Hi :) There is a Handbook for Base. The guide itself 'only' has the first couple of chapters but each of those chapters is larger than manuals so they might well be exactly right for what you need. Database programs are much more complex than something like Writer.
A database program has 4 components in much the same way that LibreOffice has about 6 modules/apps/components. In LibreOffice you might use Impress for doing presentations but it's probably not the best tool for writing letters or drawing objects. The 4 components of a database program are * Tables = these contain data in something that looks a lot like a spreadsheet. Generally it is best to have your data in an "external back-end". That means a separate program that you seldom open or do anything with. Like a sock-draw you just keep things in it. Unlike a sock-draw you don't have to open it to get things out or put them back. A Calc spreadsheet could be a back-end but there are usually programs that are designed for the purpose. Calc is for something else. * Queries = These do calculations, sort the data, apply filters, bring data together from different tables. They do NOT create a duplicate of the data. They just look-up what's in the table and act on that. it's like looking in through a window. if a light is switched on you see that happen through the window but it's not the window itself that switched the light on and the window doesn't contain a duplicate of the light-source. This is the main function of the database program. * Forms * Reports These last two are the way a normal user sees or uses the data. it's only the designer who would look at the Queries. Base allows you to use Writer to make the Forms and Reports so that normal users can stay in familiar territory. A Form might show one of the addresses in your address book and show their photo alongside (actually i have never quite managed to do this but i think others have). Forms and Reports can access the back-end data directly but to make your database more robust and flexible it is better to make them take the data from a query. Regards from Tom :) On 20 November 2013 08:39, Ady <[email protected]> wrote: > >> To Users: I have not used either the Spreadsheet nor the Base parts of >> Libre office, as I do not know how to. >> > > I am not sure if a user with no prior knowledge at all can actually > use the current LibreOffice guides by himself without at least some > additional guidance. > > In any case, take a look at > > https://wiki.documentfoundation.org/Documentation/Publications > > which includes guides for Calc and Base. > > Regards, > Ady. > > -- > To unsubscribe e-mail to: [email protected] > 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 > -- To unsubscribe e-mail to: [email protected] 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
