Joe Smith wrote: > > Are there any plans to include a section comparing, in practical terms, > which database type to choose for some typical projects? > > E.g. if you need a database that's a single file and can be easily > e-mailed to another office, you probably want the embedded engine > (HSQLDB for now). >
Why not? It's a single file and you can spread copies to other OOo users. > Or, if you need a database that can be easily edited or massaged en > mass, a spreadsheet might be the best option (if you can live with the > no-update bug). > >From my point of view a spreadsheets are no database at all. In Base context, I consider them as a collection of plain list (records below one header row), similar to csv or address books. Base can show the contents of plain lists, so you don't have to create a database for mail merge and other datasource related tasks. You hardly ever create a spreadsheet or csv in order to use it in Base exclusively. I would distinguish _roughly_ between two kinds of datasources: real databases and plain lists. 1. The real ones are connected through a driver (OOo-sdbc, jdbc or odbc) and typically they provide indices, relations, transactions and remote access with user privileges (no need to send copies of data). The features depend on the used database engine and the capabilities of the driver. Using a database engine already, you are the one who knows best about the features and you need Base documentation mostly on registration, forms, reports and scripting (all the additional stuff saved within a database document). 2. The second category is just a convenient feature to import plain lists, create reports and primitive SELECT-queries. For instance you may sort existing spreadsheets by more than 3 fields, not showing all the fields, in order to get a handy list for Writer's mail merge. There is no particular reason to use a spreadsheet other than beeing at hand already. Possibly someone used a spreadsheet to create a structured list manually through import, copy&paste, drag&drop from various sources. Two special types: dBase and embedded hsqldb: 1b. I would classify dBase more in the plain list category. It provides write-access and fast read-access if you have added apropriate indices. 2b. I would classify embedded hsqldb more in the first category of real databases. Missing features are user privileges and simultanious write-access by more than one user. Embedded hsqldb is the only exception to the rule, that database documents do not contain table-data. Additionally, embedded hsqldb is somewhat proprietary. Currently, there is no other application to read table-data from it. Andreas Säger --------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] For additional commands, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
