[Feature Request / Bug] Automatically detect locally installed LibreOffice instead of forcing in-app engine install

[MahmoudhassanGX]

Current Behavior

Even when LibreOffice is already installed locally on the host machine, the app fails to recognize or utilize it. Instead, it requires/forces the user to install LibreOffice through the app's internal engine downloader, causing redundant storage usage and an unnecessary setup step.

Proposed Improvement

Please add automatic detection for pre-installed LibreOffice installations:

1. Auto-Detection:
   • Check the system environment variable (PATH) for soffice / soffice.exe.
   • Check standard default installation directories:
     • Windows: C:\Program Files\LibreOffice\program\soffice.exe and C:\Program Files (x86)\LibreOffice\program\soffice.exe.
     • Linux / macOS: /usr/bin/soffice, /usr/local/bin/soffice, or /Applications/LibreOffice.app/Contents/MacOS/soffice.
   • Check Windows Registry keys if applicable (HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\LibreOffice).
2. Fallback / Manual Path:
   • Provide an option in the Settings/Preferences panel allowing users to manually browse and select their custom LibreOffice / soffice binary path.
   • Fall back to the in-app engine download only if no valid installation is detected or configured.

Benefit

• Saves download time and disk space for users who already have LibreOffice installed.
• Prevents duplicate background runtimes and ensures seamless document conversion out of the box.

[KnifeLemon]

Thanks! Filee already looks for a LibreOffice installed on the PC: on the PATH and in the usual install folders (C:\Program Files\LibreOffice\…). Settings → Engines → Check again searches again after installing. For a copy somewhere else, Use my copy… on the LibreOffice row lets you pick its soffice.exe. If yours wasn't found, could you tell us where it is installed and which LibreOffice version it is?

[MahmoudhassanGX]

Verification Note: Verified against EngineEnvironment.cs in the latest Filee-main source tree on October 28, 2026, at 07:25 UTC[cite: 1].

Thanks for the clarification!

Here are my updated installation details:

• LibreOffice Version: 26.2 (Updated)
• Installed Path: C:\Program Files\LibreOffice\program\soffice.exe (or your custom path if installed elsewhere, e.g. on D:\ or %LocalAppData%)
• Filee App Version: 2.1.0[cite: 3]

Why auto-detection misses installations:

Looking into EngineEnvironment.cs (SystemFolders method), the auto-detection pipeline currently queries:

1. System/User PATH[cite: 1].
2. Hardcoded paths under Environment.SpecialFolder.ProgramFiles and ProgramFilesX86 (\LibreOffice\program)[cite: 1].

This creates blind spots across common environments:

• Per-User / Winget / Scoop Installs: Installed in %LocalAppData%\Programs\LibreOffice\program, which is completely bypassed.
• Custom Drives / Partitions: Installations placed on non-system drives (e.g., D:\LibreOffice or portable packages).
• No Registry Query: Standard LibreOffice installers write their binary directory to the Windows Registry under HKLM\SOFTWARE\LibreOffice\UNO\InstallPath (as well as HKCU). Querying this registry key or enumerating %LocalAppData%\Programs would detect virtually all local LibreOffice installations automatically without relying solely on the environment variable PATH.

Why Manual Workarounds Fall Short for Regular Users:

Expecting users to either re-download gigabytes through the app or manually locate binaries via "Use my copy…" introduces heavy friction:

• Regular, non-technical users generally have no idea where software binaries live on their filesystem.

• Modern Windows apps install across fragmented locations—some in Program Files, others in hidden %LocalAppData%\Programs, and some across non-system partitions. Forcing an everyday user to manually dig through hidden app data or system folders defeats the frictionless "drag, drop, converted" philosophy of Filee[cite: 3].

• Comprehensive auto-detection (via standard registry keys and common user directories) is essential precisely so users don't have to navigate technical file structures or perform redundant downloads just to get standard document conversions working.

                                                                      ---------------------------- 
  

The core philosophy behind Filee is "Drag, drop, converted"—it exists to simplify the user's life, not complicate it with manual setup and hidden options.

If the user is forced to dig through deep settings, manually map directories, configure environment variables, or track down binaries, it defeats the entire purpose of having an intuitive desktop app. Users install software like Filee precisely because they want a seamless, zero-friction experience right out of the box.

Features and detection mechanisms should just work by default in the background. Pushing technical workarounds onto regular users adds unnecessary friction:

• Automatic detection should handle common setups seamlessly (e.g., standard registry keys, typical user directories).
• Default presets and layouts should be ready to use without micromanagement.
• Configuration should remain an optional tweak for power users, not a requirement for basic functionality.

Keeping things effortless by default ensures the app stays true to its mission of making file conversion fast, accessible, and hassle-free for everyone.

[MahmoudhassanGX]

Proposed Implementation for Automatic Detection (EngineEnvironment.cs)
To make LibreOffice detection 100% automatic without requiring users to navigate complex folder structures, we can update SystemFolders in EngineEnvironment.cs to check the official Windows Registry key and user-level program directories:

`private static IEnumerable SystemFolders(string id)
{
var folders = new List();

// 1. Existing PATH entries (System + User)
var path = OperatingSystem.IsWindows() 
    ? string.Join(Path.PathSeparator,
        Environment.GetEnvironmentVariable("PATH"),
        Environment.GetEnvironmentVariable("PATH", EnvironmentVariableTarget.User),
        Environment.GetEnvironmentVariable("PATH", EnvironmentVariableTarget.Machine))
    : Environment.GetEnvironmentVariable("PATH") ?? "";

folders.AddRange(path.Split(Path.PathSeparator, StringSplitOptions.RemoveEmptyEntries | StringSplitOptions.TrimEntries)
    .Select(entry => Environment.ExpandEnvironmentVariables(entry.Trim('"'))));

if (OperatingSystem.IsWindows())
{
    // 2. Query Windows Registry for LibreOffice InstallPath
    if (id == "libreoffice")
    {
        foreach (var view in new[] { RegistryView.Registry64, RegistryView.Registry32 })
        {
            using var hklm = RegistryKey.OpenBaseKey(RegistryHive.LocalMachine, view);
            using var key = hklm.OpenSubKey(@"SOFTWARE\LibreOffice\UNO\InstallPath");
            if (key?.GetValue(null) is string installPath && Directory.Exists(installPath))
            {
                folders.Add(installPath);
            }

            // Check HKCU as well (User-level installs)
            using var hkcu = RegistryKey.OpenBaseKey(RegistryHive.CurrentUser, view);
            using var userKey = hkcu.OpenSubKey(@"SOFTWARE\LibreOffice\UNO\InstallPath");
            if (userKey?.GetValue(null) is string userInstallPath && Directory.Exists(userInstallPath))
            {
                folders.Add(userInstallPath);
            }
        }
    }

    // 3. Check Standard Program Files + LocalAppData (Per-user / Winget / Scoop)
    var roots = new[]
    {
        Environment.GetFolderPath(Environment.SpecialFolder.ProgramFiles),
        Environment.GetFolderPath(Environment.SpecialFolder.ProgramFilesX86),
        Path.Combine(Environment.GetFolderPath(Environment.SpecialFolder.LocalApplicationData), "Programs")
    }.Where(r => !string.IsNullOrEmpty(r));

    foreach (var root in roots)
    {
        switch (id)
        {
            case "libreoffice":
                folders.Add(Path.Combine(root, "LibreOffice", "program"));
                break;
            case "calibre":
                folders.Add(Path.Combine(root, "Calibre2"));
                break;
            case "tesseract":
                folders.Add(Path.Combine(root, "Tesseract-OCR"));
                break;
        }
    }
}

return folders;

}`

Why this solves the issue automatically:
Zero Configuration: Reads the exact InstallPath string created by LibreOffice MSI/installers directly from the Registry.

Covers Non-Admin/Modern Setups: Automatically discovers installs residing inside %LocalAppData%\Programs.

Eliminates Manual Browsing: Everyday users won't ever need to locate hidden directories or select soffice.exe manually via "Use my copy…".

[MahmoudhassanGX]

First off, I really apologize for the lengthy comments and detailed replies!

I have immense respect for the hard work, passion, and time you've poured into Filee[cite: 1]. Building and maintaining a polished, offline-first tool like this is definitely not an easy task, and you've created something truly remarkable[cite: 1, 3].

The only reason I'm sharing all these suggestions and detailed ideas is purely out of admiration for the project[cite: 1]. I genuinely love the app, see massive potential in it, and want nothing more than to see Filee become the undisputed #1 file converter out there[cite: 1, 3].

Thank you so much for your patience, responsiveness, and open-mindedness in reviewing these discussions[cite: 1]. Keep up the fantastic work! ❤❤

[KnifeLemon]

Thanks for the details. You're right that the registry wasn't read: a LibreOffice installed outside Program Files (another drive, a folder of its own) was found only through the PATH.

#719 adds that: Filee reads the folder LibreOffice's installer records (SOFTWARE\LibreOffice\UNO\InstallPath), for this user and for all users, before falling back to the usual Program Files folder. It's in review now.

Your own install (C:\Program Files\LibreOffice\program\soffice.exe) is one of the folders Filee already searches, though. If 2.1.0 or 2.2.0 doesn't find it there, please open an issue with a screenshot of Settings → Engines after Check again and the lines mentioning LibreOffice from %APPDATA%\Filee\logs; that would be a separate bug.

[KnifeLemon]

An update: #719 is merged. From the next release, Filee finds LibreOffice through the folder its installer records (SOFTWARE\LibreOffice\UNO\InstallPath, for this user and for all users), so a LibreOffice installed on another drive or in its own folder is used without installing it again in Filee.

Marking this as answered. Thanks again for the detailed write-up!