Install libreoffice 24.8.2?

Linux system, Ubuntu 20.04.6 LTS, Dowwnloaded and executed the ./install for libreoffice 24.8.2. The previous install was from the ubuntu software, 24.2.6.2.

Fine. It installed, I can (apparently) get it by typing libreoffice at a command prompt.

Then we are in crazyland. My old libreoffice icons still go to 24.2.6.2. I don’t know what typing libreoffice at the command line gives, version->help says 7.6.7.2. What is that? The recent documents are different, and wrong, so I can’t open them, and all of the create icons are greyed out, so I can’t create anything. Use open file to open an .odt document, I get a werid menu that wants me to open it as a chart.

I just want to upgrade the version of libreoffice. I don’t care if it keeps or does not keep the old version. The installation seems damaged, even though it ran fine. What is going on?

maybe start from command line - What is the correct way to completely remove an application? - Ask Ubuntu

probably should start caring a bit though :wink:

Problem one: Ubuntu does include only “minor” upgrades by default. So if it came with 6.3 apt will never upgrade this to 7.x, because it is not in the repository by Ubuntu.
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Next: They introduced Snap, so you can have newer vesions independent of apt, but if you don’t care you may have two versions now…
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If you download a third one (from ??) you as admin of your system can install this on top and create your “crazyland”
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I’d recommend to backup your files and the profiles, especially if you have pacros/dictionaries/Extensions or altered the menu/toolbars.
Then remove all versions of LibreOffice.
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As a last step, decide wich version you wish to use and install from the selected source (there is also flatpack…). Then stay with source for updates or welcome crazyland sgain…
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Maybe easier: Backup your files including profiles, then install a current Ubuntu…

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I found a solution specific to Ubuntu that is similar to fpy’s. It uses purge. Its odd, because it actually didn’t get rid of the old version, as evidenced by the fact I could still execute it by icons. I erased the icons and remade them, now ok.

The key for those instructions was installing a repo so that the ubuntu application menu could do the work.

I don’t understand the versioning at all. The old was 24.x and now everything is 7.x something? WTF?

This means, that what you did wasn’t what you wanted (so you might want to familiarize yourself with the different packaging options that Linux provides to you, creating a great flexibility, and the great complexity at the same time, requiring you to be an expert to avoid disaster): you have now an older version, not an updated one.

I take it back. The “update” procedure I found just reinstalls the old version. I am hosed.

There is a “fresh” lts release from this year for ubuntu. But backup your current config and files first…
https://ubuntu.com/blog/upgrade-your-desktop-ubuntu-24-04-lts