folder does not contain a Java runtime environment

How do I resolve the message, "The folder does not contain a Java runtime environment. Please select a different folder." (OOo 2.3)

There is currently a Bug reported for this problem Opened: Thu Oct 21 13:52:00 +0000 2010.

Mac OSX 10.6.4 & OpenOffice 3.3.1 OpenOffice cannot find the JRE file (and nobody can seen to find it manually either) although it is installed by default on OSX (and up to date via Software Update). http://www.openoffice.org/issues/show_bug.cgi?id=115180

For older versions you may be able to manually locate it:

You can point OpenOffice to the Java Runtime Environment (JRE) through the dialog box at Tools... Options... OpenOffice.org... Java.... [that is for Windows] On mac it is via menu bar: OpenOffice.Org > Preferences > Java.

In OpenOffice 2.3 on Mac OS X 10.5, the right pane of that dialog box is empty. If you click on the Add... button, a "select path" file open dialog appears. It isn't clear what directory to select to add a Java Runtime Environment. Pretty much any directory you pick will cause OOo to display the above message.

The answer is that there is no such folder, and you don't need to operate this dialog box at all. The problem is that with Mac OS X 10.5, Apple changed how the Java Runtime Environment interacts with OpenOffice. OOo 2.3 can't use Java on Mac OS X 10.5. You need to use OOo 2.4 or better. See the topic Java Runtime Environment (JRE) for more information.