[Solved] Cursor modification for LibreOffice Writer

[TinyNoobE]

Intermediate Linux user, but using Ubuntu on a desktop.
CORE GOAL: 1) LibreOffice Writer visible cursor. 2) bigger would be a nice to have but will accept #1 only.

Background:
I've been trying different USB based small Linux versions (Puppy, Pendrive, Slax, etc) for over a year as a small, portable LibreOffice Writer platform.
Tinycore is BY FAR the best, most stable. It's not even close.
What I cannot solve (yet) is Tinycore's system default cursor representation in LibreOffice Writer (the original reason for this USB setup). I think it's white in LibreOffice, but that's a guess. 100% invisible. I have no idea where the cursor is on the page. Not acceptable.
Writing this post, the cursor is a blinking line - the expected LibreOffice behavior. Cursor relocation is obvious.
Much googling research says LibreOffice gets it's cursor from the system. Using "Neofetch" I see that GTK3 Adwaita is the base GUI. A visible cursor is the goal. I don't care how. but would prefer standard practices.
Use Xorg/other themes/non-standard installs are suggested in this forum, but I can find no guide for how on Tinycore beyond "Uses Xorg for this example".
Not afraid of the command line but have "broken" my base Tinycore installation a couple of times and/or installed a bunch of non-working junk, so here I am.
Any guidance with step by step appreciated. I'll even write it up!

[TinyNoobE]

A lot of views (60+ as of this note) but no replies: 
I've tried the following, but no joy:
  1. Added gtk.css  to "/home/.config/gtk-3.0/"
       a) two lines:
             "* { -GtkWidget-cursor-aspect-ratio: 0.2; }
               * {caret-color: red; }"
        b) Ref:  https://ask.libreoffice.org/t/lo-writer-on-linux-change-appearance-of-typing-cursor-i-e-not-mouse-cursor/32697
   2. Edited settings.ini in "/home/.config/gtk-3.0/"
        a) "gtk-cursor-size = 16"

Independently, or together there is no impact

   3. Looked at "/home/tc/.config/libreoffice/4/user/registrymodifications.xcu" where some of the default writer settings look promising, but more information needed.
   4. Installing Xorg gives a "Failed to startx" error, and as a result I've rebuilt the Tinycore installation at least 3 times.
.
There HAS to be a fix for this. At this point, I'm reduced to "flipping switches" to see if anything has an effect. My partner is not pleased with the amount of time expended!
Tinycore had extensions for OpenOffice (oo2) and Siag Office at one point, but neither are in the current mirrors.
Abiword is too lightweight.

[curaga]

Can't comment on the cursor, but you don't need to reinstall if Xorg doesn't work for you. Just edit onboot.lst so xorg is no longer there, and reboot.

Code: [Select]

cd /etc/sysconfig/tcedir
vi onboot.lst # or nano if you have it installed, or some other editor

[Juanito]

Installing Xorg gives a "Failed to startx" error, and as a result I've rebuilt the Tinycore installation at least 3 times.

You can troubleshoot this error with the following command from the console prompt:

Code: [Select]

Xorg -nolisten tcp
..and by examining /var/log/Xorg.0.log

[TinyNoobE]

You can troubleshoot this error with the following command from the console prompt:

Code: [Select]

Xorg -nolisten tcp
..and by examining /var/log/Xorg.0.log

Thanks for the response. I'm going to try something a little exotic, but I will report back on that project, and working with Xorg. I greatly appreciate the guidance. It's much preferred over blundering along!

[TinyNoobE]

Can't comment on the cursor, but you don't need to reinstall if Xorg doesn't work for you. Just edit onboot.lst so xorg is no longer there, and reboot.

Code: [Select]

cd /etc/sysconfig/tcedir
vi onboot.lst # or nano if you have it installed, or some other editor

...see reply to Juanito. Ditto here for the guidance!

[TinyNoobE]

I promised to write this up if successful, so here it is.

There was a LOT of experimenting, primarily on the GUI installed 32-bit Core system, with the xvesa default GUI interface. Nothing I tried was successful. There might be a way, but I never found it. I admit, I'm not the linux gearhead that tinycore seems best suited to. Tinycore's reliability and forgiveness (you can start over easily) is unmatched, so its worth some effort.

I finally decided to see if Corepure64 (vs 32-Bit Core) would provide a solution.

The following worked. It's easy, as are all solutions once you have the answer.

First of all, make sure you have an internet connection. Mine is cabled, but wifi should also work.
There are subtle, but important differences in the install options between the 32-bit installer, and the 64-bit installer. For example, wifi can be added as a part of your base install on the 32-bit install options. The 64-bit install logic does NOT include an election to install wifi as a part of the base build. If you need 64-bit wifi, the topic referenced in 2) below contains a how-to for wifi on 64-bit.

1) Build a text based, CorePure64 using the INSTALL GUI from your ISO media. This is the most basic setup.
   a) Boot Core with X/GUI (TinyCore) + Installation Extension
   b) Select the tc-install icon from the GUI choices
   c) Select Download From Internet, when asked Which architecture? select the 64-bit button provided
   d) USB-HDD (my core goal), Whole Disk is selected by default, and select the removable disk you want to build your system on
   e) I went with the default ext4 format and NO additional Boot Options
   f) This step seems to be important: Select: Don't install Extensions (Core Only, Text Based Install)
   g) Proceed button to build the base system
   h) Exit and reboot, removing your ISO installation media.

2) Here's the key, from a topic in the forum:  Topic: [Solved] How can corepure64 support GUI?

http://forum.tinycorelinux.net/index.php/topic,24093.0.html
       

If your WiFi is working you can use these commands to get a gui:

Code: [Select]

$ tce-load -wil Xorg-7.7 flwm aterm wbar
$ startx

3) At the text interface presented on the new 64-bit tinycore system: tc@box:~$
   Load these options just as described in Juanito's description above in step 2).
   I used tce-load -i -w Xorg-7.7 flwm aterm wbar to make the GUI part of my boot, not temporary (my understanding of the "l" parameter).

4) From the new GUI, search for and install libreoffice.tcz from the extension library for 64-bit tinycore

This installation properly displays a blinking caret at the location of the cursor on a Libre Office Writer document. The caret is a vertical line, roughly equivalent to the | "pipe" character on your keyboard, located at the text insertion point on your page.

Please note:
I went through the steps above TWICE to make sure I got the same result.
I went through multiple iterations of the 32-bit installation, INCLUDING the above steps, but never succeeded in getting the blinking caret I was looking for.

Hopefully this can help anyone else trying to achieve this result. I intend to further tweak the system over time, but this base behavior was my non-negotiable stating point.

Please mark this solved, or provide instruction for how I can do so.

[Rich]

Hi TinyNoobE
Thread marked as solved.

I suspect libreoffice doesn't play nice with with Xvesa and may require Xorg to display properly.

[gadget42]

thanks for returning to elaborate on how you achieved success.
(and providing more than "...i figured it out...")

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