OpenOffice Integration communication error

glwolfe
After updating OpenOffice, I keep getting this error when attempting to add a citation:

"Zotero OpenOffice Integration could not communicate with OpenOffice.org because the Java UNO runtime directory specified in the Zotero OpenOffice Integration preferences does not contain a "ridl.jar" file.

See the Zotero word processor plugin troubleshooting page for information on how to locate the appropriate directory."

When I click OK in the dialog box, I get the following:

"Firefox could not load the component required to communicate with your word processor. Please ensure that the appropriate Firefox extension is installed and try again."

I have reinstalled Java, Zotero OpenOffice Integration, and Zotero several times in different orders, and restarted everything, including the computer. I searched for a ridl.jar file and could not find it. Can someone please tell me what this file is and where I can find/replace it from if it isn't in any of these programs or if there is another problem causing me to get these messages.

I have a paper due tomorrow and it is partially done with some citations from Zotero, but I can't complete it the way things are now.
  • dstillman
    OS? OO version?
  • glwolfe
    Windows Vista home premium, OO 3.2.0
  • adamsmith
    edited June 14, 2010
    while searching for ridl.jar, make sure to include hidden files and folders. It's highly unlikely that you'd actually not have the file.
  • glwolfe
    Yes, thank you, adamsmith, I found it on advanced search, but why can't Zotero OO Integration find it?
  • dstillman
    What's the path?
  • glwolfe
    edited June 14, 2010
    In the folder column of the search result window it says:
    java (C:\Program Files\OpenOffice.org 3\URE)
  • glwolfe
    Also, there are 2 others listed in the search results with no path specified.
  • dstillman
    edited June 14, 2010
    With a space between "Open" and "Office"? [Ah, you edited the path, so I guess not?] Did you name it yourself? That's not the default, and the plugin wouldn't find it that way. But select the "Open Office.org 3" directory from the preferences window of the OpenOffice Integration Plugin in Firefox (via Tools->Add-ons->Extensions) and it should work.
  • glwolfe
    No, I did not name it. I am not an advanced user and always let the programs install to default folders. I think that my Firefox got corrupted somehow, so I reinstalled that also. The first time I attempted the reinstall I got a failure message that the download was corrupt, but it worked the second time.
  • dstillman
    edited June 14, 2010
    Well, regardless, follow the steps above (clicking Detect OpenOffice Paths) and it should work.
  • glwolfe
    I followed instructions and am still getting the same error. The URE folder has 3 subfolders, bin, java, and misc. Is it in one of these? It does not show these in the search path.
  • glwolfe
    Also, I got this error message on using the path without the subfolders:

    "A script on this page may be busy, or it may have stopped responding. You can stop the script now, or you can continue to see if the script will complete.

    Script: file:///C:/Program%20Files/Mozilla%20Firefox/modules/XPCOMUtils.jsm:306"
  • dstillman
    I followed instructions and am still getting the same error.
    What error? Are you getting an error when you select that directory?
    Also, I got this error message on using the path without the subfolders:
    Are you clicking Stop Script? Don't click Stop Script. (You shouldn't really get that message in the first place unless something weird is going on with your computer, though (or it's incredibly slow).)
  • glwolfe
    The original error I posted about above. I clicked continue. Then it asked for a path for the soffice executable files. I did know what folder that was, so I put it on the OpenOffice.org 3 folder. Is this correct?
  • dstillman
    Yes.
  • glwolfe
    So, there must be another problem, because I am still getting the original communication error when I attempt to insert the citation. Should I try reinstalling OpenOffice?
  • glwolfe
    Dan Stillman and adamsmith, thanks for taking so much of your time to try and help me out. I need to get this paper written, so I guess I will figure out how to make the citations and bibliography work manually. Maybe I will try again after it's done.
  • adamsmith
    remember that you can select items in Zotero, right-click and "create bibliography from selected items". That should help.
  • neji_pride
    i am having the same problem but with ubuntu 10.04
  • glwolfe
    edited June 23, 2010
    Neji_pride,
    I did find the solution to this problem, but have been really busy and have not had time to post it. The solution was really simple and was staring me in the face, but it took a long time to see it.

    The needed file is in a subfolder of the paths specified. Note from above my search result:
    "In the folder column of the search result window it says:
    java (C:\Program Files\OpenOffice.org 3\URE) "
    Some (Micro)soft-headed programmer formatted the search result to show the subfolder (java) in the beginning of the path and separate instead of at the end where it belongs. In other words, the path should have been: (C:\Program Files\OpenOffice.org 3\URE\java\)
    You should select the appropriate subfolder, under the given path. Do a search to make sure it is the same in ubuntu as Windows. I don't know that system, but you may have to do an advanced search and include hidden files like I did in Windows.

    Then, in Firefox, go to "Tools", "Add-ons", "Extenstions", "Zotero Openoffice Integration", "Options". Click "Choose" next to "Java UNO Runtime Directory" and go to the appropriate path, including the proper subfolder for your system.

    I had to go through a similar process for "soffice Executable Directory". The subfolder I needed was "program".
    That fixed the problem and Zotero has been working fine since.
  • neji_pride
    ok i will try to do that
  • adamsmith
    neji - most people using Ubuntu experience this issue:
    http://www.zotero.org/support/word_processor_plugin_troubleshooting#component_loading_error_on_ubuntu_linux
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