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PDF Ebook OpenOffice.org 1.0, ODBC, and MySQL 'How-to'

Submitted by antoq on Sun, 08/16/2009 - 02:26

The launch of OpenOffice.org 1.0 in 2002 removed at a stroke one major obstacle to the universal use of Linux on the desktop. At last, Linux users have office software - word processor, spreadsheet, graphics, and presentation - which not only works at least as well as the Microsoft Office equivalent, but can also use Microsoft Office file formats, and is genuinely open source.

However, this hasn't prevented objections from Microsoft diehards that they still can't migrate to Linux, because "Linux hasn't anything like MicrosoftAccess". Well, have I got news for you. It has, and it's called OpenOffice.org 1.0. One of the hidden secrets of OpenOffice.org 1.0 is that it also has a great user-friendly database front end. All you need to do is wire it up to one of the many open-source databases on Linux, and you have a Microsoft Access (and more) equivalent.

This document explains how to make this connection, and then provides a quick tour of the database tools within OpenOffice.org 1.0. Many hardened OpenOffice.org 1.0 users are completely unaware of what is hiding under the covers, and are amazed once they start playing with the 'hidden' tools.

Contents
'Access' your data - OpenOffice.org 1.0's best kept secret

    'Access' for Linux?
    Software options
    Notes for users of MS-Windows platforms

Joining OpenOffice.org 1.0 to MySQL using ODBC

    Installing MySQL
    Testing MySQL
    Installing unixODBC
    Creating the ODBC .ini files
    Testing ODBC
    Setting up ODBC within OpenOffice.org 1.0
    If you use an earlier version of RedHat / another installation method

Using the Data Source Tools in OpenOffice.org 1.0

    Finding the Data Source Tools
    Working with Table Definitions
      Creating a table
      Designing Indexes
      Changing the definition of a table

    Editing data
    Using the Database Toolbar to work with your data

      Displaying/Hiding the Data Source Explorer
      Find Record
      Sort Ascending / Sort Descending
      AutoFilter
      Default FilterS
      Sort
      Remove Filter / Sort
      Apply Filter
      Refresh
      Edit Data
      Save Current Record

    Creating new Views of your data

      Rows in the Query Design table
      The Query Toolbar

    More Complex Queries

      Example 1 - Orders on Hand
      Example 2 - Summary Orders on Hand

Using Data Sources in other OpenOffice.org 1.0 programs

    Calc
      Creating a link with Drag and Drop
      Menu Options
      Data Pilot

    Writer

      Creating a link with Drag and Drop
      Using the Database Toolbar

Using the Form AutoPilot

    The Form AutoPilot in action

Appendix - Public Documentation Licence Notice

    Original Documentation
    Revisions / Contributions / Translations

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PDF Ebook OpenOffice.org 1.0, ODBC, and MySQL 'How-to'

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