Bug 125956 - LibreOffice-6.x Off-Line Help Should NOT Require XDG
Summary: LibreOffice-6.x Off-Line Help Should NOT Require XDG
Status: RESOLVED DUPLICATE of bug 120248
Alias: None
Product: LibreOffice
Classification: Unclassified
Component: Documentation (show other bugs)
Version:
(earliest affected)
6.1.0.0.beta2+
Hardware: x86-64 (AMD64) Linux (All)
: medium normal
Assignee: Not Assigned
URL:
Whiteboard:
Keywords:
Depends on:
Blocks: Help-Viewer
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Reported: 2019-06-16 16:19 UTC by LAP
Modified: 2022-05-27 12:08 UTC (History)
4 users (show)

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Description LAP 2019-06-16 16:19:24 UTC
Description:
Attempting to use LiberOffice-6.x off-line help results in the following error message:

sh: /usr/bin/xdg-open: No such file or directory

Apparently, off-line help is hard coded to use the configure information in XDG to locate the browser for viewing off-line help pages.  On systems that do not use XDG the off-line help will fail.

Systems that do not use XDG cannot use off-line help.

The location of the browser to view help pages should NOT be hard coded to use XDG.  Rather, it shoud be configurable by the userthrough the regular Tools --> Options menu procedure.


Steps to Reproduce:
1. On system without XDG press F1 or call off-line help from menu
2.
3.

Actual Results:
Error message to console:

sh: /usr/bin/xdg-open: No such file or directory

Expected Results:
An installed browser


Reproducible: Always


User Profile Reset: Yes


OpenGL enabled: Yes

Additional Info:
Having a hard-coded dependency on XDG to locate the installed browser for help page viewing is not advisable.  People who do not need or desire XDG will be unable to use the off-line help.

The location of the browser should be configurable by the user through the standard Tools --> Options method.
Comment 1 Olivier Hallot 2019-06-26 11:50:46 UTC
xdg is used to interact with the Linux desktop. It is used in other places too: xdg-email, xdg-open, ....
Comment 2 sdc.blanco 2021-01-13 13:31:08 UTC
Adding needsUXEval to find out if there should be user configuration of the location of the local browser through the standard Tools --> Options method.
Comment 3 Heiko Tietze 2021-01-18 12:08:11 UTC
The documentation team maintains the help. Don't see need to configure the default browser, that's up to the OS.
Comment 4 LAP 2021-01-28 12:30:55 UTC
(In reply to Heiko Tietze from comment #3)
> Don't see need to configure the default browser, that's up to the OS.
>

That is not always true.  A particular desktop environment, such as GNOME or KDE, may establish a default browser but many Linux users do not use a desktop environment.  Many Linux users will employ just a simple window manager and these cases do not utilize XDG or anything else that allows for specifying a default browser.

It seems that LO development is focused only on the standard mainstream desktop environments and completely ignores the many other possibilities for a Linux GUI.
Comment 5 Heiko Tietze 2021-01-28 13:47:23 UTC
(In reply to LAP from comment #4)
> It seems that LO development is focused only on the standard mainstream
> desktop environments and completely ignores the many other possibilities for
> a Linux GUI.

Too many options not only clutter the UI but also adds confusion. We do have a gazillion of settings right now but should aim for simplicity. And the number of users without a full-featured window manager is likely small. Nothing to say against an expert option, of course.
Comment 6 Timur 2022-05-27 11:56:53 UTC
(In reply to LAP from comment #0)
> The location of the browser should be configurable by the user through the
> standard Tools --> Options method.

I agree but but seems to be bug 120248, that requested only a browser for local help, but really any help opening should be configurable. 
I don't agree with argument that there are many other options. There's no option for this one and wanting specific browser is not uncommon. I would also like that, to open help in non-default browser. 
And not new bug 148633.
So I close as a duplicate, unless explained why not.

*** This bug has been marked as a duplicate of bug 120248 ***