HCL Doc Converter 2.0.2 throws exception "libreExport no office executable found!"

HCL Connections Connections Forum
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1

After installing HCL Connections Docs 2.0.2 everyting looks good except the thumbnail generation.

I can view and edit documents but no thumbnails are generated.

In the Conversion Cluster Server it shows the exception:

[11/2/22 13:37:51:454 CET] 000000c9 SystemOut O ----------------LibreViewerConverter convert start
[11/2/22 13:37:51:454 CET] 000000c9 LibreManager I Get libre: Source is /opt/IBM/ConnectionsDocs/IBMConversion/data/temp/source-f1613566-5176-499a-9177-61078
9688507/contentfile,and now there are 3/3 of libre instance count. And Queue size is act:0
[11/2/22 13:37:51:454 CET] 000000c9 LibreConverte I STJOB start to convert /opt/IBM/ConnectionsDocs/IBMConversion/data/temp/source-f1613566-5176-499a-9177-610
789688507/contentfile.
[11/2/22 13:37:51:455 CET] 000000c9 LibreExport I com.ibm.symphony.conversion.converter.libre.LibreExport option: -nologo
[11/2/22 13:37:51:455 CET] 000000c9 LibreExport I com.ibm.symphony.conversion.converter.libre.LibreExport option: -nodefault
[11/2/22 13:37:51:455 CET] 000000c9 LibreExport I com.ibm.symphony.conversion.converter.libre.LibreExport option: -norestore
[11/2/22 13:37:51:455 CET] 000000c9 LibreExport I com.ibm.symphony.conversion.converter.libre.LibreExport option: -nocrashreport
[11/2/22 13:37:51:456 CET] 000000c9 LibreExport I com.ibm.symphony.conversion.converter.libre.LibreExport option: -nolockcheck
[11/2/22 13:37:51:456 CET] 000000c9 LibreExport I com.ibm.symphony.conversion.converter.libre.LibreExport option: -env:UserInstallation=file:/opt/IBM/Connec
tionsDocs/IBMConversion/data/temp/target-d8f2156c-f095-4024-9375-2dd3e0c98484/
[11/2/22 13:37:51:457 CET] 000000c9 LibreExport E com.ibm.symphony.conversion.converter.libre.LibreExport libreExport no office executable found!
 com.sun.star.comp.helper.BootstrapException: no office executable found!
 at ooo.connector.server.OOoServer.start(OOoServer.java:118)
 at com.ibm.symphony.conversion.converter.libre.LibreExport.libreExport(LibreExport.java:175)
2

Analyzing the error, you find in the conversion-config.json file the path to LibreOffice as 

 "libreOffice":{
 "path":"/opt/libreoffice7.2/program",

And checking the path, there is no libre office.

So checking the installer of the conversion component, the log says "LibreOffice successfully installed but checking the command in detail it was not done. (The installer is not checking the succes. It just assumes that it was successful.)

In my case the root cause is, that the Conversion Component is installed as normal linux user and not as root. (Installation as root is bad and forbidden by at least 2 of our customers.)

The installation command that fails is:

yum -y localinstall /opt/IBM/ConnectionsDocs/IBMConversion/installer/LibreOffice_7.2.6.2_Linux_x86-64_rpm/RPMS/*.rpm

So executing this command as root, libreoffice is installed and now the thumbnail process is working as expected.

So HCL Docs Support Team:

  1. Installation as root is bad and never assume that this is possible.
  2. Assuming in an installer that a system.os command is working is bad. Always check the error level and at least report the error.
  3. Update your KB and the product support page. (Troubbleshooting section)
  4. yum localinstall is bad. At least 1 customer forbids this type of install. He just allows rpm -U installs so that no implicit dependencies are called which may cause isseus with later OS updates.

3

Hi Martin,

Thank you for bringing this issue to the attention of HCL Connections Docs Support.

I've submitted an internal request to have following document reviewed for verification that the non-root/non-admin installation is still supported and the the procedure is up-to-date and accurate:
https://help.hcltechsw.com/docs/v2.0.2/onprem/install_guide/guide/text/installing_as_a_non-rootuser.html

In addition to the documentation review, we will open any product defects that may be needed.

If you have any questions, please let us know.


Tony Dezanet
HCL Connections Docs Support