# Jab ref not connecting to open office - Java problem?

**URL:** <https://discourse.jabref.org/t/jab-ref-not-connecting-to-open-office-java-problem/5327>\
**Category:** Help\
**Created:** [December 3, 2024, 6:57pm UTC](https://discourse.jabref.org/t/jab-ref-not-connecting-to-open-office-java-problem/5327 "2024-12-03T18:57:05Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Ian-J](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/d07c76/32.png) [@Ian-J](https://discourse.jabref.org/u/Ian-J)\
**Post date:** [December 3, 2024, 6:57pm UTC](https://discourse.jabref.org/t/jab-ref-not-connecting-to-open-office-java-problem/5327/1 "2024-12-03T18:57:05Z")

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241203  
Previously I used Jab Ref as a great citing tool when writung resercharticles. but after up grading Linux Mint , I have this problem.

My setup:  
Libreoffice version 2.6.2 (X86\_64) / Libreoffice Community  
Environment CPU Threads 2 ; OS : Linux 6.8  
User interface : UI render ; default VCL ; gtk3  
Locale : fr-FR (fr-FR UTF8) UI en-US

Misc: Ubuntu package version: 4.24.2.6-0ubuntu0.24.0.4.1  
Calc: threaded

JabRef 3.8.2  
linux 6.8.0-49-generic amd64  
Java 21.0.5

(both installed from Linux Mint

When I start a manual connect to a libreoffice document, I get this msg:

[/home/ian/Documents/D/Mes\_documents/24/JabRef installation/Sans titre.png](https:///home/ian/Documents/D/Mes\_documents/24/JabRef installation/Sans titre.png)

“Coould not connect to running Open Office/LibreOffice  
Make sure you have installed OpenOffice/LibreOffice with Java support  
If connecting manually please specify program and library paths  
Error message file not found. /homeian/Documents/D/Mes documents/24/ICHA Proceedings/Jenkinson/Jenkinson-play.odt/progam/classesunoil.jar”

However, I made sure that libreoffice-java version 4:24.2.6-0ubuntu0.24.04.1  
installed from Mint distribution is installed.  
The contants of /usr/bin/jabref follows:

#!/bin/sh

# Include the wrappers utility script

. /usr/lib/java-wrappers/java-wrappers.sh

# We need a java8 runtime (at least)

find\_java\_runtime java8

MAJOR\_JAVA\_VERSION=$(run\_java -version 2\>&1 | grep ’ version ’ | awk ‘{print $3}’ | cut -f1 -d’.’ | cut -c2-)  
if ( test $MAJOR\_JAVA\_VERSION -ge 9 ) ; then  
# We need some options to start this version on openjdk9 and later  
# See [Cannot start JabRef 3.7/3.6 using Java 9 on Ubuntu 16.04 - #8 by martinec](http://discourse.jabref.org/t/cannot-start-jabref-3-7-3-6-using-java-9-on-ubuntu-16-04/361/8)  
JABREF\_JAVA\_OPTS=${JABREF\_JAVA\_OPTS-“–add-opens=java.desktop/java.awt=ALL-UNNAMED”}

```
# But java.se.ee only works for Java 9 and Java 10
if ( test $MAJOR_JAVA_VERSION -lt 11 ) ; then
    JABREF_JAVA_OPTS="${JABREF_JAVA_OPTS} --add-modules=java.se.ee"
fi

```

fi

find\_jars   
jabref   
bcprov   
antlr3-runtime   
antlr4-runtime   
com.android.json   
commons-cli   
commons-codec   
commons-lang3   
commons-logging   
fontbox   
glazedlists   
guava   
httpasyncclient   
httpclient   
httpcore   
httpcore-nio   
httpmime   
java-string-similarity   
jaxb-runtime   
jempbox   
jgoodies-common   
jgoodies-forms   
jgoodies-looks   
jhlabs-filters   
jsoup   
juh   
jurt   
log4j-api   
log4j-core   
log4j-jcl   
microba   
mariadb-java-client   
pdfbox   
postgresql   
ridl   
spin   
swingx   
swing-layout   
unirest-java   
unoil

run\_java ${JABREF\_JAVA\_OPTS} net.sf.jabref.JabRefMain “$@”

For information, when I start Jabref feom terminal, I get all this:  
"Jabref  
[warning] /usr/bin/jabref: No java runtime was found  
[warning] /usr/bin/jabref: No JAVA\_CMD set for run\_java, falling back to JAVA\_CMD = java  
19:02:56.512 [AWT-EventQueue-0] WARN net.sf.jabref.JabRefGUI - There seem to be problems with OpenJDK and the default GTK Look&Feel. Using Metal L&F instead. Change to another L&F with caution.  
19:02:56.644 [AWT-EventQueue-0] INFO net.sf.jabref.logic.importer.OpenDatabase - Opening: /home/ian/Documents/D/EndNote/Ian/241003Ian.bib  
19:03:03.327 [AWT-EventQueue-0] WARN net.sf.jabref.logic.importer.OpenDatabase - Empty BibTeX key: N/A: “N/A” (N/A) (Grouping may not work for this entry.)  
19:03:05.178 [AWT-EventQueue-0] WARN net.sf.jabref.model.entry.BibEntry - Could not parse entry year  
java.text.ParseException: Unparseable date: “May 2019”  
at java.text.DateFormat.parse(DateFormat.java:399) ~[?:?]  
at net.sf.jabref.model.entry.BibEntry.genericGetFieldOrAlias(BibEntry.java:369) ~[JabRef-3.8.2.jar:?]  
at net.sf.jabref.model.entry.BibEntry.getFieldOrAliasLatexFree(BibEntry.java:397) ~[JabRef-3.8.2.jar:?]  
at net.sf.jabref.logic.bibtex.comparator.FieldComparator.getField(FieldComparator.java:78) ~[JabRef-3.8.2.jar:?]  
at net.sf.jabref.logic.bibtex.comparator.FieldComparator.compare(FieldComparator.java:99) ~[JabRef-3.8.2.jar:?]  
at net.sf.jabref.logic.bibtex.comparator.FieldComparator.compare(FieldComparator.java:23) ~[JabRef-3.8.2.jar:?]  
at ca.odell.glazedlists.impl.sort.ReverseComparator.compare(ReverseComparator.java:31) ~[glazedlists\_java15-1.9.1.jar:?]  
at ca.odell.glazedlists.impl.sort.ComparatorChain.compare(ComparatorChain.java:37) ~[glazedlists\_java15-1.9.1.jar:?]  
at ca.odell.glazedlists.SortedList$ElementComparator.compare(SortedList.java:647) ~[g   
snip …  
at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.run(EventDispatchThread.java:90) ~[?:?]  
^[[1;2B^[[F

Then JabRef loads up a bibtex file.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Siedlerchr](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/discourse.jabref.org/siedlerchr/32/216_2.png) [@Siedlerchr](https://discourse.jabref.org/u/Siedlerchr)\
**Post date:** [December 4, 2024, 1:12pm UTC](https://discourse.jabref.org/t/jab-ref-not-connecting-to-open-office-java-problem/5327/2 "2024-12-04T13:12:33Z")

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You are using an outdated version of JabRef (3.8.2) that is no longer supported and thus probably no longer works with Libre Office.

You can get the latest version here: [downloads.jabref.org](http://downloads.jabref.org) (5.15). Unfortunately, we are currently unable to provide a newer version in the Debian repositories.

As this is a major upgrade, we urge you to make a backup of your bib files before trying out the new version.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Ian-J](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/d07c76/32.png) [@Ian-J](https://discourse.jabref.org/u/Ian-J)\
**Post date:** [December 5, 2024, 2:51pm UTC](https://discourse.jabref.org/t/jab-ref-not-connecting-to-open-office-java-problem/5327/3 "2024-12-05T14:51:43Z")

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Thank you very much! It’s working now.  
Please keep up the wonderful work.

I was fooled because Linux Mint current distribution had a very old version of JabRef. How can we get Linux Mint administrators to include an up to date version?

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Siedlerchr](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/discourse.jabref.org/siedlerchr/32/216_2.png) [@Siedlerchr](https://discourse.jabref.org/u/Siedlerchr)\
**Post date:** [December 6, 2024, 1:34pm UTC](https://discourse.jabref.org/t/jab-ref-not-connecting-to-open-office-java-problem/5327/4 "2024-12-06T13:34:25Z")

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We would like to have it included, but it’s an extreme effort for us to package all third-party dependencies etc. We alternatively offer JabRef as flatpak or snap as well