Description:
Hi,

I'm trying to follow a exercise using mail merge wizard, or database related functionality like: Insert > Field > More Field : tab Database > Add database file ...

Obviously the database functionality are missing as the Linux package libreoffice-base is missing. 

The Tools > Mail merge wizard... display a window asking to restart LibreOffice. 
At the same time a system popup ask to install additional software. But clicking the visual interface fail.

Adding the package from command line works:

sudo apt install libreoffice-base
 
For normal user this behavior may be not trivial.

LibreOffice should informs more explicitly the user, that the package libreoffice-base is missing and that all functionalities involving database are currently disabled.

See also attached screenshot.

done on Xubuntu 18.04 

Steps to Reproduce:
1. Open LibreOffice Writer
2. Tools > Mail merge wizard... 
3. Click on the system popup (gnome-software) "Find in Software" button

Actual Results:
gnome-software fail to find "libreoffice-base" package. 

The package's name "libreoffice-base" could be ambiguous for helping user to find what is missing. As the message is: 

"Unfortunately, the libreoffice-base you were searching for could not be found. Please see this website for more information."

The link is pointing to: https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Repositories/

Also, using a different approach on Writer to access the database options are allowed but don't do anything. So user becomes frustrated as it doesn't work but  doesn't complain about the missing database software:

Insert > Field > More Field : tab Database > Add database file ...

You can select and add the spreadsheet file, but nothing happen.

Expected Results:
All tentative to access database fields should warn the user that some software component are missing, instead of silently fail.

The message from mail merge wizard should be more explicit to the user, than an external software will be installed and could offer a link to the documentation or FAQ to help, in the case where the software management tools fail to install the package.

Also, the automatic installation should work as the package "libreoffice-base" is present and sudo apt install libreoffice-base works.

Of course this last bug may be part of the gnome-software itself. 


Reproducible: Always


User Profile Reset: No



Additional Info:
Writer
Version: 6.0.7.3
Build ID: 1:6.0.7-0ubuntu0.18.04.10
CPU threads: 4; OS: Linux 4.15; UI render: default; VCL: gtk3; 
Locale: fr-FR (en_US.UTF-8); Calc: group

lsb_release -a
No LSB modules are available.
Distributor ID:	Ubuntu
Description:	Ubuntu 18.04.4 LTS
Release:	18.04
Codename:	bionic

uname -a
Linux lap42 4.15.0-91-generic #92-Ubuntu SMP Fri Feb 28 11:09:48 UTC 2020 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux

glxinfo | grep OpenGL
OpenGL vendor string: Intel Open Source Technology Center
OpenGL renderer string: Mesa DRI Intel(R) Ivybridge Mobile 
OpenGL core profile version string: 4.2 (Core Profile) Mesa 19.2.8
OpenGL core profile shading language version string: 4.20
OpenGL core profile context flags: (none)
OpenGL core profile profile mask: core profile
OpenGL core profile extensions:
OpenGL version string: 3.0 Mesa 19.2.8
OpenGL shading language version string: 1.30
OpenGL context flags: (none)
OpenGL extensions:
OpenGL ES profile version string: OpenGL ES 3.0 Mesa 19.2.8
OpenGL ES profile shading language version string: OpenGL ES GLSL ES 3.00
OpenGL ES profile extensions: