Base - Application mode?

users
#1

In MS Access you can select a startup form that will open when the database file is opened. You can also hide all of the development stuff (buttons, toolbars, etc) when said form opens so it appears to the end user as an application. How do I do this in Base? I have been struggling for a week trying to figure this out. Heck, I am struggling with Base period, it is much more difficult to use than Access, but I can overlook that due to the power it has that Access does not. Still, how do I hide the development stuff and open my form when the ODB file is opened?

#2

Hi Ryan,

I'm not sure if this is the best solution, but I have found that it works -

Create the following macros -

Sub OpenfMainMenu()
    OpenForm("fMainMenu")
End Sub

Sub OpenForm(FormName AS String) 'Called from OpenfMainMenu()
    With ThisDatabaseDocument.currentcontroller
        If Not .isConnected Then
               .Connect
        End if
    End With
ThisDatabaseDocument.FormDocuments.getByName(FormName).open
End Sub

I have called my form "fMain Menu". In your macro, alter the form name to
the name of the form you want to open on startup.

Then on LibreOffice's main form, (the one with buttons for Tables, Queries,
Forms and Reports down the left hand side), choose
Tools>Customise>Events>Open Document and assign the OpenfMainMenu() macro.

Now, when you start LibreOffice you should find that the desired form will
open. Depending on the speed of your PC/Notebook, you may see the
LibreOffice main form briefly, (or on slow machines, not so briefly!),
before the desired form opens. I haven't yet found a way to prevent this
happening, but I have found that it doesn't seem to worry most users as
long as the familiar form eventually appears.

Hope this helps.

Noel

#3

Hi :slight_smile:
There is also the idea that you can create a Writer document that acts
as a form or a report. Opening the Writer document only shows "the
front-end". I think it can't be used to enter data but is good for
just using and accessing the data.
Regards from
Tom :slight_smile:

#4

Hi Ashley,

In MS Access you can select a startup form that will open when the
database file is opened. You can also hide all of the development stuff
(buttons, toolbars, etc) when said form opens so it appears to the end
user as an application. How do I do this in Base? I have been struggling
for a week trying to figure this out. Heck, I am struggling with Base
period, it is much more difficult to use than Access, but I can overlook
that due to the power it has that Access does not. Still, how do I hide
the development stuff and open my form when the ODB file is opened?

You might want to check out the Switchboard extension to see whether
that goes in the direction you're looking at.

http://extensions.openoffice.org/de/project/SwitchBoard

otherwise you will have to write a macro to bind the loading of the form
to the event of opening the ODB file and probably fiddle with xcu/xcs
(xml configuration files) that deal with the toolbars, bearing in mind
that some of the toolbars are dependent on the main LibreOffice app and
probably can not be completely removed.

Alex