LibreOffice -- Updates and Questions

[pommystuart]

Ashuelot
Turning SKIA OFF and having nothing ticked in Graphics Output seems to have fixed my problem with no loss of speed.
If you don't here from me again re this problem, assume it is fixed for me.

Ver 7.1.7.2(x64) & Win11

Intel UHD Graphics
Manufacturer Intel
Model UHD Graphics
Device ID 8086-9BC4
Revision 6
Subvendor Dell (1028)
Current Performance Level Level 0
Driver version 27.20.100.9664
Count of performance levels : 1
Level 1 - "Perf Level 0"
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Ti
Manufacturer NVIDIA
Model GeForce GTX 1650 Ti
Device ID 10DE-1F95
Revision A2
Subvendor Dell (1028)
Current Performance Level Level 0
Bus Interface PCI Express x8
Temperature 50 °C
Driver version 30.0.14.7135
BIOS Version 90.17.41.00.39
Memory 4095 MB
Count of performance levels : 1
Level 1 - "Perf Level 0"

[Michael]

I received another bug report update on the Slow Response with big files: they are putting it into 7.2.5.0.0. They have a developer version ready, so I tried it out. (I also learned that changing focus means clicking on a new cell.) This is what I noticed:

1. If the image is not enhanced and not rotated, the time to focus on another cell is normal;
2. If the image is not enhanced and is rotated, the time to focus on another cell is normal!!! but,
3. If the image is enhanced, the time to focus on another cell, is very slow: 3-4 seconds.

If the image is enhanced, the wizards come up normally, and there is no apparent slowdown when typing.

I went back to bugzilla and reported that an enhanced image still causes problems when changing focus.

Normally, I don't enhance the images, but I was working with a couple of log pages that really needed it, which is how I noticed the problem was with enhanced images. I was, however, pleased to see that the slow response for rotated images has been fixed.

This problem with rotated images in the past occurred with those PCs that had a standard graphics card. PCs with a more powerful graphics card did not have these issues. I suspect that PCs with a powerful graphics card will not have a problem with enhanced images. I have the default standard graphics card, which is the reason I have these problems.

[pommystuart]

Do you want me to try out 7.2.5.0.0 on my "Fast'ish" pc?

[ggordon]

I always use enhanced images. I find the improved contrast between the text and background to be a big help.

I'm guessing they might have noticed the unnecessary rereads during rotation while working on this bug and ended up intentionally or perhaps accidentally fixing it at the same time.

[Michael]

Do you want me to try out 7.2.5.0.0 on my "Fast'ish" pc?

No. Apparently I wasn't using the correct version and they sent me a link to the one with the fix. I'm downloading the installer now, and I will test it out in a little while. It's VERY slow to download. Once I get it tested, we can wait until that fix goes into the production model. Their development site has so many versions and so many operating systems that it is quite overwhelming. Their bugzilla reports also say that the development version will be available in 24-48 hours, so I couldn't tell if the 7.2.5 was the one I should be using or not. They first said it was in 7.2.3 development, then 7.2.4 and then 7.2.5. I keep getting updates every 12 hours or so. However, they know what they're doing, so I will wait until they give the word before I recommend we update to the corrected version.

[Michael]

It took some effort, but it works. My spreadsheet wouldn't open with the Dev version, it kept opening in an earlier version of Calc, so I had to unistall it. Then I had to run Calc manually. My anti-virus went berserk with every new module, but eventually I was able to open my test spreadsheet, and the slow focus problem is gone!!! HOORAY! Also the issue with rotated images is fixed! HOORAY! HOORAY! HOORAY!

Version: 7.4.0.0.alpha0+ (x64) / LibreOffice Community
Build ID: 29db6dc9fbeb8314553d02a9519a4cb8161256f4
CPU threads: 2; OS: Windows 10.0 Build 19044; UI render: Skia/Raster; VCL: win
Locale: en-CA (en_CA); UI: en-US
Calc: threaded

Now I'll have to reinstall the "proper" version so I can use Calc. My anti-virus wouldn't let it open my spreadsheet, only a copy. Anyway, Hooray!!!

[pommystuart]

Michael, Please advise LO about this error.

I am trying 7.3.0.0 Beta1+ (Dec 11th version) and when entering data, after a short while it hangs up then closes.
Restored doc and start again.
Going to take off a combination of Anti Aliasing and Skia. Will advise after a few pages with each combination.
Hangs up when going back to a cell to correct it (not all the time). I enter the correct data and the cell does not accept it, it just repeats the error after pressing Return. about a minute later I can correct it. It does this with Anti-aliasing both ON or OFF.



Will try 7.4 Alpha now. 7.4 is only 2/3 the download size of 7.3
(I am changing ships now (McCullock) and will advise on that one.)

[Michael]

There's no sense playing with beta and pre-release versions; it's a waste of time. Let the real testers do their thing and get just the latest stable version if you want to update Libre Office. Eventually they will migrate the fix for the slow focus issue to a stable version. I suspect that people with good graphics cards won't have those issues anyway. It's just people like me with a generic graphics card that have those problems. If you don't have the problems with enhanced and rotated images, there's no sense in doing anything. If, like me, you do have issues because of a slow graphics card, I suggest you wait for a few days until all the fixes are put into their latest version.

The only reason I'm staying with the Dev version is that I'm tired of un-installing, re-installing, re-booting, re-setting up options etc etc etc. Also, I have a slow graphics card, so their fix is helpful. I can work with rotated and enhanced images with no problems. That said, installing that version was not straight forward, and I highlyy recommend waiting until there is an official release.

From their download page:
LibreOffice 7.1.8
This version is slightly older and does not have the latest features, but it has been tested for longer. For business deployments, we strongly recommend support from certified partners which also offer long-term support versions of LibreOffice.

[Hanibal94]

Yesterday, I had to reinstall Windows to fix a very bad bug (something with my hard drive where I couldn't access it due to borked access rights, which meant a lot of apps, including Windows' OWN TOOLS to fix this kind of problem, were not working, so I was forced to use the ultima ratio!)

So I decided to try out the newest stable version of LibreOffice, which is 7.3.1.3. I tested rotated images, enhanced images, and both rotated and enhanced images - and as far as I can tell, it all works fine! No slowness at all.
Just be advised: I have a young and powerful gaming computer, so your results may vary. But it looks promising!

[Michael]

I'm glad you got your PC fixed. I have occasional problems with access rights to various directories getting scrambled. I think used something in Powershell to fix them. There was a command so you could set the access rights for one directory using the access rights from another directory as a model. I'm not positive I used that, but I think I did. I do remember I was getting desperate. I remember the DOS couldn't do it, nor could a chmod command from ny unix emulator even when I had administrator rights.

[Michael]

I'm going to try 7.2.5 in a week or two. When I do, I'll let people know how it works. My setup had real problems with rotated images. It's at the lower end of power and it was a very basic graphics card.

[pommystuart]

My more modern pc handles 7.2.5.2 quite well and seems quite fast.
I did just a normal full install and and I have not had to make any changes in settings.
I haven't managed to break it (yet)

[Michael]

My computer is smaller, older and less powerful than Stuart's. Because my computer's 3 to 4 second response time to enter just one character with a rotated image that prompted me to file a bug report. When they contacted me to tell me they fix the problem, I had to install a test version of Calc to see if the fix worked on my system. It did, but I waited until I was sure that the fix was installed on their latest stable version.

I am please to say that I have just installed LibreOffice 7.2.6.2 and it works perfectly!!!

[Michael]

If you upgrade LibreCalc to Version 7.4 or beyond, you must have versions 3_5a for both your spreadsheet and shortcuts file. You can read details here.