Base and Java 1.7 - does not work

users
#1

I have been a happy user of LO for a long time but have just started to
explore Base.

I have been unable to get Base to work with the latest JRE on Windows Vista
or on W7. When I select this version in the Java options it fails to
recognise that it is a valid JRE.

Environments used for testing
Base appears to run with Java 1.6.0_32 on 32 bit W7 using LO 5.3.3 but not
with 1.7.0_04. This version is a Virtual Machine

Base also runs (more extensive testing) with LO 3.5.2.2 using Java 1.6.0_31
on a 32 bit Vista but fails to run if I select 1.7.0_04. On the first
occasion I tried on this environment LO crashed completely and would not
start - I had to go into the xml configuration file and remove the reference
to Java there.

Is there a known bug associated with the latest version of Java?

#2

There is no reason to run Java 1.7 unless required by some bleeding edge application. Even then you can install a second Java 1.6 and point the office to that installation. In any case it has to be 32 bit because under Windows the office is a 32 bit application.

#3

Hi :slight_smile:
That is a bit disappointing to hear but it's good to know.  Thanks for reporting it!

According to
http://www.libreoffice.org/download/3-5-new-features-and-fixes/
(about 3/4th of the way through in "other" just before "ODF 1.2 Conforming Documents")  one of the advantages of the 3.5.x branch is that it can  supposedly handle Java 7.  Have you tried versions earlier than the 1.7u4?

In the release notes it suggests that openJDK might be better, for Gnu&Linux users, than the "GCJ" variant.  OpenJDK is still run by Oracle but apparently it has a good community behind it aswell.

It might be worth posting a bug-report about the java 7 not working on Windows. 
http://wiki.documentfoundation.org/BugReport
Apols and regards from
Tom :slight_smile:

#4

Sorry, I forgot to mention that even Base is usable without Java. Most of the Java additions do not add any functionality of importance and the *embedded* HSQLDB is not worth trying anyway. Important: HyperSQL as a stand-alone database is mature, best breed Java software and extremely useful.
Without Java you can still connect your Base document to a non-Java database, write queries without restrictions, design forms without restrictions and use stand-alone office documents as report media.

#5

There is no reason to run Java 1.7 unless required by some bleeding edge
application. Even then you can install a second Java 1.6 and point the

Java 1.7_0.4 is the current recommended _released_ version of Java.
https://www.java.com/en/download/manual.jsp
"Recommended Version 7 Update 4"
<https://www.java.com/en/download/faq/why_upgrade.xml>

You'll need to go hunting for Java 1.6 now.

Further:
<https://www.libreoffice.org/download/3-5-new-features-and-fixes/>
"Support for Java 7 (1.7) added. User can select between Java 6 or 7
engine, if both are installed. "

office to that installation. In any case it has to be 32 bit because
under Windows the office is a 32 bit application.

Perhaps if you would include some quotation from the post others could
understand what you are replying to. I see nothing in the OP that
indicates 'steelej' was using a 64 bit version.

#6

1.7.0_04 works for me w/WinXP,W7, and linux. The WinXP is running in
VMWare, the W7 is running from a partition. Can you be a little more
specific as to what is not working?

#7

Hi :slight_smile:
I think the last official release was a 6, possibly the 6u31.  None of the 7s have made it to full official release.  At least 1 of them was apparently compromised out-in-the-wild when it reached release-candidate status. 
Regards from
Tom :slight_smile:

#8

Am 17.05.2012 02:32, NoOp wrote:

Perhaps if you would include some quotation from the post others could
understand what you are replying to. I see nothing in the OP that
indicates 'steelej' was using a 64 bit version.

You are right. Java 1.7 works well with LibO 3.5. I tested with external and embedded HyperSQL on Win7(32) and Linux(32). My H2 database works as well.
Older office versions do not even recognize Java 1.7 as a valid Java installation. So the Java version is not a problem anymore as far it is a fairly recent one.

_For the casual reader_: The 32/64 Java bits have to match with the LibreOffice bits which means 32 bit on all Windows platforms.

#9

Dear LibreO folks out there,
In two of his mails Andreas Säger says
>> "In any case it -- (Java 1.7) -- has to be 32 bit because under Windows the office (LibreOffice) is a 32 bit application. "
>> "The 32/64 Java bits have to match with the LibreOffice bits which means 32 bit on all Windows platforms."

At least in Finland since a year back almost all PCs and laptops are Windows7-64bit; I purchased a laptop Win7Premium-64bit last November.
It is a little astonishing and worrying to read that LibreO is a 32-bit application under any Windows-OS but I have seen no info about LibreO being only 32-bits - not 64 bits nor 32/64 bits.
I have been told that a 64-bit machine needs 64-bits software.

In the coming summer at my cottage in the wilderness of deep forest, far from civilization, I should very much like to work with Writer, Calc and Base (continue trying to complete and create databases) without any problems at all.

What version of LibreO do you recommend that I install on my laptop (Win7-Premium Home-64bit)
>> what is the best, most reliable and stable version today (esp. Base, no bugs, no other issues)
>> do I have to install a Java JRE to run Base? -- what version?
>> because of the db's future use I prefer to work with the "embedded" HSQL, and hesitate learning the use of HSQL2.x or SQLite
>> what kind of issues do I have to be prepared for because of LibreO being 32-bits and my laptop 64-bits?

Do the LibOs on my machines communicate with each other without problems when my PC's OS is Win-Prof/32 bit and it's LibreO v.3.4.6?
Best regards
Pertti Rönnberg

#10

Hi :slight_smile:
Don't worry!

32bit apps run on 64bit systems perfectly well.  It is the other way around that would be a problem.  Think of a pint glass.  A full pint fits in fine.  Drink a bit and the half pint fits in fine too.  The other way around would not work!  A half-pint glass would not hold a full pint!  In our case the operating system is the container and the apps are the tasty beer :slight_smile:

Regards from
Tom :slight_smile:

#11

Am 17.05.2012 15:48, Pertti Rönnberg wrote:

Dear LibreO folks out there,
In two of his mails Andreas Säger says
>> "In any case it -- (Java 1.7) -- has to be 32 bit because under
Windows the office (LibreOffice) is a 32 bit application. "
>> "The 32/64 Java bits have to match with the LibreOffice bits which
means 32 bit on all Windows platforms."

At least in Finland since a year back almost all PCs and laptops are
Windows7-64bit; I purchased a laptop Win7Premium-64bit last November.
It is a little astonishing and worrying to read that LibreO is a 32-bit
application under any Windows-OS but I have seen no info about LibreO
being only 32-bits - not 64 bits nor 32/64 bits.
I have been told that a 64-bit machine needs 64-bits software.

This software is open source. This means that *anybody* can download the source code and compile it for whatever platform. So far nobody built a 64 bit version for the Windows operating system.
I don't know anything about the particular reasons but I would speculate as follows:
- Windows compilers are unfree.
- Windows programs of this size are extremely difficult to compile.
- Windows 64 would increase the maintainance effort, adding another variant with lots of platform specific code.
- There are no technical reasons to struggle with all this as long as Windows runs 32 bit programs like any other platform does.

In the end it's all about economy, isn't it?

#12

You were misinformed. 32bit sw runs just fine on Windows 64... in fact, for virtually all circumstances, Microsoft *recommends* running 32bit version of Office on Windows 64...

#13

Hi :)I thought they recommended whichever they think you don't have in order to force you into buying a new one that you don't really need?  Lol, yes i am joking around but it often seems that way to me.  It's good be Free of that.  Regards fromTom :slight_smile:

#14

NoOp wrote

#15

Hi :slight_smile: I think the last official release was a 6, possibly the 6u31.
None of the 7s have made it to full official release.

You think? Did you not bother to check the links that I provided?

Here's a few more:
<http://www.oracle.com/us/corporate/press/44437>
http://java.com/en/download/index.jsp
"Free Java Download
Download Java for your desktop computer now!
Version 7 Update 4 "

At least 1 of

#16

NoOp wrote

...

1.7.0_04 works for me w/WinXP,W7, and linux. The WinXP is running in
VMWare, the W7 is running from a partition. Can you be a little more
specific as to what is not working?

When I select Java 1.7 as the runtime environment I can open Base and
select a table. When I open the table for editing I see a dialog box that
has the title
*JRE is defective*

The message in the box says:

LibreOffice requires a Java runtime environment (JRE) to perform this
task. The selected JRE is defective. Please select another version or
install a new JRE and select it under Tools – Options –LibraOffice – Java

I have checked that Java is working correctly, at least according to the
Java/Oracle site.

Unfortunately my VirtualBox virtual machine has just been corrupted so I
have lost my W7 instance.

I cannot replicate your problem.

It's very possible that the issue is your VB and or jre install...
I'm now posting from W7 and have the same version as you originally
reported: LO 3.5.2.2
LibreOffice 3.5.2.2
Build ID: 281b639-6baa1d3-ef66a77-d866f25-f36d45f
with "Oracle Corporation 1.7.0_04" @ c:/Program Files (x86)\Java\jre7
running Base. I can edit the tables w/o issue.

Sorry, wish I could be of further help.

Gary

...

#17

Hi :slight_smile:
Great news! :)  Thanks Gary :)  I think a lot of people had kinda given up hope of them ever managing to release a new version.

Btw your 1st link got me a
"We're sorry, the page you requested was not found."
lol.  Still the 2nd one looked great :slight_smile:
Thanks and regards from
Tom :slight_smile: