EGroupware 23.1 with Collabora-key Docker not integrating

Hardeep 2024-12-16 00:48:35 UTC #1

Hi, I have installed the 23.1 Docker-based release on my Linuxmint 21.04 (Ubuntu 22.04) machine, but have struggled to get the Collabora functionality to integrate with the EGroupware system, either in the Admin or the File Manager applications.
I have followed all instructions, attempting several clean tries and modifications, on the github

(github.com/EGroupware/egroupware/wiki/Installation-using-egroupware-docker-RPM-DEB-package)

In Admin->Applications->Collabora Online->Configuration:
There is ALWAYS a yellow box in the top-right corner that says: “Status: Unable to contact Collabora Online server”.
On the line “Admin console”, the correct url is shown for the Collabora-key container (“devbox:8080/browser/dist/admin/admin.html”), and if I click it, the Collabora admin page opens up. In the nginx logs I can see the re-written url pointing to devbox:9980 and the collabora-key logs show the request being fulfilled.
I had to add the redirection to port 9980 rules to nginx from here: github.com/CollaboraOnline/online/blob/master/etc/nginx/coolwsd.conf
(although, I did find similar ones somewhere else as well, but can’t find them now).

I’ve added the “extra_hosts:” entries, etc. but the EGroupware<->Collabora integration just doesn’t work for me.
If I click on an ODT or DOC file in File Manager, it just downloads to my PC. There is no inidcation of Collabora document editing, no requests go through nginx logs or collabora-key logs.

I tried with the CODE version by editing the docker-compose.yml, but the behaviour is exactly the same for each attempt.
Also, I built my own collabora CODE from sources and that is the same too.

I have not tried to build EGroupware from sources yet.

I have spent 3 full days (14 hours each) trying to get this dev system to work, but I have to ask for guidance, as I am stuck now.

Please can the developers help me understand why the Docker container 23.1 EGroupware + Collabora does not integrate for me.

P.S. sorry if links look odd, as a new user the forum won’t accept more than 2 links in the post)

StefanU 2024-12-16 07:26:02 UTC #2

Hi Hardeep.

Is this your work computer? Not a good idea…
EGroupware belongs on a dedicated system. Just like any other server service.

You don’t seem to have SSL configured(?). Then communication with COOL will never work. COOL expects encrypted communication. And that is right.

An installation on a dedicated system with SSL setup takes me only 1 hour.

Stefan

Hardeep 2024-12-16 11:24:17 UTC #3

Hello Stefan, thank you for replying.

No, this not my work computer, it is just a machine I set up to try EGroupware CE and Collabora CODE (ideally) as a learning experience (at home). I am just more familiar with Linux Mint and thus used that distro.

Finding out that the complete system was easily deployable for testing via Docker drew me in to it finally!

Is COOL (CODE) hardcoded to use SSL?
I thought the (c|l)oolwsd.xml files allowed disabling SSL. I guess I must have misunderstood that completely.

Actually, the COOL and CODE containers both respond to the http requests, as per the instructions, such as /hosting/discovery/ , /browser/admin/ , etc.

Will I need real SSL certs and have to connect to the internet (even for my use case), or can I do something all on my standalone PC?

Hardeep 2024-12-16 15:20:17 UTC #4

I have tried several more attempts, having editing coolwsd.xml to include similar config as loolwsd.xml now.
That has left at one step further behind where I was last night! :-))

Now the port number keeps getting stripped off the urls, so nothing works (the nginx proxy in EGroupware docker compose.yml listens on 8080).

So, to ensure determine whether the issue is Collabora not accepting connections, or EGroupware not connecting to Collabora, I installed ownCloud on the same machine and added it’s Collabora connector app.

Simply adding the IP address:9980 of the machine to the ownCloud collabora config settings GUI, I was able to immediately create and edit documents in the same Collabora CODE container that isn’t working with EGroupware.

EGroupware + collabora/code from EGroupware Docker release 23.1 => over 3 days and not working

ownCloud + collabora/code using SAME collabora/code docker image as EGroupware => 4 minutes and working fully.

So, EGroupware, or the config files in the packaged container, or the .DEB package installer has lost something and it is not clear to me what.

I would be happy to provide any config, files, logs, etc. to help any EGroupware developers to help me get this working.
Please help me resolve this, as I would like to learn. Thanks

RalfBecker 2024-12-17 07:51:48 UTC #5

Beside that it’s always a good idea to use TLS / https for web-applications, it’s the default how EGroupware configures Collabora Online (via the coolwsd.xml file).

You have two options now:

first install a valid certificate, e.g. via Certbot on the Nginx webserver/reverse proxy on the host.
configure EGroupware’s Collabora App to use a http URL (only works if EGroupware also uses just http, which is obviously no recommended!). To do so you need to change the URL to http AND store the configuration, which will change the coolwsd.xml file to set <ssl><termination>false</termination>...</ssl>. The Collabora container should automatic restart with the new configuration and the little red notice in EGroupware config should go away.

Setting extra_hosts in the docker-compose.override.yml for BOTH EGroupware and Collabora Online containers is always a good idea, as it ensures the containers can communicate with each other, independent how your router ist configured.

services:
   egroupware:
     extra_hosts:
     - "egw.example.org:172.17.0.1"

replace egw.example.org with the hostname-part of the URL you use

Anyway before spending 3 days to get this working, I recommend to buy some support budget and give us a call, we’ll sort that out in minutes for you. With that you not also save yourself some headache but support the project.

Ralf