We'll install MSOffice using the PlayOnLinux wizard. Additionally, MSOffice requires samba and winbind to properly work.
So, if not installed, install them:
sudo apt-get install playonlinux samba winbind
Of course, you'll need the MSOffice installer files (either DVD/folder files), in the 32 bits version. Even if you're under Ubuntu 64, we'll use a 32 bits wine installation.
Then open POL (PlayOnLinux) from command line (playonlinux &) or using Dash.
In the POL window menu, go to Tools > Manage Wine versions and install Wine 2.13. Versions below it will crash after click on a document hyperlink. Versions above it will not properly handle the launcher icon (due missing WM_CLASS when window is maximized).
In the POL window, click on Install at top (the one with a plus sign).
At the Install window, at the bottom, select Office and make sure Commercial (at top) is marked.
Now select Microsoft Office 2010 and click on Install.
Nothing to do here other then click on the Next button.
Now it's up to you: select DVD or file installation according your MSOffice installation.
Then click on Next.
Browse the files or the DVD: the goal here is select the MSOffice setup.exe, from the 32 bits version.
Now, after click on Next: you'll see a sequence of PlayOnLinux installation windows, configuring the new Windows virtual drive, installing components, etc.
Automatically the MSOffice installer will be displayed.
Install the MSOffice as on Windows: agree with EULA, select install type, etc.
In the last Install window, click on Close in the MSOffice installer: you'll see a PlayOnLinux window still running some additional configurations.
Then, a successful message: click on Next and the install window will be closed.
Now you can close PlayOnLinux.
Current PlayOnLinux Office2010 script already creates the above shortchuts.
But in case you deleted them or want to fix something...
Now let's create some .desktop files to provide better integration into Ubuntu: you can associate typical MSOffice files, like .docx to Word; at Dash, type winword to run Word, etc.
Open a text editor (like gedit, nano or vim) and create 3 files under ~/.local/share/applications, with the following names and contents.
Please, replace /home/<user> (at the Icon line) by your home folder path:
Word.desktop
#!/usr/bin/env xdg-open
[Desktop Entry]
Version=1.0
Type=Application
Categories=Office;WordProcessor;
StartupWMClass=WINWORD.EXE
Name=Microsoft Office Word 2010
Comment=winword
Exec=env XMODIFIERS='' playonlinux --run "Microsoft Word 2010" %F
Icon=/home/<user>/.PlayOnLinux/icones/full_size/Microsoft Word 2010
Excel.desktop
#!/usr/bin/env xdg-open
[Desktop Entry]
Version=1.0
Type=Application
Categories=Office;Spreadsheet;
StartupWMClass=EXCEL.EXE
Name=Microsoft Office Excel 2010
Comment=excel
Exec=env XMODIFIERS='' playonlinux --run "Microsoft Excel 2010" %F
Icon=/home/<user>/.PlayOnLinux/icones/full_size/Microsoft Excel 2010
PowerPoint.desktop
#!/usr/bin/env xdg-open
[Desktop Entry]
Version=1.0
Type=Application
Categories=Office;Presentation;
Terminal=false
StartupWMClass=POWERPNT.EXE
Name=Microsoft Office PowerPoint 2010
Comment=powerpnt
Exec=env XMODIFIERS='' playonlinux --run "Microsoft Powerpoint 2010" %F
Icon=/home/<user>/.PlayOnLinux/icones/full_size/Microsoft Powerpoint 2010
OneNote.desktop
#!/usr/bin/env xdg-open
[Desktop Entry]
Version=1.0
Type=Application
Categories=Office;Documentation;
Terminal=false
StartupWMClass=ONENOTE.EXE
Name=Microsoft Office OneNote 2010
Comment=onenote
Exec=env XMODIFIERS='' playonlinux --run "Microsoft OneNote 2010" %F
Icon=/home/<user>/.PlayOnLinux/icones/full_size/Microsoft OneNote 2010
After create those 4 files, open a terminal (Ctrl+Alt+T) and run this command to refresh the Dash entries:
sudo update-desktop-database
One clarification: the env XMODIFIERS='' command in the Exec line is to prevent wine to change keyboard behavior (sometimes while using wine the keyboard uses a different layout, so accents will not work properly, etc).
If you have a printer properly configured under Ubuntu, probably it'll be automatically available to MSOffice under wine.
If not, we can make it available. Basically, your printer must be installed using cups. No problem if the printer is installed using other softwares/drivers, but to get it available for wine, it must be installed under cups too.
If cups package is not installed, install it:
sudo apt-get install cups
Then, open http://localhost:631/ and add your printer.
After configure it, print a test page using the related printer in Printers from System Settings.
Now, make sure you have this file: /etc/printcap. If it's not present, create it this way:
ln -sf /var/run/cups/printcap /etc/printcap
Reboot wine: open PlayOnLinux, click Configure, select Office2010, click on Wine tab and click on Windows reboot button.
When you open 2 files in Excel, and click on Excel icon in the launcher by the second time to see opened files (Expose), you'll see a weird behavior: one window properly rendered, and the second with just a single icon.
To fix this, open Excel, then File > Options > Advanced > General and check Ignore other applications that use Dyanamic Data Exchange (DDE).
Then, to alternate between Excel files, on Excel click on View tab and then click on Alternate Windows.