Score:0

LibreOffice 7.2.2.2 no help files, no F1, no web links

za flag

System: LibreOffice7.2.2.2, Ubuntu21.10

Problem: No LO help function whatsoever: no F1, no local help files, no links to online help. In LO menus for tools/option, no paths to help files are displayed.

Does anybody know how to install local help files and configure LO to invoke help via the F1 key?

N0rbert avatar
zw flag
How LO was installed? Please add output of `which lowriter`, `apt-cache policy libreoffice`, `snap list | grep -i libreoffice`, `flatpak list | grep -i libreoffice` to the question.
us flag
Can you access `file:///usr/lib/libreoffice/help/en-US/text/swriter/main0000.html?System=UNIX&DbPAR=WRITER&HID=SW_HID_EDIT_WIN#bm_id3147244` or `file:///usr/lib/libreoffice/help/en-US/text/shared/05/new_help.html` from a browser? That is what I get when I press F1 (with the function key). Also, did you try `Help -> Libreoffice Help` in the menu?
za flag
@Norbert: LO meta package was installed from the Ubuntu repositories, using Synaptic. The command and return are as follows: $ which lowriter, apt-cache policy libreoffice, snap list | grep -i libreoffice, flatpak list | grep -i libreoffice grep: flatpak: No such file or directory grep: list: No such file or directory
za flag
@Archisman: my system shows no such directories or files. Help -> Libreoffice Help gives error: Firefox can’t find the file at /tmp/lu22856naly1x.tmp/NewHelp0.html.
N0rbert avatar
zw flag
What is your locale? What is the output of `dpkg -S /usr/share/libreoffice/help`?
za flag
The LO: locale is set to en-GB; the UI is set to en-GB. The output of $ dpkg -S /usr/share/libreoffice/help ... is ... libreoffice-help-common, libreoffice-help-en-us, libreoffice-help-en-gb: /usr/share/libreoffice/help
Score:-1
za flag

Solved. Purged LO. Reboot. Installed latest 7.2.3 release via snap install. New release functions with full offline help. ... But... not all is well. For this release, no font previews show in the font selection box; in fact, no text shows at all. To mitigate this bug, I must disable the font preview via tools/option/view menus. Disabling preview enables font names to show in the font selection box. But even with this, the most recent fonts are no longer listed at the top. Seems LO is full of bugs now.

us flag
Have you tried the Libreoffice Fresh PPA?
za flag
No. Why a new ppa? Are not snaps supposed to eliminate buggy ppas?
us flag
1. PPA's are not new, neither is the official LibreOffice PPA. 2. In general, snaps are [more buggy](https://askubuntu.com/q/1218441/124466) compared to PPAs, as many basic functionalities often do not work out of the box.
za flag
1/ The versions between PPAs appeat to be identical. 2/ hmm, you may have a point. Snaps, though, are maintained by Canonical, and I have found these to be as stable as the repositories. Snaps install and uninstall cleanly, unlike all others. If Snaps require more disc space, I have not encountered this. Flatpaks have been a tad buggy, and do not always uninstall cleanly. Thanks for your comments.
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