1 . There are 3 bugs, related in that they all pertain to installing AOO v. 4.1.1.1 for OS/2 and eCS using the .wpi on my OS/2 (eCS v. 2.2 B2) system, with the first quite like issue 121481 for Linux. While I understand that AOO is supposed to be installable in any directory in one's system (at least in any drive in one's system) I find that the .wpi display for the selection of the drive is greyed out and fixed at <boot drive>:PROGRAMS. In my case, I have 3 drives on one disk, K:, L:, and M: for the OS/2 / eCS operating system (previous version as backup, current version -- in use, and next version while I am building it) that I reuse cyclicly, and I try to put all the 'system utilities' and really necessary stuff like OpenOffice on N: on the same disk for use in any of the operating systems. This restriction makes it necessary to have installed at least 2 copies of AOO, instead of the just 1 that I would prefer. The installation completes with a success message and no warning, information or error messages, but (a) the files are stored in a subfolder of M:PROGRAMS called simply Folder , just as in the case of any newly created folder. No message indicates this. And (b), no desktop icon is created as is chosen. I have checked the requirements for installation. Starting the quickstart program fails at once with a small grey error message window with the heading 'Unable to start Apache OpenOffice!' and the body: 'Execution failed! Contact technical support. Return code: 2 Failing module: ICUUC42' and an 'OK' button which, when pressed, only causes the little error message window to close. Any clues what all is up ? John.
(In reply to John H. Lindsay from comment #2) > My miseration is about the .wpi installer for Apache Open > Office 4.1.1.1 . There are 3 bugs, related in that they > all pertain to installing AOO v. 4.1.1.1 for OS/2 and eCS > using the .wpi on my OS/2 (eCS v. 2.2 B2) system, with the > first quite like issue 121481 for Linux. Hello John, AOO for OS/2 and eCS is maintained by "bww bitwise works" The current version is 4.12, so the problem may be addressed already. Otherwise you should contact them for support: http://www.bitwiseworks.com/support.php regards Matthias