Am 19.07.2015 um 06:33 schrieb Peter Goggin: > > For my current needs I have found Libre Base more than adequate.
Indeed, I have no important office document that is not connected to some type of database -- one way or the other, dBase, HSQL server, csv, spreadsheet or H2 SQL. My users are very happy with my data sources but whenever they need something different or something new, they have to contact me. Common misconceptions: Base is a development tool. It is not for end users. The result of your work should be aimed at end users. As soon as you create your first database table, you develop your own data structure, a user-defined storage format so to say where data types play the most important role. Most office users can not even comprehend the difference between text and values in a spreadsheet. Relations and indices are further refinements of your data structure. Proper database design requires some knowledge beforehand. Learning by doing is not an option here. The database has nothing to do with Base. HSQL, MySQL, Calc or your Microsoft ADO driver work independently. First of all, you work with these programs while developing with Base. Base provides forms for the aledged end user to fill your predefined data structures. The input form transfers meaningful information into data which are stored in your structures. Form design is development work as well. It requires that you fully understand the underlying data structures and how to utilize the limited set of (sub-)forms and their form controls. Form design is also the place where most of the macro development takes place (if any). Queries turn meaningless data into meaningful information. Reports dump information to printable office documents. End users load forms to type information into the right places of your structure and they load reports, form letters, spreadsheets to fetch some of the stored data as meaningful information. All the questionable "helpers" that were implemented back in 2005 (OpenOffice.org 2.0) have not much improved since then and they are mostly obsolete. Any person with the mind set of a developer is better off without them. Nevertheless, we have to recognize that >90% of all Base documents out there link spreadsheets to form letters. In this very limited context, the existing primitive query designer adds some extra value for those who never wrote a single SQL statement. -- 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
