Jabref: Linking to Libre/OpenOffice fails because of classloader exception

[rsdc2]

JabRef version 5.x on Ubuntu 18.04 LTS

• [ x] I have tested the latest development version from http://builds.jabref.org/master/ and the problem persists

Steps to reproduce the behavior:

1. Manual connect to Libreoffice (Auto connect generates same error)
2. Specify directory for .jar class files: /usr/lib/libreoffice/program/classes (have double-checked that they are actually there)
3. Click OK
4. Error: "Could not connect to running OpenOffice/LibreOffice
   (Not all) required OpenOffice jars were found inside the installation path. Searched for [unoil.jar, jurt.jar, juh.jar., ridl.jar] in /opt/openoffice.org3"

Stacktrace:

java.io.IOException: (Not all) required Open Office Jars were found inside installation path. Searched for [unoil.jar, jurt.jar, juh.jar, ridl.jar] in /opt/openoffice.org3
at org.jabref.gui.openoffice.OpenOfficePanel.loadOpenOfficeJars(OpenOfficePanel.java:449)
at org.jabref.gui.openoffice.OpenOfficePanel$2.call(OpenOfficePanel.java:389)
at org.jabref.gui.openoffice.OpenOfficePanel$2.call(OpenOfficePanel.java:384)
at javafx.concurrent.Task$TaskCallable.call(Task.java:1425)
at java.base/java.util.concurrent.FutureTask.run(FutureTask.java:264)
at java.base/java.util.concurrent.Executors$RunnableAdapter.call(Executors.java:515)
at java.base/java.util.concurrent.FutureTask.run(FutureTask.java:264)
at java.base/java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor.runWorker(ThreadPoolExecutor.java:1128)
at java.base/java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor$Worker.run(ThreadPoolExecutor.java:628)
at java.base/java.lang.Thread.run(Thread.java:834)

[Siedlerchr]

Try to reset your preferences. There seems to be still the wrong old path stored in the preferences.

[rsdc2]

Thank you very much for your help. I've followed that. Now it generates the following error (which seems to happen in both automatic and manual):

"Autodetection failed"

java.lang.ClassCastException: class jdk.internal.loader.ClassLoaders$AppClassLoader cannot be cast to class java.net.URLClassLoader (jdk.internal.loader.ClassLoaders$AppClassLoader and java.net.URLClassLoader are in module java.base of loader 'bootstrap')
at org.jabref.gui.openoffice.OpenOfficePanel.addURL(OpenOfficePanel.java:141)
at org.jabref.gui.openoffice.OpenOfficePanel.loadOpenOfficeJars(OpenOfficePanel.java:456)
at org.jabref.gui.openoffice.OpenOfficePanel$2.call(OpenOfficePanel.java:389)
at org.jabref.gui.openoffice.OpenOfficePanel$2.call(OpenOfficePanel.java:384)
at javafx.concurrent.Task$TaskCallable.call(Task.java:1425)
at java.base/java.util.concurrent.FutureTask.run(FutureTask.java:264)
at java.base/java.util.concurrent.Executors$RunnableAdapter.call(Executors.java:515)
at java.base/java.util.concurrent.FutureTask.run(FutureTask.java:264)
at java.base/java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor.runWorker(ThreadPoolExecutor.java:1128)
at java.base/java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor$Worker.run(ThreadPoolExecutor.java:628)
at java.base/java.lang.Thread.run(Thread.java:834)

[Siedlerchr]

Ah thanks for the report.
I think this is related to the new ClassLoader stuff in java 11.
See https://blog.codefx.org/java/java-11-migration-guide/#Casting-To-URL-Class-Loader

[deisi]

I'm also effected by this. The link sounds like its a lot of work to fix. Should one role back to older jabref version for the moment if this functionality is required?

[Siedlerchr]

Yes. If you use thisffunction regularly, you might want to use an older version JabRef for the moment.
A development version before the Java 11 change should also work.

We are of course trying to fix this problem, but it's indeed a bit more complicated since it involves loading the Libre office jars at runtime. And that stuff has changed with Java 9/11....🤔

[Siedlerchr]

@rsdc2 @deisi Good news, I found a solution to fix this:
Could you please try this version here and report back if it works?
https://builds.jabref.org/fixOpenOffice/

(it now uses sockets instead of named pipes)

[rsdc2]

Thanks so much for doing that! I'll check it tomorrow when I have access to my computer and let you know.

[deisi]

It works. I could click on connect and it connected. I could further insert a citation. Thank you very much for the fix :)

[Siedlerchr]

This should be fixed in the latest master now.

We would like to ask you to use a development build from https://builds.jabref.org/master and report back if it works for you. Please remember to make a backup of your library before trying-out this version.

[rsdc2]

Thanks again for your work on this. I just tried running the latest master. When I try to launch the new jar file from the terminal, I get the following message:

Error: Could not find or load main class org.jabref.org.jabref.JabRefLauncher
Caused by: java.lang.ClassNotFoundException: org.jabref.org.jabref.JabRefLauncher

I tested the earlier version, and that still launches.

[Siedlerchr]

Running directly from the jar is no longer possible.
please use either the Linux tar.gz archive or the windows installer. It includes all the necessary dependencies and a start script

[rsdc2]

Ok thanks very much. I'll do that.

On Mon, 16 Sep 2019, 18:52 Christoph, [e-mail] wrote:

Running directly from the jar is no longer possible.
please use either the Linux tar.gz archive or the windows installer. It
includes all the necessary dependencies and a start script

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[rsdc2]

It all works - thank you very much for your help.