ODB Files

I would like to get data from and save data back to ODB files in my java application.

I have read a description of how to access an hsql* and got it working which gets data out of the 
database and edits the extracted hsql DB.

The above link also directs to a description of how to unzip it in java** so I figured I should be 
able to zip the files up and open it again with Open Office. When I zip the files with 
java.util.zip using the method here***  the file called 'mimetype' comes out "compressed" but 
actually bigger and even setting compression off in the its still bigger but not as much 41bytes vs 
43bytes (I don't remember the numbers exactly) but not the 39bytes that is required. Also I read on 
a linux forum that I cannot find that mimetype has to be 'at the beginning' of the file.

Using 7zip to zip the files has worked so far but I need a way to build this into my java 
application and preferably without building 7zip in and calling it.
Also I wonder if there are any files that should be updated if tables get added etc. any other 
files in the ODB file?

Preferably it would be very nice to edit the .odb file directly or pole changes to it (like open 
office or libre office) as talked about in OOoforum**** so data is not lost during a crash, but I 
cannot get a response from there.

Thank you in advance for any light you can shed on this.
Graham


* http://programmaremobile.blogspot.co.uk/2009/01/java-and-openoffice-base-db-through.html
**  http://digiassn.blogspot.co.uk/2006/07/java-creating-jdbc-connection-to.html
*** http://www.crazysquirrel.com/computing/java/basics/java-directory-zipping.jspx
**** http://www.oooforum.org/forum/viewtopic.phtml?p=257220&highlight=#257220

Kind Regards

Graham Weatherup
Systems Engineer

SMRU Limited
Scottish Oceans Institute
New Technology Centre
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