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LibreOffice won't launch on Ubuntu 20.04

~$ libreoffice --writer
/usr/lib/libreoffice/program/soffice.bin: symbol lookup error: /usr/lib/libreoffice/program/libmergedlo.so: undefined symbol: hb_graphite2_face_get_gr_face

I tried uninstalling according to the instructions here and then reinstalling: How to uninstall LibreOffice?

I have upgraded all of my packages.

How do I proceed with debugging? Do I somehow have the wrong version of libmergedlo.so?

EDIT:

Requested in comments:

~$ ldd /usr/lib/libreoffice/program/libmergedlo.so | grep local
    libboost_locale.so.1.71.0 => /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libboost_locale.so.1.71.0 (0x00007fe5591f3000)
    libharfbuzz.so.0 => /usr/local/lib/libharfbuzz.so.0 (0x00007fe558df5000)

Also tried:

  • Removing ~/.config/libreoffice/4/user/config/javasettings_Linux_X86_64.xml
  • Uninstalling, manually removing /usr/lib/libreoffice, reinstalling
  • sudo apt-get install --reinstall libreoffice libreoffice-core
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  • Can you try uninstalling LibreOffice again, manually delete /usr/lib/libreoffice, and reinstall? Aug 28, 2020 at 15:30
  • Please edit your question and add output of ldd /usr/lib/libreoffice/program/libmergedlo.so | grep local to it.
    – N0rbert
    Aug 28, 2020 at 15:43
  • Try whether it loads after removing the file config/libreoffice/4/user/config/javasettings_Linux_X86_64.xml
    – vanadium
    Aug 28, 2020 at 18:40
  • @vanadium no change after (temporarily) removing the file
    – Void Star
    Aug 28, 2020 at 23:12
  • 1
    @N0rbert, I learned something today - checking for shared object heck with ldd - thanks for the assistance
    – Void Star
    Aug 29, 2020 at 18:25

3 Answers 3

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To reinstall use:

sudo apt-get install --reinstall libreoffice libreoffice-core

You have to remove problematic library with:

sudo rm /usr/local/lib/libharfbuzz.so.0
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  • problem persists, any more ideas?
    – Void Star
    Aug 28, 2020 at 23:13
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    You have to remove the problematic library with sudo rm /usr/local/lib/libharfbuzz.so.0
    – N0rbert
    Aug 29, 2020 at 6:38
  • you're exactly right with that, now to figure out how that lib ended up there, thanks!
    – Void Star
    Aug 29, 2020 at 18:17
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    For posterity - I got myself into this situation by building and installing harfbuzz from source as a dependency of another project I was trying to build. The right way to solve this, in my case, was to go to the source tree and run sudo make uninstall, which cleaned up everything and not just the stray libharfbuzz.so.0
    – Void Star
    Aug 29, 2020 at 18:26
  • @VoidStar that also worked for me! Thanks and I think you should post your comment as a full answer
    – Paul
    Oct 27, 2020 at 15:21
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Try this to remove libreoffice:

sudo apt-get remove --purge libreoffice*
sudo apt-get clean
sudo apt-get autoremove

Download TDF packages from:

https://ftp.nluug.nl/office/libreoffice/libreoffice/stable/7.0.0/deb/x86_64/LibreOffice_7.0.0_Linux_x86-64_deb.tar.gz

https://ftp.nluug.nl/office/libreoffice/libreoffice/stable/7.0.0/deb/x86_64/LibreOffice_7.0.0_Linux_x86-64_deb_helppack_en-GB.tar.gz

https://ftp.nluug.nl/office/libreoffice/libreoffice/stable/7.0.0/deb/x86_64/LibreOffice_7.0.0_Linux_x86-64_deb_langpack_en-GB.tar.gz

Assuming, they are downloaded in /home/user/Downloads

Run to install:

cd ~/Downloads
for x in *.tar.gz; do tar xfv $x; done
sudo dpkg -i LibreOffice_*/DEBS/*.deb
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    This will not fix a problem with dynamic library linking.
    – N0rbert
    Aug 29, 2020 at 15:54
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I was actually able to bring back LibreOffice by simply removing the 'harfbuzz' (wth is that thing?!), at this point I have seen no negative results of NOT re-installing the LO-core. And it didn't FUBAR the way I have my menu arranged by enforcing the defaults in the 'install' process.

The cmd I used to nuke harfy was the one mentioned in this thread,

'sudo rm /usr/local/lib/libharfbuzz.so.0'

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