[libreoffice-users] Base Report Builder much better, but...
Greetings, Using LO 3.6.7.2 under Linux. I have just worked with Base Report Builder for a few hours and I must admit, it is *much* faster now than the last time I worked with it. Congrats to the devs for fixing the sloth bug(s). However, I still see that lines still are not supported. It appears as if I am inserting horizontal lines in my report, but they do not print. I do not see any way to make them thicker, in case that is the problem. Second, the Report Headers do not seem to work as I expected. The Report Footer section seems to be okay, but the Report Header section is under the Page Header on each page. I expected them to be reversed - the Report Header first, followed by the Page Header, the latter which goes on each page, the former goes on the first page only. As it is, the Page Header and Report Header are the same thing, going on each page. Is there a way to move the Report Header to page one only or is this a known bug? The first is a human readability issue and the second would save paper, making room for more record data without my full headers on each page. Neither one is a show-stopper for me, just a would-be-nice if it were fixed. Thanks again. Girvin Herr -- To unsubscribe e-mail to: users+unsubscr...@global.libreoffice.org Problems? http://www.libreoffice.org/get-help/mailing-lists/how-to-unsubscribe/ Posting guidelines + more: http://wiki.documentfoundation.org/Netiquette List archive: http://listarchives.libreoffice.org/global/users/ All messages sent to this list will be publicly archived and cannot be deleted
Re: [libreoffice-users] Base Report Builder
And to allay your fears a little Hank, the job of moving your *data* to a new back end can be as easy as dragging and dropping tables. Setting up the new back end might introduce you to some new ideas so it might take a little to get your head around it, but once that's done it might not be hugely difficult. It's possible, of course, that there will be some little niggling problems that need to be resolved manually, but it's possible that the move can go relatively smoothly and easily. Regards Mark Stanton -- For unsubscribe instructions e-mail to: users+h...@global.libreoffice.org Problems? http://www.libreoffice.org/get-help/mailing-lists/how-to-unsubscribe/ Posting guidelines + more: http://wiki.documentfoundation.org/Netiquette List archive: http://listarchives.libreoffice.org/global/users/ All messages sent to this list will be publicly archived and cannot be deleted
Re: [libreoffice-users] Base Report Builder
Hi :) That is something that has been said by quite a fe people so i'm kinda happy to rely on it for migrating the database i'm vaguely working on. At the moment my main worry is getting a couple of the smaller tables into Base's internal back-end and if i manage that then i hope to just simply copy the rest of the tables out of Access and directly into something more sensible. There was an excellent post about doing that eons ago. Although i might have problems finding it, at least i know it's around. Regards from Tom :) From: Mark Stanton m...@vowleyfarm.co.uk To: users@global.libreoffice.org Sent: Sunday, 27 January 2013, 11:34 Subject: Re: [libreoffice-users] Base Report Builder And to allay your fears a little Hank, the job of moving your *data* to a new back end can be as easy as dragging and dropping tables. Setting up the new back end might introduce you to some new ideas so it might take a little to get your head around it, but once that's done it might not be hugely difficult. It's possible, of course, that there will be some little niggling problems that need to be resolved manually, but it's possible that the move can go relatively smoothly and easily. Regards Mark Stanton -- For unsubscribe instructions e-mail to: users+h...@global.libreoffice.org Problems? http://www.libreoffice.org/get-help/mailing-lists/how-to-unsubscribe/ Posting guidelines + more: http://wiki.documentfoundation.org/Netiquette List archive: http://listarchives.libreoffice.org/global/users/ All messages sent to this list will be publicly archived and cannot be deleted -- For unsubscribe instructions e-mail to: users+h...@global.libreoffice.org Problems? http://www.libreoffice.org/get-help/mailing-lists/how-to-unsubscribe/ Posting guidelines + more: http://wiki.documentfoundation.org/Netiquette List archive: http://listarchives.libreoffice.org/global/users/ All messages sent to this list will be publicly archived and cannot be deleted
Re: [libreoffice-users] Base Report Builder
Hi :) From what i can gather it is better to have the tables as data in an external database. Apparently the internal ancient and heavily tweaked version of HSqlDb is a bit problematic but moving the tables to an external proper and more recent version (or to a different back-end entirely) http://hsqldb.org/web/hsqlFAQ.html Unfortunately HSqlDb is currently written in Java and Java has been deteriorating badly over the last 2 years so it might be better to find a different back-end. Apparently Postgresql, MySql/MariaDb are good fairly large scale back-ends but they might be a lot heftier than you really need. I'm still trying to find a good one for smaller amounts of data, such as one for a reasonable address-book. You might find that increasing a lot of the memory/Ram options might reduce crashes. Tools - Options - Memory Most of the defaults are set very low because OOo and LO have typically been used on very low spec machines. Now as people are using them on heftier machines a lot of those could be bumped up significantly or even doubled or more. Ii was wondering if other programs also crash. If so then it might be a wobbly graphics card and pushing it in firmly can help. Also every year or so my home machine starts crashing because of dust build-up inside the case. Hoovering it carefully, especially the cpu's heat-sink, solves it. Of course one of the dangers is getting rid of static from the hoover's plastic noozle. Swiftly moving air rubbing over plasitc is a great way to build-up static and any movement over carpets is another good way. Even the tiny static charge naturally occuring on skin is enough to fry some components so it's tricky to be careful enough. So, soemtimes i just blow the dust out of the ehat-sink but it's a weird choking dust so i keep a glass of milk or mango juice nearby in case i breathe the dust in. Water or wine tend to be tooo dry. Regards from Tom :) From: Hank Alper hankal...@gmail.com To: Dan Lewis elderdanle...@gmail.com Cc: users@global.libreoffice.org Sent: Monday, 21 January 2013, 6:14 Subject: Re: [libreoffice-users] Base Report Builder Hi Dan, I really appreciate your help in this matter. If I am able to reduce the crashes I'll post again to let everyone know. Hank On Sun, Jan 20, 2013 at 11:49 PM, Dan Lewis elderdanle...@gmail.com wrote: The HSQLDB user guide for version 1.8 (which is what is used in all LO versions) is available at: https://wiki.documentfoundation.org/Documentation/Publications. Scroll down to section 5.2. It should be answer your questions. The AutoRecovery is found: Tools Options Load/Save General. Look in the Save section for settings for backups and AutoRecovery. I have not used MS Word since I used Win 98SE in the 90's so I do not know. (I have used Linux for more than ten years.) CHECKPOINT DEFRAG might be a good command to use to reduce the size of the database. Another command that you could use when you finish working with Base: SHUTDOWN COMPACT. The user guide explains what this will do. But only use it when you are ready to close Base. Then use Tools SQL and enter SHUTDOWN COMPACT; in the Command to execute box. The semi-colon is required at the end of the command. After executing this command successfully, close Base. If your database is somewhat bloated, this will reduce its size. I found this in an email I received earlier, perhaps from this mailing list: - hsqldb embedded databases will now systematically be subjected to a checkpoint and/or checkpoint defrag on saving of the database file. The aim with this change is to force hsqldb to optimize the size of the db, especially where frequent deletions of data sets are carried out. With a bit of luck, it might actually bring long-term benefits like increased data security and stability (he says, crossing fingers). There may well be a performance hit when closing the ODB file, especially on big databases, but the developer who implemented this change feels that people who want to manipulate large datasets should be using something a bit more appropriate than an embedded hsqldb... The date on the above email was a couple of weeks ago. So, this statement likely does not apply to LO 3.6.4.3. --Dan On 01/20/2013 10:04 PM, Hank Alper wrote: Hi Dan, Thanks for your quick response. Im using LO version3.6.4.3 Build ID :2ef5aff on a Windows 7 Pro machine. My machine's processor is an Intel i7-2600K with 8Gig of memory and 1TB hard drive. I use periodic backups to another machine on my network. As for AutoRecovery, whenever there is a catastrophic failure Base auitomatically tries to recover my database file on the next start-up. Is that what you're referring to.? If not, I was unaware that Base has such a feature.Is it similar to that used In MS Word? As for CHECKPOINT, I have not used that SQL command. When would
Re: [libreoffice-users] Base Report Builder
If you really need to rely on your data keeping its coherency and consistency, my advice would be not to use the default hsqldb/ODB pair that is provided as the default. It is a shame really, as hsqldb in itself, certainly in its 2.0 version, is a capable db engine. It is just the integration with AOO/LO that is one of the root causes of many of the problems that users experience. Isn't hsqldb *still* a (relatively) good choice, as long as it is installed and used *external* to Base? That does of course mean it's still not the default setting. Regards Mark Stanton -- For unsubscribe instructions e-mail to: users+h...@global.libreoffice.org Problems? http://www.libreoffice.org/get-help/mailing-lists/how-to-unsubscribe/ Posting guidelines + more: http://wiki.documentfoundation.org/Netiquette List archive: http://listarchives.libreoffice.org/global/users/ All messages sent to this list will be publicly archived and cannot be deleted
[libreoffice-users] Base Report Builder
Hi I've invested a considerable amount of time in constructing tables, forms and queries for a project of mine. I successfully produced 3 nice reports using Report Builder. Now, I'm starting to observe strange behavior in Base. Queries and Reports I've prepared days earlier suddenly disappear after I've used them in Report Builder to prepare or edit a Report. As an example, I've just used Report Builder to design a report, saved my work and closed the file. I then ran the report in the viewer and it was fine, but needed minor tweaking.I closed the viewer and then right clicked on the icon for my report in order to continue editing. LO closed down! When I restarted, LO blithely announced it was recovering my database. It did, but the new Report and the modifications to a query I made in this session were gone. I think* most* of this behavior is due to Report Builder. Has anyone else observed this type of behavior before ?. Hank -- For unsubscribe instructions e-mail to: users+h...@global.libreoffice.org Problems? http://www.libreoffice.org/get-help/mailing-lists/how-to-unsubscribe/ Posting guidelines + more: http://wiki.documentfoundation.org/Netiquette List archive: http://listarchives.libreoffice.org/global/users/ All messages sent to this list will be publicly archived and cannot be deleted
Re: [libreoffice-users] Base Report Builder
On 01/20/2013 04:31 PM, Hank Alper wrote: Hi I've invested a considerable amount of time in constructing tables, forms and queries for a project of mine. I successfully produced 3 nice reports using Report Builder. Now, I'm starting to observe strange behavior in Base. Queries and Reports I've prepared days earlier suddenly disappear after I've used them in Report Builder to prepare or edit a Report. As an example, I've just used Report Builder to design a report, saved my work and closed the file. I then ran the report in the viewer and it was fine, but needed minor tweaking.I closed the viewer and then right clicked on the icon for my report in order to continue editing. LO closed down! When I restarted, LO blithely announced it was recovering my database. It did, but the new Report and the modifications to a query I made in this session were gone. I think* most* of this behavior is due to Report Builder. Has anyone else observed this type of behavior before ?. Hank We need some basic information. What version of LibreOffice are you using? What operating system do you use? Do you use backups or AutoRecovery? Have you ever used CHECKPOINT as a SOL command? It closes the database files, rewrites the script file, deletes the log file and opens the database. If CHECKPOINT DEFRAG is specified, this command also shrinks the .data file to its minimal size. --Dan -- For unsubscribe instructions e-mail to: users+h...@global.libreoffice.org Problems? http://www.libreoffice.org/get-help/mailing-lists/how-to-unsubscribe/ Posting guidelines + more: http://wiki.documentfoundation.org/Netiquette List archive: http://listarchives.libreoffice.org/global/users/ All messages sent to this list will be publicly archived and cannot be deleted
Re: [libreoffice-users] Base Report Builder
The HSQLDB user guide for version 1.8 (which is what is used in all LO versions) is available at: https://wiki.documentfoundation.org/Documentation/Publications. Scroll down to section 5.2. It should be answer your questions. The AutoRecovery is found: Tools Options Load/Save General. Look in the Save section for settings for backups and AutoRecovery. I have not used MS Word since I used Win 98SE in the 90's so I do not know. (I have used Linux for more than ten years.) CHECKPOINT DEFRAG might be a good command to use to reduce the size of the database. Another command that you could use when you finish working with Base: SHUTDOWN COMPACT. The user guide explains what this will do. But only use it when you are ready to close Base. Then use Tools SQL and enter SHUTDOWN COMPACT; in the Command to execute box. The semi-colon is required at the end of the command. After executing this command successfully, close Base. If your database is somewhat bloated, this will reduce its size. I found this in an email I received earlier, perhaps from this mailing list: - hsqldb embedded databases will now systematically be subjected to a checkpoint and/or checkpoint defrag on saving of the database file. The aim with this change is to force hsqldb to optimize the size of the db, especially where frequent deletions of data sets are carried out. With a bit of luck, it might actually bring long-term benefits like increased data security and stability (he says, crossing fingers). There may well be a performance hit when closing the ODB file, especially on big databases, but the developer who implemented this change feels that people who want to manipulate large datasets should be using something a bit more appropriate than an embedded hsqldb... The date on the above email was a couple of weeks ago. So, this statement likely does not apply to LO 3.6.4.3. --Dan On 01/20/2013 10:04 PM, Hank Alper wrote: Hi Dan, Thanks for your quick response. Im using LO version3.6.4.3 Build ID :2ef5aff on a Windows 7 Pro machine. My machine's processor is an Intel i7-2600K with 8Gig of memory and 1TB hard drive. I use periodic backups to another machine on my network. As for AutoRecovery, whenever there is a catastrophic failure Base auitomatically tries to recover my database file on the next start-up. Is that what you're referring to.? If not, I was unaware that Base has such a feature.Is it similar to that used In MS Word? As for CHECKPOINT, I have not used that SQL command. When would it be appropriate to use it? As for CHECKPOINT DEFRAG, when should that be used. That might be useful as Base is getting much less responsive, seems bloated.. The size of my database file is about 360 KB. Hank On Sun, Jan 20, 2013 at 4:55 PM, Dan Lewis elderdanle...@gmail.com mailto:elderdanle...@gmail.com wrote: On 01/20/2013 04:31 PM, Hank Alper wrote: Hi I've invested a considerable amount of time in constructing tables, forms and queries for a project of mine. I successfully produced 3 nice reports using Report Builder. Now, I'm starting to observe strange behavior in Base. Queries and Reports I've prepared days earlier suddenly disappear after I've used them in Report Builder to prepare or edit a Report. As an example, I've just used Report Builder to design a report, saved my work and closed the file. I then ran the report in the viewer and it was fine, but needed minor tweaking.I closed the viewer and then right clicked on the icon for my report in order to continue editing. LO closed down! When I restarted, LO blithely announced it was recovering my database. It did, but the new Report and the modifications to a query I made in this session were gone. I think* most* of this behavior is due to Report Builder. Has anyone else observed this type of behavior before ?. Hank We need some basic information. What version of LibreOffice are you using? What operating system do you use? Do you use backups or AutoRecovery? Have you ever used CHECKPOINT as a SOL command? It closes the database files, rewrites the script file, deletes the log file and opens the database. If CHECKPOINT DEFRAG is specified, this command also shrinks the .data file to its minimal size. --Dan -- For unsubscribe instructions e-mail to: users+h...@global.libreoffice.org mailto:users%2bh...@global.libreoffice.org Problems? http://www.libreoffice.org/get-help/mailing-lists/how-to-unsubscribe/ Posting guidelines + more: http://wiki.documentfoundation.org/Netiquette List archive: http://listarchives.libreoffice.org/global/users/ All messages sent to this list will be publicly archived and cannot be deleted -- For
