[Upstream] Menu entries should use Exec=/bin/sh /usr/lib/libreoffice/program/soffice -writer %U

[Jérôme]

Binary package hint: openoffice.org

The current menu entries have indirect invocation. This infers intermediate dash shell invocation and thus slowdowns the startup. Moreover, not using direct file path infers a useless additional load due to the lookup time.

With the Ubuntu 11.04 (natty) package, the menu entry description provides the
below command :
---
j@lu64:~$ grep -i exec /usr/share/applications/libreoffice-writer.desktop
Exec=libreoffice -writer %U
Exec=libreoffice -writer %U
j@lu64:~$
---

The above command line is equivalent to the below pseudo instructions :
---
j@lu64:~$ which libreoffice
/usr/bin/libreoffice
j@lu64:~$ file /usr/bin/libreoffice
/usr/bin/libreoffice: POSIX shell script text executable
j@lu64:~$ cat /usr/bin/libreoffice
#!/bin/sh
/usr/lib/libreoffice/program/soffice "$@"
j@lu64:~$ file /usr/lib/libreoffice/program/soffice
/usr/lib/libreoffice/program/soffice: POSIX shell script text executable
j@lu64:~$ /bin/sh /usr/lib/libreoffice/program/soffice -writer %U
---

I think the /usr/share/applications/libreoffice-writer.desktop file should
provide the below command line instead :
---
Exec=/bin/sh /usr/lib/libreoffice/program/soffice -writer %U
---

Removing all those indirect calls speeds up the cold startup time by more than 20%.

ProblemType: Bug
Architecture: i386
Date: Thu Oct 15 11:56:54 2009
Dependencies:

DistroRelease: Ubuntu 9.10
Package: openoffice.org-common 1:3.1.1-4ubuntu1 [modified: var/lib/openoffice/basis3.1/share/config/javasettingsunopkginstall.xml]
PackageArchitecture: all
ProcEnviron:
 LANG=fr_FR.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.31-14.46-generic
SourcePackage: openoffice.org
Uname: Linux 2.6.31-14-generic i686

[Jérôme (jerome-bouat)]

Below are the cold start duration (after the computer just restarted, the services like cron are stopped of course).

command: ooffice -writer
duration: 22 seconds (2 tries; 1% variation against the average)

command: /bin/dash /usr/lib/openoffice/program/soffice -writer
duration: 17 seconds (2 tries; <1% variation against the average)

The last command shorten the cold startup time by more than 20% !

[Jérôme (jerome-bouat)]

For example, in order to fix this bug for OO Writer, you just have to perform the below change for the /usr/lib/openoffice/share/xdg/writer.desktop file:
--------
< Exec=ooffice -writer %U
---
> Exec=/bin/dash /usr/lib/openoffice/program/soffice -writer %U
--------

Why this bug fix can't be applied right now ?

[Chris Cheney (ccheney)]

Because we are long past freeze, Ubuntu 9.10 releases tomorrow.

[Jérôme (jerome-bouat)]

I notified the upstream packaging:
http://qa.openoffice.org/issues/show_bug.cgi?id=106386

However I think it will not impact the Ubuntu repackaging which has to be fixed separately.

[Jérôme (jerome-bouat)]

Still occurs on Lucid.

It appears on amd64 too.

[Björn Michaelsen (bjoern-michaelsen)]

[This is an automated message.]
There are no new official OpenOffice.org releases in Ubuntu packaging anymore => Won't Fix

If the problem persists, please mark this bug as "also affects project Libreoffice" or "also affects distribution Libreoffice (Ubuntu)" if that has not happened already.

Please leave references to upstream OpenOffice.org bugs in place to allow cross pollination.

[Jérôme (jerome-bouat)]

With the Ubuntu 11.04 (natty) package, the menu entry description provides the below command :
---
j@lu64:~$ grep -i exec /usr/share/applications/libreoffice-writer.desktop
Exec=libreoffice -writer %U
Exec=libreoffice -writer %U
j@lu64:~$
---

The above command line is equivalent to the below pseudo instructions :
---
j@lu64:~$ which libreoffice
/usr/bin/libreoffice
j@lu64:~$ file /usr/bin/libreoffice
/usr/bin/libreoffice: POSIX shell script text executable
j@lu64:~$ cat /usr/bin/libreoffice
#!/bin/sh
/usr/lib/libreoffice/program/soffice "$@"
j@lu64:~$ file /usr/lib/libreoffice/program/soffice
/usr/lib/libreoffice/program/soffice: POSIX shell script text executable
j@lu64:~$ /bin/sh /usr/lib/libreoffice/program/soffice -writer %U
---

I think the /usr/share/applications/libreoffice-writer.desktop file should provide the below command line instead :
---
Exec=/bin/sh /usr/lib/libreoffice/program/soffice -writer %U
---

The below Ubuntu bug report shows that removing all those indirect calls speeds
up the cold startup time by more than 20% :

https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/openoffice.org/+bug/452043

[Björn Michaelsen (bjoern-michaelsen)]

[This is an automated message.]
This bug was filed before the changes to Bugzilla on 2011-10-16. Thus it
started right out as NEW without ever being explicitly confirmed. The bug is
changed to state NEEDINFO for this reason. To move this bug from NEEDINFO back
to NEW please check if the bug still persists with the 3.5.0 beta1 or beta2 prereleases.
Details on how to test the 3.5.0 beta1 can be found at:
http://wiki.documentfoundation.org/QA/BugHunting_Session_3.5.0.-1

more detail on this bulk operation: http://nabble.documentfoundation.org/RFC-Operation-Spamzilla-tp3607474p3607474.html

[Jérôme (jerome-bouat)]

The new 3.5.0rc2 version decreased the number of indirection. However we could go further.

Menu entry :
---
j@j-K64:~$ grep -i exec /usr/share/applications/libreoffice3.5-writer.desktop
Exec=libreoffice3.5 --writer %U
j@j-K64:~$
---

The above command line is equivalent to the below pseudo instructions :
---
j@j-K64:~$ which libreoffice3.5
/usr/bin/libreoffice3.5
j@j-K64:~$ file /usr/bin/libreoffice3.5
/usr/bin/libreoffice3.5: symbolic link to `/opt/libreoffice3.5/program/soffice'
j@j-K64:~$ file /opt/libreoffice3.5/program/soffice
/opt/libreoffice3.5/program/soffice: POSIX shell script text executable
j@j-K64:~$ head -1 /opt/libreoffice3.5/program/soffice
#!/bin/sh
j@j-K64:~$ /bin/sh /opt/libreoffice3.5/program/soffice --writer %U
---

I think the /usr/share/applications/libreoffice3.5-writer.desktop file should
provide the below command line instead :
---
Exec=/bin/sh /opt/libreoffice3.5/program/soffice --writer %U
---

[Jérôme (jerome-bouat)]

The bug still occurs with 3.5.0 RC3 (2012-02-04).

[Samuel Mehrbrodt (sam92)]

I don't think this is a bug in LibreOffice. LibreOffice can be installed in different places and this should not be hard-coded.

[Björn Michaelsen (bjoern-michaelsen)]

closing as per upstream

[Jérôme (jerome-bouat)]

This isn't a LibreOffice bug. This is a bug of the packaging of LibreOffice into Ubuntu.

[Jérôme (jerome-bouat)]

I think the installation process should deal with the final path of the programs.

For example, you keep the symbolic link /usr/bin/libreoffice which points to /usr/lib/libreoffice/program/soffice.

However, the /usr/share/applications/libreoffice-writer.desktop would have the below Exec mapping :
---
Exec=/bin/sh /usr/lib/libreoffice/program/soffice -writer %U
---

Anyway you have to deal with the final path when you create the symbolic link.

Maybe the tools which package the archives/installer are already dealing with this indirection.