Problems creating a split database

users
#1

Hello. Since this is my first post, I'll write some background first.

I am deeply interested in machine embroidery, as well as general sewing.
I therefore have accumulated a library of magazines with some excellent
articles. The problem is finding the right article when I want to
re-read it.

I bought the Getting Started Guide and Base Handbook, and by constantly
referring back to them, managed to get an embedded database, in which
details of the article were accompanied by an image. You know what
comes next. All was well until I had just over 200 entries - at which
time it crashed and I lost all entries. Fortunately I had a backup up
to the previous day's work, as well as an almost complete spreadsheet
which had been the basis for my efforts, but there was no point in
trying to do more, as all reading pointed to the problem of images
causing the size to over-expand.

I have now tried to create a split database, following the instructions
I found online. However, I'm finding it difficult to source information
on using it. Picked from the bits and pieces I've accumulated, instead
of adding the image directly, I have created a text field containing a
URL relative to the data folder, e.g. ../Images/OnionsAndRust.jpg.

What I would like to achieve is that URL to be read in, the image
displayed, then dropped when the record changes. Is this a reasonable
approach?

Can you point me to documentation that will help? I suspect that I need
to learn to write macros for this to work, but again, providing I can
find help to get started I am ready to learn.

AnneW

#2

hello.
i downloaded getting started from libreoffice.org
for free in odt format.
which version of libreoffice do you need to work on?
whats the different between free version and paid version of getting started?
i downloaded getting started for libreoffice 5.2 in odt format from its website.
i realized that it explanes macro and if you need to use macro in
libreoffice, the book can help you!
hope that help, God bless!

#3

Hi Anne,

If you haven't read it already, this thread is a pretty good tutorial :

https://forum.openoffice.org/en/forum/viewtopic.php?p=272724

Alex

#4

hello.
i downloaded getting started from libreoffice.org
for free in odt format.
which version of libreoffice do you need to work on?
whats the different between free version and paid version of getting started?
i downloaded getting started for libreoffice 5.2 in odt format from its website.
i realized that it explanes macro and if you need to use macro in
libreoffice, the book can help you!
hope that help, God bless!

Thanks for the quick reply. My books are somewhat out of date, with
Getting Started being 4.2 and Base Handbook being 4.0. I had, though,
noticed that both have some help with macros. Oce I'm sure that's the
way to go, I'll consult them - although perhaps I should download the
updated versions first :slight_smile:

AnneW

#5

Hi Anne,

If you haven't read it already, this thread is a pretty good tutorial :

https://forum.openoffice.org/en/forum/viewtopic.php?p=272724

Alex

Hi, Alex. No, that's one I had missed and it definitely looks worth
studying.

AnneW

#6

Off hand, I think that you are moving in the right direction. I have not looked at this in a very long time, but, I do have some macro information for use with Base (Written against a much earlier version of Base) available here:

http://www.pitonyak.org/database/

This is a direct link to the document

http://www.pitonyak.org/database/AndrewBase.odt

Note that my Macro documents contain the maros in the document, which makes it possible to copy any macros that you want to use simply by importing the libraries. On the other hand, the documents contain macros, which means that you will be warned that they do contain macros. I try to create my documents such that you can run the macros directly by clicking on buttons embedded in the documents to test them.

I am a bit overwhelmed with overdue tasks, but, if you notice something that is obviously no longer correct, please let me know.

#7

Hi Anne,

the Base-Handbook you are using is very old. Just some days ago the new
German Base-Handbuch for LO 6.0 has been published - nearly 600 pages.

The Base-Handbook conbtains a chapter for changing an internal database
to an external database. It is a part of the attachment.

It is better to use a link to the images than to include the images into
the database itself. The control for images will show the external image
and could be used to read the path to external images to connect to the
field - without any macro. There must only be a varchar-field in the
table, which is connected to the image-control.

Regards

Robert

#8

Hi Anne,

Hi, Robert.

the Base-Handbook you are using is very old. Just some days ago the
new German Base-Handbuch for LO 6.0 has been published - nearly 600
pages.

I'll watch out for a more recent version, then. I downloaded a copy of
the Handbook today, thinking it might be later, but it turned out to be
the same 4.0 version. I'll scout around tomorrow.

The Base-Handbook conbtains a chapter for changing an internal
database to an external database. It is a part of the attachment.

That would have been very useful. As it was, I had to start entirely
afresh, as I couldn't find any help.

It is better to use a link to the images than to include the images
into the database itself. The control for images will show the
external image and could be used to read the path to external images
to connect to the field - without any macro. There must only be a
varchar-field in the table, which is connected to the image-control.

That doesn't sound too difficult. I'm currently checking the image
files - it seems that only a small number are too big, but they are MUCH
too big. After I'm sure I have that sorted, I'll go back to the Form
creation.

Just to clarify - I gather I need to add a field <Image> where I have at
the moment only the text/URL field. I then try to set up the control
for the image so that it reads the url and displays the image. Have I
got that right? Test time, tomorrow.

AnneW

#9

Hi Anne,

Just to clarify - I gather I need to add a field <Image> where I have at
the moment only the text/URL field. I then try to set up the control
for the image so that it reads the url and displays the image. Have I
got that right? Test time, tomorrow.

Yes, it's the right way.

Base-Handbook: My English isn't good enough to translate the German
Base-Handbuch to the English one. You could get the German Base-Handbuch
here:
http://robert.familiegrosskopf.de/lo_hb/Base_Gesamtband_einseitig_V60.pdf

You could get a English version of different chapters of Base-Handbook
5.0, which isn't already released, here:
http://robert.familiegrosskopf.de/lo_hb_en/

There is also a example-database for external images:
http://robert.familiegrosskopf.de/lo_hb_en/External_Images.zip

Regards

Robert

#10

With frequent checks against the Shane Piper videos I've got a good deal
further, but come up against the next obstacle.

I don't want to use absolute addressing, in order to keep the database
portable, but I seem to have got the relative addressing wrong. The
attached image shows the structure as it stands at the moment. The URL
I'm giving is in the format ..\Images\someImage.jpg - btw, backslash or
forward slash? I'm guessing I need to change them all to forward slash.

Q1 - have I put the Image directory in the best place?

Q2 - can you give me an example reference, please.

I feel to be in the "so near yet so far" stage.

AnneW

#11

Hi Anne,

I don't want to use absolute addressing, in order to keep the database
portable, but I seem to have got the relative addressing wrong. The
attached image shows the structure as it stands at the moment. The URL
I'm giving is in the format ..\Images\someImage.jpg - btw, backslash or
forward slash? I'm guessing I need to change them all to forward slash.

With a graphical control in a form you will get the ralative address -
not the absolute. It will work on other systems the same way. I have
designed a database with many images here at home with my Linux-system
and put it at scool (teacher) on a Windows-system. Works right there.

Q1 - have I put the Image directory in the best place?

Q2 - can you give me an example reference, please.

have put this example to the last post:
http://robert.familiegrosskopf.de/lo_hb_en/External_Images.zip

If you have problems with this example please write a direct mail to me.

Regards

Robert