Author Topic: Apache OpenOffice 4.1.2 for eComStation and OS/2  (Read 17567 times)

Doug Bissett

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Re: Apache OpenOffice 4.1.2 for eComStation and OS/2
« Reply #15 on: December 31, 2015, 06:17:45 am »
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Do not install this version over an existing installation.

This is actually BS. As long as you never used the RPM package originally (which really screwed the whole thing up), you can install over the old version. The original RPM package put the DLLs in the wrong place. The new RPM package does the same thing. Somehow, I get the impression that BWW is trying to prove that not using RPM/YUM is a bad idea,  If you use their RPM packages, it is true that not using RPM/YUM is not a good idea (sorry for the double negative, but...). If you know what you are doing, and put the DLLs in the proper place, there is no problem with installing over the 4.1.1 version. Unfortunately, it does appear that if you want to use anything (not just AOO) that uses the files supplied by RPM/YUM, you do need to use YUM to do the updates, or you have a major task on your hands to try to keep it all up to date, and get the files into the proper place. There is no way to tell if any DLL is the proper version without using YUM, or simply assuming that they are not up to date, and getting the latest version with everything that needs them (even when you do use YUM, you need to assume that it didn't screw up, which happens far too often). Soon, there will be the Arca Noae Package Manager (ANPM, code name Yumie), to help users keep this stuff sorted out. It could be a nasty install (be sure to read, and follow, the instructions), but after you get it working, the RPM/YUM stuff should be much easier to use, and some of the nonsense that accompanies the RPM/YUM stuff should be eliminated. ANPM still uses YUM, in the background, so it is still subject to some of the really stupid things that YUM does, but the user won't have to sort out commands to do normal DLL maintenance (hopefully).   BTW, there is more to it than just DLLs.

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My first observation was that I now had 3 copies of the templates and fonts shadow folders.

This is a result of creating an incorrect WarpIn package. Again, I question if this is simple incompetence, or if it was done on purpose to prove that WarpIn is not capable. There is no excuse for that sort of nonsense.

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1] A lot of people will, like me, already have the required DLL files - or alternative builds that may be suitable

Actually, you probably don't have the required DLLs, and there is no easy way to determine that, without using RPM/YUM, or by simply assuming that you don't have them, and going through the process to update them.

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Unpacking the AOO-4120-GA-rpm.wpi package into the AOO4\program directory results in AOO4120 starting and working OK - very limited use to date though.

That only works if you have the dot (./) entry in LibPath, as the first entry. Then, if you happen to start some other program that uses one of those DLLs first, and it finds the down level version where it should be, the down level version will be loaded into memory, and then AOO will not work properly. "DLL Hell" is what it is called. Those who created the AOO RPM packages should know about that, but they still did it wrong. I question their motives.

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2] I note that some of the DLL files supplied in the AOO-4120-GA-rpm.wpi package are different dates and sizes to those I have in \ecs\dll; some are newer and some are older. Some newer DLL files are smaller than the older builds in \ecs\dll so I wonder if there is some loss of function/capability in the newer smaller files...

Unfortunately, date, and size, mean nothing. The latest version is supposed to be a replacement for earlier versions, and the only difference is that programs that need the later version will fail with the older versions. There is no easy way to determine what version you have installed, without using YUM (even then, YUM simply uses it's own database, which can be wrong). Then, it depends on which version gets loaded first, if you have problems or not. The user can only assume that they need to update, even if they have the proper file name, and they need to eliminate all duplicates, everywhere (including in the AOO \programs directory).

It is sad (very sad), but it seems that those who port these valuable programs insist that RPM/YUM is the only way to make them work, and it seems that they are going out of their way to prove that point. Most users really have no idea what is even being discussed here, so they have no hope of ever figuring out what they need, to make this stuff work. The Arca Noae Package Manager is designed to make it possible for the average user to maintain their system. Don't fight it, because you will probably lose if you try.