Installing Star Office

[rbistolfi]

Hi TC

Star Office is one of those special programs and it cames with it own installer app. The guide someone pointed by hata_ph, http://docs.sun.com/app/docs/doc/817-7351/eobzp?a=view, has all what you need. I am pretty sure you have a compressed package, something ended with .tar.gz, .tar.bz2, ot .tgz
Those are similar to windoze ziped files. Uncompress the package with a right click over bthe icon, 'extract here', or from the command line type

Code:

cd /home/<your_user_name>/Desktop
tar -xvf <name_of_the_file>

If it is a .zip file (not much used in linux)

Code:

cd /home/<your_user_name>/Desktop
unzip <name_of_the_file>

That will create a new folder with the files you need for the installation inside. Navigate to that dir, with thunar or just 'cd <name_of_new_folder>' in the terminal. Will be a file named README, or INSTALL file, follow the instructions there, if you find yourself in troubles, just post again here. If you don't understand something in the readme, please quote the instructions exactly as they are in the readme or install file. We will be going step by step. Don't worry, things will be easier once you get used to this. If you find specific errors messages, post them here, use copy and paste to be sure you post the exact message.

[TC]

OK, so far with trying to install StarOffice I have come up with the following information.

I opened a terminal shell searched my directories and found the file in the following directory: vector://home/us/Desktop

when I got there I typed the following: file so-8-pp8-bin-linux-en-US.sh

the following reply showed up:
so-8-pp8-bin-linux-en-US.sh:  Bourne shell script text executable
vector://home/us/Desktop
root:#

below was copied form my shell terminal

vector://home/us/Desktop
root:# cd so-8-pp8-bin-linux-en-US.sh
bash: cd: so-8-pp8-bin-linux-en-US.sh: Not a directory
vector://home/us/Desktop
root:# file so-8-pp8-bin-linux-en-US.sh
so-8-pp8-bin-linux-en-US.sh: Bourne shell script text executable
vector://home/us/Desktop
root:#                 

where do I go from here?     

[hata_ph]

try this to run the .sh file as root.......

http://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/linux-newbie-8/running-.sh-files-from-the-command-line-34222/

[TC]

OK, so far this is where I have reached in trying to get this program installed onto my VL 5.8 so it can be used.

vector://home/us/Desktop
root:# sh so-8-pp8-bin-linux-en-US.sh

Select the directory in which to save the unpacked files. [/var/tmp/unpack_staro          ffice]
/var/tmp/
Directory /var/tmp/ already exists.
Please select a new directory name.
vector://home/us/Desktop
root:# /var/tmp/staroffice
bash: /var/tmp/staroffice: No such file or directory
vector://home/us/Desktop
root:# /usr/tmp/

where do I go from here?

[TC]

OK, forget the previous reply I have gained more ground but did reach a stopping point.  Check out the following and let me know where to go from here, thank you. TC

vector://home/us/Desktop
root:# sh so-8-pp8-bin-linux-en-US.sh

Select the directory in which to save the unpacked files. [/var/tmp/unpack_staroffice]
$UNPACKDIR/usr/tmp
mkdir: cannot create directory `$UNPACKDIR/usr/tmp': No such file or directory
df: `$UNPACKDIR/usr/tmp': No such file or directory
so-8-pp8-bin-linux-en-US.sh: line 52: [: -lt: unary operator expected
File is being checked for errors ...
Unpacking ...
so-8-pp8-bin-linux-en-US.sh: line 74: cd: $UNPACKDIR/usr/tmp: No such file or directory
All files have been successfully unpacked.
vector://home/us/Desktop
root:# ./setup
\Unpacking...
Checksumming...
Extracting...
Done.
Running installer
_X11TransSocketINETConnect() can't get address for us:6000: Name or service not known

The Installation Wizard can't run in GUI mode.
Maybe the DISPLAY environment variable isn't set correctly.

vector://home/us/Desktop
root:# \

[newt]

I would choose a different location to unpack the files.  Can you tell us the exact name of the StarOffice file you downloaded with extension and all?  This would help to determine the necessary steps from beginning to end.  Also, I have read that having OpenOffice already installed can be troublesome when trying to install StarOffice.  Do you know if you have OpenOffice installed?  If so, you may want to uninstall it first and then try the StarOffice installation routine.

The way i would approach this process is as follows - starting from the very beginning:
-As normal user with desktop environment running (i.e. kde, xfce, etc..), start a terminal.
-Change directory to your users Desktop directory: cd Desktop
-Make sure your StarOffice8 package is in this directory (because this is where you have it stored, correct?): ls -al  you should see it in the listing
-Switch to root: su
-Enter root password when prompted
-Unpack the StarOffice package (if necessary) as suggested by rbistolfi
-Change into the unpacked directory (if one is created): cd /home/us/Desktop/name_of_SO8_directory
-Execute the script: sh so-8-pp8-bin-linux-en-US.sh
-Choose a different directory when prompted: Select the directory in which to save the unpacked files. /home/us/Desktop/name_of_SO8_directory/setup_SO8
-You should not see any errors during this process (i.e. cannot create directory, No such file or directory, etc..)
-Change into the unpacked directory: cd /home/us/Desktop/name_of_SO8_directory/setup_SO8
-Execute the setup script: ./setup
-Exit root: exit

If the installation was successfull then you should have presented with some kind of GUI installation routine that _probably_ indicated that things were installed successfully.  You should then be able to run StarOffice with the correct terminal command (maybe 'soffice', 'staroffice', or something similar).
HTH and Good luck!

[rbistolfi]

To add something to the newtor post, you can avoid the DISPLAY error as follow:
1. before switching to root, run xhost +
2. as root user run export DISPLAY=localhost:0.0
That should put you in the road. After finishing the installation, you can set things back with xhost -
 

[TC]

The following has taken place so far:

vector://home/us/Desktop
root:# sh so-8-pp8-bin-linux-en-US.sh

Select the directory in which to save the unpacked files. [/var/tmp/unpack_staroffice]
UNPACKDIR=/var/tmp/unpack_staroffice
mkdir: cannot create directory `UNPACKDIR=/var/tmp/unpack_staroffice': No such file or directory
df: `UNPACKDIR=/var/tmp/unpack_staroffice': No such file or directory
so-8-pp8-bin-linux-en-US.sh: line 52: [: -lt: unary operator expected
File is being checked for errors ...
Unpacking ...
so-8-pp8-bin-linux-en-US.sh: line 74: cd: UNPACKDIR=/var/tmp/unpack_staroffice: No such file or directory
All files have been successfully unpacked.
vector://home/us/Desktop
root:# ./setup
Unpacking...
Checksumming...
Extracting...
Done.
Running installer

After all this has happened the installer screen comes up just like one would if you were installing a program into Windows.

I accept the license agreement then choose the recommended setup mode and press the install button.

It goes through the install motions and then I get an Error which is as follows:

Installing StarOffice
               Log file: /var/opt/son/install/logs/staroffice_install.B12101756
Installed: /opt/staroffice8/uninstall_StarOffice.class
Uninstall is at: /opt/staroffice8/uninstall_StarOffice.class

Installing Base Module

Installing RPM: staroffice-core01

Error: RPM staroffice-core01 install failed).
install complete.package: staroffice-core01

uninstalling /opt/staroffice8/./setup

after the previous there is more of the uninstalling of the RPMs,

the final window appears showing that StarOffice failed to install.

Anyone have any suggestions as to how I can get this program installed or what I need to do?

Thank you, TC,

[TC]

I went by the instructions that have been given so far and I get the following:

The Installation Wizard can't run in GUI mode.
Maybe the DISPLAY environment variable isn't set correctly.

Thank you, TC.

[newt]

Since I was confused by the StarOffice installtion routine I decided to try it myself.  I finally saw what the major hiccup was - all packages are rpms and slack-based distros don't deal with these natively.  However, I WAS able to get it installed successfully; it just takes a little more typing than normal.  I had openoffice installed so I began be removing it.  If you don't have it installed then you can skip that step.

Below is how I was able to install StarOffice:
su
slapt-get --remove openoffice
chmod a+x so-8-pp8-bin-linux-en-US.sh
./so-8-pp8-bin-linux-en-US.sh
Select the directory in which to save the unpacked files.
/home/us/packages/staroffice/unpacked
File is being checked for errors ...
Unpacking ...
All files have been successfully unpacked.
Unpacking...
Checksumming...
Extracting...
Done.
Running installer
at this point you can cancel installer
cd /home/us/packages/staroffice/unpacked/RPMS
rpm2tgz *.rpm
this will take several minutes, be patient.  Process _may_ exit with...
basename: extra operand `staroffice-agfafonts-8.0.8-9221.i586.tgz'
Try `basename --help' for more information.
ERROR:  rpm2cpio failed.  (maybe *.tgz is not an RPM?)
if it does, you can ignore this error
rm *.rpm
rename/remove anything you don't want installed
I renamed adabas, jre, desktop, gallery, gnome, javafilter, lngutils, onlineupdate, sunsearchtoolbar to ".tgz.no" so they would not install
installpkg *.tgz
export PATH=$PATH:/opt/staroffice8/program
that's it, you're done.  You can run staroffice by typing...
soffice

HTH and Good luck!

[TC]

Thank you newtor for your help, I now have StarOffice 8 on my computer. I had to make a couple little tweaks, but I was able to install the program.  I was unable to remove anything during setup so everything was installed which is OK because I can deal with that in gslapt.  One thing I did notice and don't understand right now is when I go into my office area the only icons that StarOffice placed in there was Draw, Base and Calc.  It did not place StarWriter or StarPresentation in as icons.  Does anyone know how I can retrieve or find these icons to place on my desktop so I can go directly to these programs?  I can get to StarWriter and StarPresentation through one of the other programs or by typing soffice in a shell terminal, thank you.   

[TC]

Well, I found a small glitch in my StarOffice8 StarWriter and that is I am unable to save any work.  I get the following Error:

Error saving the document
General Error
General input/output error

any suggestions?  TC.

[newt]

You're absolutely correct about the StarOffice Writer problem, and it's kind of a MAJOR problem considering that's probably the most needed component.  So, I've spent some time experimenting with everything and think I have it worked out.  Unfortunately it will require stepping backwards to the beginning and trying a different route.  Below is how I've gone about installing StarOffice 8 with working Writer (saving too ).

Using slapt-get or gslapt, remove ALL of the staroffice packages.  Since they are all named the same you can only do one at a time which means you'll need to repeat the uninstall process of 'staroffice' about 30 times.  Don't forget to remove adabas as well; it's easily forgotten since it's name doesn't start with 'staroffice'.

Once you have all packages removed you need to manually remove the remnants of the installation by issuing this command as root:
rm -drf /opt/staroffice8

Now you need to unpack the staroffice package again, but this time we'll keep the rpms.  Also, I've adjusted the unpack directory by adding a '2'.  So, from before, we'll do these steps:
./so-8-pp8-bin-linux-en-US.sh
Select the directory in which to save the unpacked files.
/home/us/packages/staroffice/unpacked2
File is being checked for errors ...
Unpacking ...
All files have been successfully unpacked.
Unpacking...
Checksumming...
Extracting...
Done.
Running installer
at this point you can cancel installer
cd /home/us/packages/staroffice/unpacked2/RPMS

This time we'll use the rpm abilities of vector to install the rpms as-is without converting them.  As before, delete any packages you do not want installed.  I would recommend removing the jre, gnome, and suse packages since you already have jre installed and the others are not relevant.  The biggest issue with the RPM method is that you will manually have to remove staroffice if you ever want it gone since rpm will not add the packages to the slapt-get/gslapt database.  The command is as follows:
rpm -i --nodeps --force *.rpm

This will take several minutes to complete, but in the end StarOffice 8 will be installed and Writer should work fine. However, I'd restart X first (it seemed to fix the menu/office entires automagically on my end - ymmv).  Just log out of xfce/kde/etc and then back in.  Check to see if all the staroffice menu options are all present.  If they are, check to see if they start the component indicated (i.e. Writer starts with a blank word processing document, Calc starts with a blank spreadsheet, etc.).  If not, let us know what the problem is and we'll try to get it fixed up.  The problem I've encounted at various times is, for instance, when I start Writer it only starts the office component and I then have to choose New-Text Document.   But, like I said, restarting X after the StarOffice installation completed seems to have fixed that.

The Menu/Office issue still remains but that was easily fixed by manually editing the desktop file for 'writer' and removed all comments except the first.  You can edit this file by issuing 'mcedit /usr/share/applications/staroffice8-writer.desktop', then delete the 'Comment[xx]' lines (about 15 or so) and save the file.  Writer and Impress show up after that, however all staroffice options simply open 'soffice' and you have to choose the type of document from there.  I'll look into a bit and let you know what I come up with.

HTH and Good luck!

[TC]

Thanks again newtor StarOffice 8 seems to be working like a charm if I run into any problems I will post.  I have one more question hopefully can be answered.  When loading StarOffice 8 all of my folders being README, LICENSE and RPMS are on my desktop.  The problem is I cannot move these folders under one folder to clean up the clutter from my desktop.  Do you know how this is done?  Thank you so very much, TC.   

[newt]

Glad to hear it worked out

If you still have the file so-8-pp8-bin-linux-en-US.sh then you should able to delete those things on your desktop since they are unpacked upon running that script.