LibreOffice Writer is erasing JOOScripts on save

users
#1

I am using LibreOffice Writer to format templates for use with JODReports.
These templates are used to generate work order forms for a Natural Gas
Utility, merging database content from a DB2 database. This is a great, low
cost solution for report generation. However, I'm am having a major problem
with what appears to be a bug in Writer, which is causing all of my embedded
scripts to be erased when I save my templates. This is an intermittent
problem - it doesn't happen on every save. But when it does, I lose all my
embedded fields (more than two dozen of them!), and I have to revisit each
field and re-enter the scripting code which indicates the field name to
merge from the data source. This is extremely frustrating and costly in
terms of redoing work and not being able to change formatting in the
templates. If we don't find a solution we will have to abandon LibreOffice
and hope that OpenOffice or MS Word are more stable solutions.

The method for inserting a merge field is: Insert / Fields / Other. (or
Ctrl+F2), select Functions tab, then click Input Field, then click OK. For
"Reference", enter 'JOOScript', then click Insert. A dialog box appears,
where you enter the FreeMarker expression that refers to the data field to
merge, in a format like: ${field-name}. This is described here:
http://jodreports.sourceforge.net/?q=node/24

This will insert into the content.xml (within the zipped .odt file) a tag
like this:

<text:text-input
text:description="jooscript">${WO.WO_ENTRY_DATE}</text:text-input>

The problem I'm having is, when I save my odt file, Writer is erasing all of
the FreeMarker expressions which are the content of these text-input tags.
So what you would see in content.xml after this happens, is text-input tags
with no content, like this:

<text:text-input text:description="jooscript"></text:text-input>

Anyone else have a similar problem, or know of a solution? Any help is much
appreciated.

Many thanks,

John Valance

JValance Consulting

802-355-4024

#2

Hi :slight_smile:
Do you have Auto-save on?  That seems to create a problem with images sometimes, intermittently in the way you describe, although it's quite rare so there are probably other factors involved too.

Regards from
Tom :slight_smile:

#3

Three questions to begin with:
1) What version of LO are you using? (3.4.6, perhaps 3.51) 3.4.6 is a
better version for business purposes.
2) What operating system are you using?
3) Have you tried to save a document as a template? Templates as I
understand them are not .odt files. They are .ott files when created by
Writer as text templates.

--Dan

#4

Tom,
I could not find an AutoSave option. I see "Save Auto Recovery information
every X minutes", which was checked on. I turned this off. No difference.

Right now I cannot save at all without losing all my FreeMarker content in
JOO Scripts, even if I save without making any changes. I went a full day
last week with no problems and actually got some work done, successfully
saving dozens of times. I have no idea what triggered this problem again.

Thanks
John

#5

Dan,
Thanks for your reply. My answers to your questions are below.

1) What version of LO are you using? (3.4.6, perhaps 3.51) 3.4.6 is a better version for business purposes.

#6

Hi John,

The problem I'm having is, when I save my odt file, Writer is erasing all of
the FreeMarker expressions which are the content of these text-input tags.
So what you would see in content.xml after this happens, is text-input tags
with no content, like this:

<text:text-input text:description="jooscript"></text:text-input>

Open a bug report against Writer, with the detailed description you've
given above and sample documents where we can compare the XML output of
both (I know you've described it, but still, better to have an example).
The problem that we may have is being able to confirm it without an
identical setup to yours.

Alex

#7

Alexander Thurgood wrote (27-03-12 06:22)

Open a bug report against Writer, with the detailed description you've
[...]

And pls post the bug number here.

#8

Hi John,

John Valance wrote (27-03-12 02:37)

A: We are currently using
LibreOffice 3.4.3 - OOO340m1 (Build:302). I am trying to get my
sysadmin to update to a more current version. I will shoot for 3.4.6

3.5.2 is to be released soon. And the 3.5 version line is having quite some advantages over the 3.4.
So IMHO best would be to do a test in your specific environment.

Regards,

#9

Hi :slight_smile:
Hmm, i think the 3.4.x branch is better at the moment.  The 3.4.3 is ok but the 3.4.6 is better.  We are still having quite a few people write in to grumble about regressions or new problems with the 3.5.x branch.

For developing it might be better to push people into using the 3.5.x branch so that we get more bug-reports that can then be fixed but i think it's better if sysadmins do the testing before rolling it out to normal users.  Hopefully sysadmins have 1 or 2 people that are willing to test-drive newer releases alongside the more stable version they have in case things go wrong.

I wonder if these guides might help witht he main questions here
https://wiki.documentfoundation.org/Documentation/Publications#Corporate_Users
In the Writer Guide, Chapter 10 is about Templates
https://wiki.documentfoundation.org/Documentation/Publications#LibreOffice_Writer_Guide
but it might be Chapter 15 that gives the result.

Also i was wondering if this question might really be about using LO in "headless mode", ie from the command-line or through a script?

Regards from
Tom :slight_smile:

#10

Tom Davies wrote (27-03-12 10:47)

Hi :slight_smile: Hmm, i think the 3.4.x branch is better at the moment. The
3.4.3 is ok but the 3.4.6 is better. We are still having quite a few
people write in to grumble about regressions or new problems with the
3.5.x branch.

So then compare the current situation with the time the 3.4.0 or 3.4.1 was released. And also consider that people in the 3.4 branch have accepted certain regressions or found a work around. And of course the bugs that are in 3.4.x and not in 3.5...
I did and do not write that 3.5.2 is always better. But IMO there's a good change. Business should just always check before deploying (or - depending on the situation even better - have professional support).

Cheers,

#11

Hi :slight_smile:
It is relatively exciting to be in at the beginning of a branch but the pay-off seems to be that things are not quite smoothed out.  The 3.4.x branch was a bit unreliable early on but by 3.4.4 it seemd really stable.  My guess is that the 3.5.3 will be great so that's about when i am going to have a good look at installing that one.  Right now i am quite happy with the 'old' 3.4.4 or even earlier given that i seldom share odts with people except non-techie board members where i 'work'. 
Regards from
Tom :slight_smile:

#12

We have upgraded to 3.4.6 and the problem seems to be fixed so far. Since
this was an intermittent problem, I will keep my fingers crossed (and make
copies of files before changing them) for now. But it looks like this is
fixed - I'm able to save the same documents without losing any information
that were not working with 3.4.3.

Thanks to those who replied on this topic.

- John V.