How did you install Sun Java? If you didn't, then I'd suggest you try using Debian's java-package tool like this:

# apt-get install java-package fakeroot $ fakeroot make-jpkg name-of-downloaded-java-binary.bin # dpkg -i name-of-created-package.deb

(note that the middle step has to be done as a non-root user; and that java-package is in contrib)

This may put the JRE in a location where OOo can find it.

OK, tried that - many thanks - it seemed to install sun's amd64 java ok. But still not recognised by 00, and hasn't fixed it. It declined to install the 586 version. I still cannot manage to point OO at a jre that it will acknowledge. It can't be, surely, that the Debian packagers of OO would have let it go out with something as basic as this not working? Peter