OpenOffice Error: “javaldx: Could not find a Java Runtime Environment!”

If you are running OpenOffice from the command line in Ubuntu, you may see the following error:

javaldx: Could not find a Java Runtime Environment!

This error can occur even if you have a valid Java Runtime Environment (JRE) on your machine.

The reason why that happens is that even though OpenOffice is installed by default in Ubuntu, the package that enables OpenOffice to use the JRE is not installed by default, due to space constraints. From the Ubuntu 8.04 Release Notes:

For reasons of disk space, the database and equation editor components of OpenOffice.org, as well as Java integration support, are not included on the installation CDs. To get the full OpenOffice.org suite after install, you can select “OpenOffice.org Office Suite” from the Applications -> Add/Remove menu, or install the openoffice.org metapackage using the package manager.

The way to get OpenOffice to see the JRE on your machine is to install the openoffice.org-java-common package. Alternately, you could install the openoffice.org metapackage (as described in the release notes above), which will install the openoffice.org-java-common package along with some other components of OpenOffice that were left out of the default install as well.

This confusing behaviour exists in Hardy and Intrepid. According to this Launchpad comment, in Jaunty the “javaldx: Could not find a Java Runtime Environment!” error message will be changed to something more helpful.

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This entry was posted on March 11, 2009 at 6:00 am and is filed under Linux, OpenOffice, Ubuntu. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

5 Responses to “OpenOffice Error: “javaldx: Could not find a Java Runtime Environment!””

Martin Jatk Says:
July 18, 2009 at 10:36 am
I suspect there may be more to it than explained above.

I keep getting the ‘javaldx: Could not find a Java Runtime Environment!’

although I have installed both openoffice.org and openoffice.org-java-common packages on, some version of kubuntu (8.10 if my memory does not fail me).
(I can’t remember how to check right now)

I’m not sure, but I suspect that the error started appearing after I installed imagej which requires a full java environment. It would not bother me, except for the fact that oocalc tells me that it requires java to read an xml file from one of the the new Microsoft formats that I’ve been sent; I suspect it still won’t be able to, but that’s a different matter altogether).

so there’s probably more to it, but I cannot seem to find it by persistent googling or otherwise.

anyway I would appreciate a pointer in the right direction..

cheers,

Martin
somejotnotes Says:
July 19, 2009 at 11:43 am
Hi Martin,

Thanks for sharing your problem. Unfortunately, I have no experience with imagej, and I can’t help you. I recommend that you try reporting a Launchpad bug.

P.S. You can find your Kubuntu version by running “lsb_release -a” in a terminal.
kirokw Says:
July 30, 2009 at 4:51 pm
I have a problem every time I try to open the openoffice text editor, the javaldx uses a lot of ram and then the system crashes… does anybody know how can i fix the problem?

After I type “killall javaldx” the problem is solved and openoffice text editor run, but I can’t do this every time the system crashes
ujc Says:
August 10, 2009 at 4:58 am
This help really worked. Thanks.
Vivek Says:
February 3, 2010 at 7:03 am
Thanks I could get rid of this problem.

Jot Notes