minutes of ESC call ...

[Stephan Bergmann]

On 10/24/2013 10:35 PM, Michael Meeks wrote:
> * QA update (Robinson)
>      + OSX / Maverick update:
>          + apparently a Java related update / issue ...
>          + without Java installed we (now) crash on start
>          + TDF has the ability to get under NDA new versions
>              + problem is not so much access but time to play.
> AI:     + test and get backtraces on Maverick (Norbert)
>              + Maverick doesn't have Java by default
>              + conjecture - due to a missing-java wrapper.
>              + potentially related to a Java using extension
>              + not everyone affected floeff:
>                  https://plus.google.com/116265564718884370181/posts/RcPNTDtg3bM
>          + could we hot-fix it in 4.1.3 (if we have a fix)
>              + yes, if tripple reviewed etc.

<http://lists.freedesktop.org/archives/libreoffice/2013-October/056991.html> 
"Why typing in Writer instantiates the JVM on Mac OS X" explains that 
this is due to the wiki-publisher extension that comes bundled with TDF 
LO installation sets for Mac.  So, in one form or another, this problem 
hits everybody who uses LO on a Mac with no Java installed yet (either 
freshly bought or freshly upgraded to a new OS X version).  For most it 
is apparently only a one-shot annoyance (LO needing to be restarted 
after the dialog requesting installation of Java popped up), but for 
some it reportedly is a persistent blocker.

I at least see no quick and easy way how to fix the sad fact that the 
wiki-publisher's Addons.xcu causes JVM instantiation upon pressing the 
first key in Writer.

And it appears difficult to lay hands on useful data why LO actually 
crashes in the described scenario.  Norbert couldn't provide a backtrace 
(cf. 
<http://lists.freedesktop.org/archives/libreoffice/2013-October/057000.html> 
"Re: Why typing in Writer instantiates the JVM on Mac OS X"), and I 
couldn't fake LO into crashing either by manually inserting exception 
throwing etc. in places I thought might be relevant.

Therefore, I suggest to quick-fix this for the TDF LO 4.1.3 Mac 
installation sets at least by not bundling the wiki-publisher extension 
with them.  All it takes to do that is to remove the 
"--enable-ext-wiki-publisher" line from 
distro-configs/LibreOfficeMacOSX.conf.

Stephan