Rearranging Fields in Mac Version

[mpagel]

Hi all,

I'm looking to move a field from the bottom of the list to the top for the purpose of having a more intuitive interface for users to update records. Is this possible in the MacOSX version of oobase? It is possible in microsoft access by click-dragging, but that doesn't seem available here.

I've also tried to cut-paste, but that just bumps an entry to the bottom, regardless of where I issue the paste.

I saw this tutorial: http://wiki.services.openoffice.org/wiki/Documentation/OOo3_User_Guides/Writer_Guide/Creating_a_bibliographic_db

but I don't see a "Column Arrangement" button or drop-down option. I've added all available buttons to my toolbar for both design view and the data entry view.

Is it not possible to rearrange fields/columns in oobase for MacOSX?

I suppose I could cut-paste all field names in sequence to repopulate everything from the top-down, but that seems quite a bit of effort for 30+ fields.

Also, I imported a table from a oocalc spreadsheet - this resulted in everything being a text field. I tried to set one as a date field, but it didn't accept this. It asked if I wished to delete the field and recreate it (devoid of any entries). Would it be possible to re-implement this procedure on the programmers' end to simply clear the column (without deleting it) and then reassign the field type (timedate, etc) as requested so it doesn't muck up the order of the fields?

Thanks,

[mpagel]

I have found the following thread: http://www.oooforum.org/forum/viewtopic.phtml?t=72662&highlight=rearrange

I've tried arranging the fields in design view (nothing happens on click-drag and no relevant options from right click menu) as well as from the data entry view (results in a change of mousepointer icon to show a struck-through circle, similar to a "no smoking" sign).

[mpagel]

does anyone have any suggestions? is the development team working on altering the current implementation to be a bit more designer and end user friendly?

[RPG]

Hello

Did you study the tutorial in the link where you point to?
if not do it.

QuazzieEvil explain it careful and other wise read his book. free download.

You can not change the table, only in the way QuazzieEvil describe and that is enough.

Romke

[mpagel]

sorry....i still do not understand. The earlier chapters in the wiki link seem to refer to the writer application.

I have no "Bibliography Database" option under Tools within base.

I see this note: "For most of this section, the database table used is the sample one that comes with Writer. For information on creating a new table in the bibliographic database, see Chapter 8 (Getting Started with Base) in the Getting Started book."

But I do not see a "Getting Started book" listed on frontpage of the wiki, and chapter 8 in THIS book has nothing to do with Base.

From his screenshot, the filter icon and the filter+wand icon appear on my screen, but the "Column Arrangement" "Data Source" "Table: ___ " and "Search Key" do not appear on my screen.

[mpagel]

as to the thread on these forums: "when you are in design mode, you can move columns in a tablegrid by dragging them about." - no I can't. Unless he's referring to a form or report?

"are you refering to the table or the table control? in the table control, the form must be in design mode." - I've tried in both design (rightclick->edit) and dataview (doubleclick or rightclick->open) mode of tables. I cannot click-drag.

As to the book listed in his signature, the lulu one is not "free". The preview does not include any content, just the table of contents. Could you refer me to the link of something that is available, if he does have something?

[RPG]

Hello

Forms are the basics for base. How better you understand forms and SQL how more you can do with Base
A form is really a writer document. This means you can make a form outside Base.
The word form is used for two things.
a) the writer document
b) what you see in the "form navigator"

This mean that you can have more then one form in a form as writer document.
The writer document looks like a directory tree you can have several forms and subform.

I assume that you can make a text box. On the toolbar right there are three buttons, from right to left
a) the wizard
b) from design
c) more controls

try them.

Now your question
You cannot change the table order.
You can change how you display the table in an order you want.
There more methods to do it
1) With a query
2) With a view
3) With table controls


Draw a table control with enough columns
Select a column name keep pressing your mouse button and move the column to a place where you want. You see a black arrow. It is working for me with version OOo3.01.
The post you found is from Jun 2008 So I think it will work in your version. I don't know how long it is working in that way.

When you search on this forum there are some important posters
some names : Villeroy , Voobase. Sliderule, QuazzieEvil

And about the book
Free Docs @ www.geocities.com/rbenitez22

I don't know the things about the wikis there I don't look there much. It is possible that you don't have a "Bibliography Database" But it is possible that you look on the wrong place.

When you are in a form
menu --> view --> "Data sources F4"

I hope this helps you
Romke

[mpagel]

it looks like my experiment with oobase is at an end.

When cut-pasting in order to rearrange items, everything looks fine until I hit the "save" button. At that point, some of the fields drop completely, while others change their variable type (maybe to the type that whatever previously occupied that position on the list had?) and several lose their field "comments".

It seems that oobase (at least on Mac) is a half-assed bit of beta software that will likely have poor data integrity, especially when tables structures are modified. Unfortunately this results in me having to either set up MySQL on my Mac or run MS Access through a VMware shell.

I'll check in from time-to-time to see if there are any updates to this software, but until then I'll just use your writer and calc software - which are every bit as good as their Microsoft counterparts on Mac.

Sorry for taking your time.

[mpagel]

Thanks for the help. sorry for submitting my last post after you had already submitted yours:(

[RPG]

Hello

Using new software is always difficult. The knowledge you have is no more important and the new one is not there so you are angry and that helps nobody, but I can understand it.

OOo is opensource software that means that some version is better then other version. I don't know which version you use but don't use a beta version and also version 2.40 was a bad version.

I don't know what you want to do with the database if you want use it for a big database then the HSQLDB engine looks me not a first choice. I'm a home user and have only a little database no more as 1300 records. With that little database I'm satisfied with the HSQLDB engine but if you much more records then HSQLDB is maybe not the first choice. Read the manual if HSQLDB is the good engine for you. OOo base can be used with MYSQL

I did understand that you have made a table control, that is nice.

The table control is only for displaying data and not for calculating. The calculating is always done with the SQL instruction. There is great difference with MS Access

Understanding a form is also real important. A form is like showing a Table or a query.

I'm glad you have succeed.
Romke

[Sliderule]

mpagel:

In your first post, you asked:

[RPG]

Hello Sliderule, mpagel


Some times an other person does see other things in a question. Maybe the solution from Sliderule can be better for mpagel. I did not remember it, and my reaction was more to the third post then the first.

For mpagel don't give up it is real difficult changing from one MS Access to OOo.

Romke