Version 4.

Base Handbook
Copyright
This document is Copyright © 2013 by its contributors as listed below. You may distribute it and/or
modify it under the terms of either the GNU General Public License
(http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html), version 3 or later, or the Creative Commons Attribution
License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/), version 3.0 or later.
All trademarks within this guide belong to their legitimate owners.

Contributors
Jochen Schiffers Robert Großkopf Jost Lange
Hazel Russman Martin Fox Andrew Pitonyak
Dan Lewis Jean Hollis Weber

Acknowledgments
This book is based on an original German document, which was translated by Hazel Russman and
Martin Fox.

Feedback
Please direct any comments or suggestions about this document to:
[email protected]

Publication date and software version

Published 3 July 2013. Based on LibreOffice 4.0.

Documentation for LibreOffice is available at http://www.libreoffice.org/get-help/documentation

Contents
Copyright..................................................................................................................................... 2
Contributors............................................................................................................................. 2
Feedback................................................................................................................................ 2
Acknowledgments................................................................................................................... 2
Publication date and software version..................................................................................... 2
Preface.................................................................................................................................. 7
Who is this book for?................................................................................................................... 8
What's in this book?..................................................................................................................... 8
Where to get more help............................................................................................................... 8
Help system............................................................................................................................ 8
Free online support................................................................................................................. 8
Paid support and training........................................................................................................ 9
What you see may be different.................................................................................................... 9
Illustrations.............................................................................................................................. 9
Icons..................................................................................................................................... 10
Using LibreOffice on a Mac........................................................................................................ 10
What are all these things called?............................................................................................... 10
Who wrote this book?................................................................................................................. 11
Frequently asked questions....................................................................................................... 12
Chapter 1
Introduction to Base.......................................................................................................... 13
Introduction................................................................................................................................ 14
Base – a container for database content....................................................................................14
Data input using forms............................................................................................................... 15
Data input directly into a table.................................................................................................... 16
Queries – getting information on data in tables.......................................................................... 17
Reports – presentation of data................................................................................................... 17
Chapter 2
Creating a Database...........................................................................................................21
General notes on the creation of a database............................................................................. 22
New database using the internal HSQL engine..........................................................................22
Accessing external databases................................................................................................... 22
MySQL databases..................................................................................................................... 23
dBase databases....................................................................................................................... 30
Spreadsheets............................................................................................................................. 31
Thunderbird address book......................................................................................................... 32
Chapter 3
Tables.................................................................................................................................. 33
General information on tables.................................................................................................... 34
Relationships between tables.................................................................................................... 34
Relationships for tables in databases.................................................................................... 34
Tables and relationships for the example database............................................................... 37
Creating tables........................................................................................................................... 40
Creation using the graphical user interface........................................................................... 41
Direct entry of SQL commands............................................................................................. 43

Base Handbook 3
 Linking tables............................................................................................................................. 48
Entering data into tables............................................................................................................ 52
Entry using the Base GUI...................................................................................................... 52
Direct entry using SQL.......................................................................................................... 57
Problems with these data entry methods...............................................................................59
Chapter 4
Forms.................................................................................................................................. 61
Forms make data entry easier................................................................................................... 62
Creating forms........................................................................................................................... 62
A simple form........................................................................................................................ 62
Toolbars for form design........................................................................................................ 63
Form properties......................................................................................................................... 66
Properties of controls............................................................................................................ 69
A simple form completed....................................................................................................... 95
Main forms and subforms........................................................................................................ 103
One view – many forms........................................................................................................... 115
Chapter 5
Queries.............................................................................................................................. 121
General information on queries................................................................................................ 122
Entering queries....................................................................................................................... 122
Creating queries using the Query Design dialog................................................................. 122
Query enhancement using SQL Mode................................................................................ 134
Using an alias in a query.......................................................................................................... 141
Queries for the creation of list box fields.................................................................................. 142
Queries as a basis for additional information in forms..............................................................143
Data entry possibilities within queries...................................................................................... 143
Use of parameters in queries................................................................................................... 144
Subqueries............................................................................................................................... 144
Correlated subqueries.............................................................................................................. 145
Queries as source tables for queries....................................................................................... 145
Summarizing data with queries................................................................................................ 146
More rapid access to queries using table views....................................................................... 147
Chapter 6
Reports..............................................................................................................................149
Creating reports using the Report Builder................................................................................ 150
The user interface of the Report Builder.................................................................................. 150
General properties of fields................................................................................................. 157
Data properties of fields...................................................................................................... 161
Functions in the Report Builder................................................................................................ 162
Entering formulas................................................................................................................ 162
User-defined functions........................................................................................................ 168
Formula entry for a field...................................................................................................... 169
Conditional print.................................................................................................................. 169
Conditional formatting......................................................................................................... 169
Chapter 7
Linking to Databases....................................................................................................... 171
General notes on database linkage......................................................................................... 172

4 Base Handbook
 Registration of databases........................................................................................................ 172
Data source browser................................................................................................................ 172
Data to Text......................................................................................................................... 174
Data to Fields...................................................................................................................... 177
Mail merge............................................................................................................................... 178
Data source of current document........................................................................................ 178
Explorer on/off..................................................................................................................... 178
Creating mail merge documents.............................................................................................. 178
Label printing........................................................................................................................... 185
Direct creation of mail merge and label documents................................................................. 188
Mail merge using the mouse............................................................................................... 188
Creating form letters by selecting fields............................................................................... 189
External forms.......................................................................................................................... 190
Database use in Calc............................................................................................................... 191
Entering data into Calc........................................................................................................ 191
Exporting data from Calc into a database............................................................................ 193
Converting data from one database to another........................................................................ 196
Chapter 8
Database tasks................................................................................................................. 197
General remarks on database tasks........................................................................................ 198
Data filtering............................................................................................................................. 198
Searching for data................................................................................................................... 200
Code snippets.......................................................................................................................... 201
Getting someone's current age........................................................................................... 201
Getting a running balance by categories............................................................................. 202
Line numbering................................................................................................................... 203
Getting a line break through a query................................................................................... 205
Grouping and summarizing................................................................................................. 205
Chapter 9
Macros...............................................................................................................................207
General remarks on macros.................................................................................................... 208
Improving usability................................................................................................................... 209
Automatic updating of forms................................................................................................ 209
Filtering records.................................................................................................................. 210
Searching data records....................................................................................................... 213
Comboboxes as listboxes with an entry option.................................................................... 215
Navigation from one form to another................................................................................... 225
Removing distracting elements from forms......................................................................... 226
Database tasks expanded using macros................................................................................. 226
Making a connection to a database..................................................................................... 226
Securing your database...................................................................................................... 227
Database compaction.......................................................................................................... 228
Decreasing the table index for autovalue fields................................................................... 228
Dialogs..................................................................................................................................... 229
Chapter 10
Database Maintenance.................................................................................................... 239
General remarks on maintaining databases............................................................................. 240
Compacting a database........................................................................................................... 240
Resetting autovalues............................................................................................................... 240

Base Handbook 5
 Querying database properties.................................................................................................. 240
Testing tables for unnecessary entries..................................................................................... 241
Testing entries using relationship definition......................................................................... 241
Editing entries using forms and subforms............................................................................ 242
Queries for finding orphan entries....................................................................................... 243
Database search speed........................................................................................................... 243
Effect of queries.................................................................................................................. 243
Effect of listboxes and comboboxes.................................................................................... 244
Appendix ......................................................................................................................... 245
Barcodes................................................................................................................................. 246
Data types for the table editor.................................................................................................. 246
Integers............................................................................................................................... 246
Floating-point numbers........................................................................................................ 246
Text..................................................................................................................................... 247
Time.................................................................................................................................... 247
Other................................................................................................................................... 247
Built-in functions and stored procedures.................................................................................. 248
Numeric............................................................................................................................... 248
Text..................................................................................................................................... 249
Date/Time............................................................................................................................ 250
Database connection........................................................................................................... 251
System................................................................................................................................ 251
Information tables for HSQLDB................................................................................................ 252
Database repair for *.odb files.................................................................................................. 253
Connecting a database to an external HSQLDB...................................................................... 255
Changing the database connection to external HSQLDB........................................................257
Changing the database connection for multi-user access...................................................257
Auto-incrementing values with external HSQLDB............................................................... 259

6 Base Handbook
This is a sample, click download link to get the full Tutorial