Libre Office 6 caused Zotero integration to fail

Der Alte Fritz
Have installed Libre Office 6 as their latest update but the Zotero extention will not work even though it is sat there on the toolbar.
Updated Zotero the the latest version off the website but still no joy. Tried to install Office Libre extention manually but it fails saying "Could not create Java implementation loader"
Damn this as am a week away from delivering paper and I need this like a hole in the head.

Ticket Ref 1096324025
  • fbennett
    Here is a thread with a happy ending that may help.
  • Der Alte Fritz
    I tried this with imperfect results:
    candisebranum November 20, 2017
    @ohnowhutz I found the solution! Instead of installing the recommended JRE, I installed Java 9. Then from Advanced tab in the LibreOffice options menu, I manually located and added the Java 9 folder. I then had to go into the Extension Manager and enable the zotero extension (you have to uncheck the "Bundled with LibreOffice" box to view the extension). Then it worked perfect!

    The extnesion now works but the tool bars is corrupted and does not show the icons. Have tried uninstalling and reinstalling but this problem remains.
    Also extension update in LibreOffice shows an error and an empty file
  • fbennett
    This link may provide a hint: https://forums.zotero.org/discussion/21761/libreoffice-missing-toolbar-icons-but-toolbar-working/

    (For what it's worth, I had the same no-icons issue in LO 5, and suffered with it for a year before I broke down and searched the forums. Removing the old LO config files and reinstalling fixed everything in my case.)
  • Der Alte Fritz
    The laptop has gone through the same update process with the difference that I kept the older version of LibreOffice 5. The result the LibreOffice and Zotero connector both work completer with icons, However the Google Chrome-Zotero connector has stopped working!
  • Der Alte Fritz
    Had a look at this from your link:

    cheflo February 5, 2015 edited February 5, 2015
    I only had to remove three folders and then relaunch libreoffice to get my icons back (and firefox to get zotero to connect). No reinstallation of the addon required.

    rm -r .config/libreoffice/4/cache/
    rm -r .config/libreoffice/4/user/temp/
    rm -r .config/libreoffice/4/user/extensions/

    Not sure exactly which one did the trick.

    But after uninstalling LibreOffice was unable to find any config folders. Any idea where they are?
  • fbennett
    I'm not sure what you mean there, or what state the system is in. Some things to confirm:
    • When you refer to "the laptop," does that mean that there are multiple machines involved, each with its own issues? Or is there only one machine?
    • For each machine, could you:
      • give the Zotero and LibreOffice version numbers; and
      • describe what works and what doesn't
    Sorry for all the questions, but when you say "after uninstalling," I'm confused about what it was that was uninstalled.
  • Der Alte Fritz
    Sorry about the confusion. The original problem was on a PC Tower which runs Windows 10 and updated to LibreOffice 6 and Zotero 5.0.35.1
    When the update was installed for LibreOffice from 5.3 to 6 their connection did not work. After a series of reinstalls and the Java 9 installation it now works only with no icons on the Zotero toolbar. I have tried to implement Cheflo's fix of removing these three folders:
    rm -r .config/libreoffice/4/cache/
    rm -r .config/libreoffice/4/user/temp/
    rm -r .config/libreoffice/4/user/extensions/ (obviously with the 4 replaced by a 5 or a 6) but cannot find them. Before re-installing LibreOffice I did attempt to clean the computer of all the old installation files I could find but could not find any.
    Currently my Zotero-LibreOffice-Chrome set-up works except I do not have any icons in LibreOffice just text on the toolbar

    The other computer is a laptop which runs an identical system of Windows 10, LibreOffice 5.3 and Zotero. It too followed a similar path as the PC, it did a Windows 10 update and then the LibreOffice and Google Chrome links stopped working. Only this time I simply updated Zotero to 5.0.35.1 and did not touch the LibreOffice leaving it at 5.3. Any it works. The Google Chrome link was not fixed by the Zotero upgrade but after a while it seemed to come back. So on the laptop I have everything back to normal.
  • fbennett
    Okay. I'm not fluent in LibreOffice 6, so I'll have to leave you in the hands of others on the forum.
  • Der Alte Fritz
    So far it seems as if the Zotero extention installed in LibreOffice 6 does not work.
    However the latest stable release of LibreOffice 5.4 does work
  • adomasven
    Zotero with LibreOffice 6 certainly works. What is the problem that you get with LibreOffice 6?
  • Der Alte Fritz
    The original problem was on a PC Tower which runs Windows 10 and updated to LibreOffice 6 and Zotero 5.0.35.1

    The Zotero toolbar is present in LO but only shows text no icons and does not work.

    If I backdate the LO to 5.4 and re-install Zotero it all works as per normal.
  • adomasven
    The icons not showing issue can affect all versions of LibreOffice and is usually resolved by removing user profile directory, which is a platform specific operation. Sometimes multiple removals are required.

    You would have to state in greater details what you mean by "does not work". It certainly works for me.
  • Der Alte Fritz
    I have installed, uninstalled and reinstalled both programs several times and the icons never appear and the buttons do nothing if you click on them. So essentially there is no usable link between Zotero and LO 6 as you cannot add a reference, refresh them access the settings or anything. None of the buttons do a thing if clicked on.
    However going back to LO 5.4 fixes every problem
  • adomasven
    We are not entirely sure what causes the missing icon issue, but reinstalling (alone) does not usually help. You have to remove the user profile directory, because of corruption there and allow LibreOffice to recreate it.

    If pressing the buttons does nothing, it indicates that LibreOffice does not have access to a working JRE. I have added a wiki section for this issue. You will need to ensure that LibreOffice has a JRE available and selected.
  • Der Alte Fritz
    OK have removed the user profile directory, removed LOffice, reinstalled, LOffice, reinstalled Zotero.
    Result no Zotero toolbar in LOffice.
    Installed extention manually, installed Java Run Time again.
    Toolbar appears and this time it works

    So deletion of user profile was the key change that made it all work.
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