CSV questions

[colette]

I have a CSV file I want to import into Base.

When ever I try to import the data the I cannot amend or add data, it is read only.

I know that you can copy and paste quite simply from calc but we want to import and export directly from the CSV file

Is this possible?

Thanks

Colette

[ftack]

csv is not designed for that purpose: it is a plain text format. It is merely a format to help transferring data from one database application to another.

Import and export to a native database using Base (mysql, sqlite, ...) then export from that database to a csv when the need arises.
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[colette]

Thanks for your help

we have some software that can only read csv files.
But we would like to creaste a database and everytime we change it's contents we would like the csv file to update as well so the other software can read it.

If this something we can do ?

[ftack]

It seems your software is the problem. This could be done but will require a minimum of programming. Appropriate macros in a form could already do the job (e.g. "Enter" button automatically writes out the csv file).

Depending on your needs, a spreadsheet that saves to csv could be enough. For large needs (i.e. substantial databases) a csv approach will be inefficient anyway.
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[Villeroy]

[Tutorial] Using csv/text files as editable data source.
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[jrkrideau]

[Villeroy]

The only problem is that Base is not a database. It can not open any file type other than its own configuration files, the so called "database documents".
The HSQLDB engine shipped with OOo is a database program. It runs in the background and does the actual work when you create a brand new database in Base.
That software is able to fill a prepared table with the contents of a text file so an assumed user may not even notice that he is editing a text file.
[Example] Loading CSV into preformatted spreadsheets (file #1 and #2 demonstrate this technique)
You can talk to that software through the Base "command line" menu:Tools>SQL...
Other database engines can do the same trick.
When your Base file is connected to a MySQL database you can make that database server use text files: http://dev.mysql.com/doc/refman/5.1/en/csv-storage-engine.html

Base can use a whole directory of similarly structured csv as a pseudo database providing read-only access. You connect a Base file to the directory, specify the delimters and encoding and then you have read access to the csv tables from any OOo document.
[Example] Loading CSV into preformatted spreadsheets (files 1, 3. 4 and 5)

You can copy database row sets into documents and to other databases with write access so your read-only csv-connection can be used as import facility for other databases.
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[jrkrideau]