Calc on Ubuntu: You cannot see the chart preview behind the Create Chart window

[Henrik-R]

Hi!

I use LibreOffice v.7.2.6.2 on Ubuntu 22.04.1 LTS.

When I want to create a chart, I choose the pull-down menu item: Insert → Chart.
This opens a new window with the title “Chart Type”. Now I can choose on a list of chart types, and in the background LibreOffice shows a preview of how it will look… BUT you cannot move the “Chart Type”-window, so you cannot really see the preview behind it… This seems utterly stupid…

As I recall, earlier LibreOffice Calc versions had the same problem, and also on Ubuntu 20.04. Maybe even before that.

[Ratslinger]

Hello,
Just checked again using:

Version: 7.4.3.2 / LibreOffice Community
Build ID: 1048a8393ae2eeec98dff31b5c133c5f1d08b890
CPU threads: 8; OS: Linux 5.4; UI render: default; VCL: gtk3
Locale: en-US (en_US.UTF-8); UI: en-US
Calc: threaded

with Ubuntu 20.04.5 Mate and had no issues moving the “Chart Type” dialog.
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Edit:
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Just switched to Ubuntu 22.04.1 with:
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Version: 7.4.0.3 / LibreOffice Community
Build ID: f85e47c08ddd19c015c0114a68350214f7066f5a
CPU threads: 8; OS: Linux 5.15; UI render: default; VCL: gtk3
Locale: en-US (en_US.UTF-8); UI: en-US
Calc: threaded

and again no issue moving the dialog.
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BTW, I am typically using LO versions from TDF and not the distro versions. Aside from that, possibly try safe mode or resetting your user profile.

[Henrik-R]

Hi!
Thank you for your answer.

@Ratslinger

BTW, I am typically using LO versions from TDF and not the distro versions. Aside from that, possibly try safe mode or resetting your user profile.

This is a bit cryptic… LO versions from TDF? Safe mode - in what? User profile - again where?

[Ratslinger]

Hello
TDF(The Document Foundation) → Download LibreOffice | LibreOffice - Free Office Suite - Based on OpenOffice - Compatible with Microsoft
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Safe Mode → from LO menu, Help->Restart in Safe Mode...
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User Profile → LibreOffice user profile - The Document Foundation Wiki

[Henrik-R]

@Ratslinger

Safe Mode → from LO menu, Help->Restart in Safe Mode...
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User Profile → LibreOffice user profile - The Document Foundation Wiki

OK…

Because of a number of other problems I have now restored a drive image backup of the Ubuntu partition from August, thus ‘downgrading’ from Ubuntu 22.04 to 20.04… That solved some other problems.
I still use LibreOffice 7.2.6.2 - here on Ubuntu 20.04.

I then restarted LO in Safe Mode and reset my user profile (etc.) to Factory Setting.

Then I tried Create Chart again. But I still cannot move the Chart-dialogue window…

Maybe I should add, that when I have tried to manually update LO by downloading and installing a newer version via the link you also mentioned, it has resulted in additional installations… So I now have 2 or 3 versions of LO - which I find quite annoying! But I have never taken the time to remove the old ones… I guess I was afraid that the versions share some information that would be deleted…

Edit:
I can add, that even the “About LibreOffice” window (Menu: Help → About LibreOffice) cannot be moved.

[Ratslinger]

@Henrik-R
There are ways to safely install multiple versions of LO (I personally do not use). I would remove all versions of LO currently installed (profile can stay for now). Once all cleaned up, Install whatever LO version you want.
With a fresh install, if you still have an issue, then try a new user profile (rename the old & re-start LO).
BTW, I have no issues with About dialog. Also LO in 22.04 have no unusual problems. I personally went back to 20.04 because of other OS problems. I did find that a clean install of 22.04 was much better than an upgrade from 20.04

[Henrik-R]

@Ratslinger

There are ways to safely install multiple versions of LO (I personally do not use). I would remove all versions of LO currently installed (profile can stay for now). Once all cleaned up, Install whatever LO version you want.
With a fresh install, if you still have an issue, then try a new user profile (rename the old & re-start LO).
BTW, I have no issues with About dialog. Also LO in 22.04 have no unusual problems. I personally went back to 20.04 because of other OS problems. I did find that a clean install of 22.04 was much better than an upgrade from 20.04

Thank you for your reply!

But how do I uninstall versions that ‘Software’ cannot find…?

I have now uninstalled the versions that can be found on the ‘Installed’ list in ‘Software, ver. 3.36.1’.
Now, when I press the ‘Windows-button’ and type ‘libre’ I get 2 icons for each app in the LibreOffice-package. But they both point to ver. 7.2.6.2.
I installed that version in some kind of manual way. I don’t remember exactly how. I can’t see how to uninstall it…?

PS: So far I am happy that I trashed Ubuntu 22.04 and went back to 20.04…

[Ratslinger]

@Henrik-R

@Henrik-R

I have now uninstalled the versions that can be found on the ‘Installed’ list in ‘Software, ver. 3.36.1’.

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Not certain what you are referring to here - Software Boutique or Synaptic or something else.
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I remove my old versions from the terminal with:

sudo apt-get remove --purge libreoffice7*

Since you did some manual install, it may not completely remove everything or possibly anything. You may need to manually remove what is left.
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Since you have a backup (Bravo - amazing how many do not), you at least have a safety net in case something goes astray.
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Edit:
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Just thought in case you did not know, LibreOffice is installed (Ubuntu 20) in the file system under opt

[Henrik-R]

@Ratslinger

Not certain what you are referring to here - Software Boutique or Synaptic or something else.

Every app on Ubuntu has a name, when you press the ‘Windows-key’ and start typing. I am talking about the one simply called 'Software". I guess it’s also called a repository?

@Ratslinger

I remove my old versions from the terminal with:

sudo apt-get remove --purge libreoffice7*

OK. But after that command there is still about 72 MB in the /opt/libreoffice7.2 folder. Why?
I repeated the command, and strangely this deleted about 270MB more…
Then I did

sudo apt autoremove

Which removed about 171MB.
But there is still 72 MB in /opt/libreoffice7.2. Why?

@Ratslinger

Just thought in case you did not know, LibreOffice is installed (Ubuntu 20) in the file system under opt

No, I didn’t have the slightest idea about… So thank you!

[Ratslinger]

@Henrik-R

@Henrik-R

when you press the ‘Windows-key’ and start typing

For me that does not find any software but has specific functions such as Win-key + L locks the screen.
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The left overs are modified items not completely provided for by LO. For example you may have installed other fonts of modified python (I have both). If those are deleted (and they can be), if you decide to load that version back out, your customization will be absent. You may be able to get an idea by the folder name.
Brief sample of my directory:

There is nothing left of the LO program itself.
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The next question is where do you now stand with regard to dialog moving?

[Henrik-R]

@Ratslinger

For me that does not find any software but has specific functions such as Win-key + L locks the screen.

Don’t hold down the ‘Windows-key’. Just tap it, then tap ‘soft’, and you will see a list of apps - ‘Software’ being one of them - at least on my Ubuntu 20.04.

@Ratslinger

The next question is where do you now stand with regard to dialog moving?

I decided to install LibreOffice from the Software app (repository). It’s version 7.4.2.3. But it still doesn’t allow moving dialogue windows…!

[Ratslinger]

@Henrik-R

Just tap it, then tap ‘soft’, and you will see a list of apps

Sorry - that is simply the OS menu. And typing soft only gives me a partial list of what is actually installed which includes nothing called Software. I do, as stated before, have Software Boutique.
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Did you also try renaming the user profile so a new one is generated? Personally I try to stay away from all versions except TDF - experienced more issues that sometimes go unexplained.

[Henrik-R]

@Ratslinger

Sorry - that is simply the OS menu. And typing soft only gives me a partial list of what is actually installed which includes nothing called Software. I do, as stated before, have Software Boutique.

Strange… I run Ubuntu 20.04, and I don’t have anything called ‘Software Boutique’.

@Ratslinger

Did you also try renaming the user profile so a new one is generated? Personally I try to stay away from all versions except TDF - experienced more issues that sometimes go unexplained.

If the uninstall using:

sudo apt-get remove --purge libreoffice7*

doesn’t delete all my user profiles - then what does…?

[Ratslinger]

@Henrik-R

If the uninstall using:

sudo apt-get remove --purge libreoffice7*

doesn’t delete all my user profiles - then what does…?

Manual deletion. Again, see the link to the User Profile posted in my second comment. This holds most user settings and is not meant to be deleted under normal circumstances. Many people think that when they delete LO that their settings are deleted also. Not so.

[Henrik-R]

@Ratslinger

Manual deletion.

OK… I managed to do that. Although I am not 100% sure that the newest user profile is situated in a ‘user’ folder below a folder containing ‘libreoffice’ in the name…
But the freshly installed LibreOffice 7.4.2.3 (from ‘Software’ - included with Ubuntu 20.04) is not one bit better in terms of moving dialogue windows… And it is VERY slows. More than 10 seconds to start up.
So I deleted it and installed the version 7.3.7.2 from ‘LibreOffice_7.3.7.2_Linux_x86-64_deb’ downloaded from Download LibreOffice | LibreOffice - Free Office Suite - Based on OpenOffice - Compatible with Microsoft . This is much faster! About 1/3 the time to start up!
But dialogue windows still are not movable. So there must be something wrong with the user interface of my Ubuntu 20.04…

[Ratslinger]

@Henrik-R

Although I am not 100% sure that the newest user profile is situated in a ‘user’ folder below a folder containing ‘libreoffice’ in the name…

Do not understand why not. From User profile wiki:

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My disk where I have renamed multiple times:

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Only item I have not seen from you is desktop used. I have noted mine as Mate.
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With all of LO closed, if you rename the libreoffice folder then start LO, a new profile will be generated.

[Henrik-R]

@Ratslinger

Only item I have not seen from you is desktop used. I have noted mine as Mate.

‘Desktop’? Do you mean any of this information:

@Ratslinger

With all of LO closed, if you rename the libreoffice folder then start LO, a new profile will be generated.

I think I managed to delete the user profile and let version 7.3.7.2 from the LO-website create a new one.

[Ratslinger]

Gnome
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Have nothing to test your install with. As I have nothing further that may help, possibly try Ubuntu to see if there are any known issues.

[Ratslinger]

@Henrik-R
Have found something else for you to try. See → How do I move child windows without moving or minimizing parent in GNOME 3? - Ask Ubuntu

[Henrik-R]

@Ratslinger

Have found something else for you to try. See → How do I move child windows without moving or minimizing parent in GNOME 3? - Ask Ubuntu

Thank you very much. I will take a look at that. It sounds exactly like my problem.
Edit:
Is Gnome a bad choice? I don’t know the options. I just try to make my PC an effective tool… not an experiment.