[Solved] Libreoffice missing menus in XFCE4

kudos · 2015-09-11 19:34:27

Distro Linux Mint 17.2 64 bit originally a KDE install.

I'm hoping a bright spark on here will recognise this problem or at least see a way to resolve it.

I installed XFCE4 and other desktops recently, but Libreoffice is not showing the Menus at the top of the screen after installing libreoffice-gtk and I also noticed Thunar only showing File. Both in other DE's are good

Problem:
Libreoffice missing menus
Thunar only showing "File"

Tried:
Clean Profile (deleted .config/libreoffice)
New user
Running from terminal to check for errors
alt, alt+f, F10
Other desktops - Libreoffice works.
Changing windows manager to Openbox
Upgrading to Libreoffice 5.0
Installing libreofice-gtk3
Changing system font
Purging libreoffice-gtk and reinstall

(a very large) Screen shot attached
Screenshot

Any suggestions welcome

Last edited by kudos (2015-09-12 07:51:10)

Jerry3904 · 2015-09-11 19:51:54

I did a web search (my idea of advanced technique!) on "libreoffice no menu bar" and both the problem and solutions are all over the place.

What version of LO do you have installed? You might think of purging your current LO, then upgrading to 5.0.1.2 via the website.

kudos · 2015-09-12 07:40:13

Hi, thanks for the reply. I have LO 5.0.1.2. Agreed, the search you suggested does give lots of hits. I found a couple of solutions that I haven't tried and I will add them to the list - changing font and purging libreoffice-gtk / reinstall. Still no joy. I have purged libreofice 4 and reinstalled 5. I will try going through this again.
EDIT: purged and reinstalled (through ppa), but still no menus. It seems very much related to using libreofffice-gtk with xfce4. All other desktops (KDE, Cinnamon, LXDE and Openbox are showing a nice pretty menu bar)

Last edited by kudos (2015-09-12 07:50:35)

MountainDewManiac · 2015-09-12 08:22:41

Could it be that Qt is being given precedence over Gtk? Is your version of KDE 4.14?

Regards,
MDM

kudos · 2015-09-12 08:27:30

How can I check this? KDE is version 4.14.2.

sixsixfive · 2015-09-12 10:54:15

I dont use libreoffice but check if you have something installed like appmenu(-qt|-gtk)

kudos · 2015-09-12 12:49:04

appmenu-gtk was not installed. I installed it (its a virtual package) and it installed:
[INSTALL, DEPENDENCIES] libunity-gtk2-parser0:amd64
[INSTALL, DEPENDENCIES] unity-gtk-module-common:amd64
[INSTALL] unity-gtk2-module:amd64

but alas still no menu bar in Libreoffice

MountainDewManiac · 2015-09-12 23:45:11

If you want to take a chance on something that is about 90% guaranteed not to work, lol, you can try installing a couple of things:

apt install kdelibs-bin kdelibs5-data kdelibs5-plugins

and if that doesn't work, try the non-Gtk version of LO (with the above still installed). If you still don't have a visible menu in LO, simply reverse the changes and you will have wasted a few minutes but be back to where you were before reading this (IOW, "no harm, no foul" ).

Regards,
MDM

kudos · 2015-09-13 06:50:54

MountainDewManiac wrote:

If you want to take a chance on something that is about 90% guaranteed not to work, lol, you can try installing a couple of things:

i could never resist betting on the underdog

MountainDewManiac wrote:

try the non-Gtk version of LO

Are you meaning libreoffice-kde?

I have the packages suggested installed already (a hangover from KDE) and libreoffice-kde is already installed. I don't think libreoffice-kde gets used unless LO realises it is running in a non GTK environment. When I run in KDE I get the full KDE look libreooffice, but not seeing that in any other desktop. LXDE and Cinnamon.

sixsixfive · 2015-09-13 06:52:58

kudos wrote:

but alas still no menu bar in Libreoffice

argh, no don't install it also make sure you don't have any unity stuff installed, you can also remove libreoffice-(gtk2|gtk3|kde|gnome) then it will start with its native gui

you can also run all different styles with:

SAL_USE_VCLPLUGIN=gen libreoffice
SAL_USE_VCLPLUGIN=kde4 libreoffice
SAL_USE_VCLPLUGIN=gtk libreoffice
SAL_USE_VCLPLUGIN=gtk3 libreoffice

kudos · 2015-09-13 07:55:16

sixsixfive wrote:

you can also run all different styles with:

SAL_USE_VCLPLUGIN=gen libreoffice
SAL_USE_VCLPLUGIN=kde4 libreoffice
SAL_USE_VCLPLUGIN=gtk libreoffice
SAL_USE_VCLPLUGIN=gtk3 libreoffice

Now I am getting some interesting and helpful errors:
** (process:6932): WARNING **: require a newer gtk than 3.10 for theme expectations

Only errors with GTK, GTK3 and KDE. Gen is working.

sixsixfive · 2015-09-13 11:38:25

so you shoud remove the gtk3 version to see if your menu comes back(the package is probably heavily patched for globalmenu/unity/appmenu support like all ubuntu packages...)

kudos · 2015-09-13 11:42:33

I removed gtk3, but the menus stubbornly refuse to appear. I feel a distro hop coming on (if I could decide) or maybe a reinstall.

sixsixfive · 2015-09-13 16:27:48

just remove all libreoffice packages and install them one after another(eg just install the writer and not the whole metapackage) also make sure if you use synapic that you turn off ~ "see recommeded packages as dependiencies"

>I feel a distro hop coming on

If you like apt/deb then there is only debian besides mint/*buntu

Last edited by sixsixfive (2015-09-13 16:28:03)

Jerry3904 · 2015-09-13 17:33:19

If you like apt/deb then there is only debian besides mint/*buntu

> http://www.mxlinux.org, based on Stable and named by Dedoimedo as one of the 4 best Xfce distros of the year

Last edited by Jerry3904 (2015-09-13 17:33:54)

kudos · 2015-09-14 09:05:05

sixsixfive wrote:

just remove all libreoffice packages and install them one after another(eg just install the writer and not the whole metapackage)

I tried this morning, still the same problem. libreoffice-gtk kills the menus and without, while being usable is hard to see the icons and looks a mess.

sixsixfive wrote:

If you like apt/deb then there is only debian besides mint/*buntu

I do like apt deb and also liked Arch package manager when I used it. I have a temptation to go back to a rolling such as testing/sid or Arch based, but a memory of being a slave to the computer with Arch and Debian getting messy makes me hesitate. Maybe things are better now with Arch. One I have never tried is Fedora for any time, but from what I read it is not very proprietary friendly (thinking nvidia).

Jerry3904 wrote:

> http://www.mxlinux.org, based on Stable and named by Dedoimedo as one of the 4 best Xfce distros of the year

I have heard some good things on this, but the current release is based on Wheezy, that's too old. Solydx is nice, but on XFCE 4.10 still, but it has option of testing/sid (EE) for 4.12

Jerry3904 · 2015-09-14 12:06:29

I have heard some good things on this, but the current release is based on Wheezy, that's too old.

Depends on what you mean. We have packagers who continually backport updated applications into our own repo, which gives us the benefits of using Stable without the big disadvantage of having outdated user-level packages. MX-15 is in development now, so you will be able to look at a Jessie version within a couple of months.

kudos · 2015-09-14 12:53:41

Jerry3904 wrote:

Depends on what you mean. We have packagers who continually backport updated applications into our own repo, which gives us the benefits of using Stable without the big disadvantage of having outdated user-level packages. MX-15 is in development now, so you will be able to look at a Jessie version within a couple of months.

Debian Stable is currently Jessie. Going back to Wheezy, even with backports would not be sensible. I am sure MX-15 will be good, but now I am actually leaning towards trying a rolling release again. I thought of starting with Arch LTS kernel. If it got too much trouble I would go to Debian testing and then to stable if I still wasn't happy.

Last edited by kudos (2015-09-14 13:32:49)

sixsixfive · 2015-09-14 14:36:46

kudos wrote:

I do like apt deb and also liked Arch package manager when I used it.

yeah pacman has its pros and cons them main issue i have with arch is that it heavily relies on the AUR(its goog since you probably will find your software with one click on the other hand it's even more dangerous than unstable or mixing ubuntu with ppas)

also if you want to use arch give manjaro a chance there is even an OpenRC release(the only thing that was intresting for me on arch)

being a slave to the computer with Arch and Debian

for that reason i use testing with unattended upgrades(it will download the updates regulary and install them and if something fails i get an email)

I have never tried is Fedora for any time

ugh, I did, just to try out another rpm based distro after all my mandrake years and i just found it terrible. Esp the GUI package tools come into my mind with its broken packagekit base...

kudos · 2015-09-14 15:27:40

Agreed. AUR is a double edged sword. I had lots of "fun" with it. It was part of the downfall of Arch on my machine a few years back.

also if you want to use arch give manjaro a chance there is even an OpenRC release(the only thing that was intresting for me on arch)

Thanks for the heads up, downloading now. Spending some time this week on Virtualbox with Debian, Arch (Antegos/Manjaro). What advantages have you seen with OpenRC or is it just a dislike of systemd?

Last edited by kudos (2015-09-14 15:28:50)

sixsixfive · 2015-09-14 15:53:42

kudos wrote:

What advantages have you seen with OpenRC or is it just a dislike of systemd?

like devuan with its sysvinit its more a personal preference. I like boot scripts, i like to optimize my boot process and if you already know sysvinit there isn't much of a change.

eg: launching a service:

OpenRC: writing bootscript>running rc-update>done
systemd: running systemctl>trying to figure out what does what in this endless list of services

I also had the issue that my systemd system wouldn't boot since i usually hardlink mountpoints in my fstab. There are some other stories on the net like that you have to reboot after certain updates(maybe thats just a myth)

kudos · 2015-09-15 07:35:55

I installed Manjaro OpenRC to take a look. The boot up times are very similar and shutdown was slower. The theming is really nice . For me I can see the advantages on a server, but for a desktop I think I'll be happy with going with the default.

sixsixfive wrote:

for that reason i use testing with unattended upgrades(it will download the updates regulary and install them and if something fails i get an email)

I was wondering what you used for this. Is it something like cron-apt? I always used to mix with sid as I found some of the testing packages would have problems that were not getting fixed and I can see I do that again if I go back to Debian testing. Maybe that wouldn't be best suited to unattended upgrades.

MountainDewManiac · 2015-09-15 07:51:49

When I was using a distro about which I occasionally worried if an update might pooch my system, I tended to wait a few days on installing some of them - and then I read that distro's forums to see if anyone else's system broke when they installed them, lol.

Is the process of installing updates really that much of a PitA? I like to read some of the changelogs even now when I'm using a system that <KNOCKS ON WOOD> has never given me trouble.

Regards,
MDM

kudos · 2015-09-15 14:41:25

MountainDewManiac wrote:

When I was using a distro about which I occasionally worried if an update might pooch my system, I tended to wait a few days on installing some of them - and then I read that distro's forums to see if anyone else's system broke when they installed them, lol.
Is the process of installing updates really that much of a PitA? I like to read some of the changelogs even now when I'm using a system that <KNOCKS ON WOOD> has never given me trouble.
Regards,
MDM

Yeah, that's always a good plan. Not fool proof. It depends on how much you tinker. I am trying to keep an open mind at the moment as I work through a few distros this week in virtualbox. The bling of rolling is appealing, but what do you really get out of it. I understand if your developing on the platform, but if you just want somewhere get your work done and not spend time on a pooched (great word) system, then something more stable is needed. I remember also the large updates being stressful.

sixsixfive · 2015-09-15 17:31:37

>Is it something like cron-apt?

yeah, but it allows a much deeper configuration

>Maybe that wouldn't be best suited to unattended upgrades

probably not but for that reason you can exclude some packages

@MDM

> I tended to wait a few days on installing some of them

maybe that works for you, but in a rolling distribution packages get pretty fast old

also some distributions try to fix that with update warnings eg: http://forum.siduction.org/index.php?board=22.0

>Is the process of installing updates really that much of a PitA?

well no, but it includes a release strategy like deb stable which makes packages very old since testing ~20000 packages against each other costs some time (=

this is also exactly the reason why i would never use MX or other backports for stable since you might get a tiny new feature but you also will get bugs too and since every package is dynamical linked you never know how the package will work with the rest of your system.

Last edited by sixsixfive (2015-09-15 17:32:16)

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#1 2015-09-11 19:34:27

[Solved] Libreoffice missing menus in XFCE4

#2 2015-09-11 19:51:54

Re: [Solved] Libreoffice missing menus in XFCE4

#3 2015-09-12 07:40:13

Re: [Solved] Libreoffice missing menus in XFCE4

#4 2015-09-12 08:22:41

Re: [Solved] Libreoffice missing menus in XFCE4

#5 2015-09-12 08:27:30

Re: [Solved] Libreoffice missing menus in XFCE4

#6 2015-09-12 10:54:15

Re: [Solved] Libreoffice missing menus in XFCE4

#7 2015-09-12 12:49:04

Re: [Solved] Libreoffice missing menus in XFCE4

#8 2015-09-12 23:45:11

Re: [Solved] Libreoffice missing menus in XFCE4

#9 2015-09-13 06:50:54

Re: [Solved] Libreoffice missing menus in XFCE4

#10 2015-09-13 06:52:58

Re: [Solved] Libreoffice missing menus in XFCE4

#11 2015-09-13 07:55:16

Re: [Solved] Libreoffice missing menus in XFCE4

#12 2015-09-13 11:38:25

Re: [Solved] Libreoffice missing menus in XFCE4

#13 2015-09-13 11:42:33

Re: [Solved] Libreoffice missing menus in XFCE4

#14 2015-09-13 16:27:48

Re: [Solved] Libreoffice missing menus in XFCE4

#15 2015-09-13 17:33:19

Re: [Solved] Libreoffice missing menus in XFCE4

#16 2015-09-14 09:05:05

Re: [Solved] Libreoffice missing menus in XFCE4

#17 2015-09-14 12:06:29

Re: [Solved] Libreoffice missing menus in XFCE4

#18 2015-09-14 12:53:41

Re: [Solved] Libreoffice missing menus in XFCE4

#19 2015-09-14 14:36:46

Re: [Solved] Libreoffice missing menus in XFCE4

#20 2015-09-14 15:27:40

Re: [Solved] Libreoffice missing menus in XFCE4

#21 2015-09-14 15:53:42

Re: [Solved] Libreoffice missing menus in XFCE4

#22 2015-09-15 07:35:55

Re: [Solved] Libreoffice missing menus in XFCE4

#23 2015-09-15 07:51:49

Re: [Solved] Libreoffice missing menus in XFCE4

#24 2015-09-15 14:41:25

Re: [Solved] Libreoffice missing menus in XFCE4

#25 2015-09-15 17:31:37

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