Base Handbook Chapter 8 -Database tasks

I have down loaded this chapter to work on. As I still cannot modify the status page would you please make the necessary adjustments to the web page.

Thanks in advance

Peter Goggin

Hi :slight_smile:
Done! :slight_smile:

You can check the page at;
https://wiki.documentfoundation.org/Documentation/Development/UserGuideTasks#Status_of_tasks_BH_v4.2
Just let me know if i made errors, but even if i did it's probably ok. At
the rate you are working it'll probably get fixed in the next update
anyway. Almost anyone can, theoretically, fix it anytime any way. It's
just nice, rather than essential, for that page to be right.

Regards from
Tom :slight_smile:

I am working through this chapter. In many cases I am having to design tables to match the code samples. Are there any sample database tables for this chapter? If so where can I download them?

Regards

Peter Goggin

Hi Peter,

I am working through this chapter. In many cases I am having to design
tables to match the code samples. Are there any sample database tables
for this chapter? If so where can I download them?

There are many example-databases for the German Handbuch. Please have a
look here:
https://wiki.documentfoundation.org/Documentation/de#Handbuch_f.C3.BCr_Base
It is called "Beispieldatenbanken ohne Beschreibung" (example-databases
without description).
For the Handbuch 4.3 are some databases described in details:
"Beispieldatenbanken mit Beschreibung".

Problem: All the databases are in German language, except the databases
"media without macros" and "media with macros", which were added to the
English handbook.

I will try to translate the databases - but not yet. Could be for the
handbook 4.4.

Regards

Robert

Thanks. I will have a look at the sample data bases. It is possible that I can translate the field names to English equivalents. If I do should I add the table definitions as an appendix to the chapter?

Regards

Peter Goggin

Hi Peter,

Thanks. I will have a look at the sample data bases. It is possible that
I can translate the field names to English equivalents. If I do should
I add the table definitions as an appendix to the chapter?

Wouldn't it be better to add the databases as it has been done for the
German Handbuch? So you could create little examples and link to this
example with "see exampledatabase_birthday.odb" ore something like this.

Regards

Robert

Hi :slight_smile:
I suspect that would mean translating the full databases. Is there a
work-around that can minimise the amount of work needed for the chapter
Peter is kindly reviewing?

For the 4.2.x version of the Handbook we can't really afford to get bogged
down in the extra work of translating all the various databases that might
only be mentioned once or twice in the entire Handbook. There must be a
smarter way of doing just enough work to get the message across. [crosses
fingers and hopes there is!]

Alternatively is it possible to yank out the chunk of the guide that refers
to those untranslated databases?
Regards from
Tom :slight_smile:

What I am trying to do is to confirm that someone following the examples will get the correct results. There are no results given in the chapter and it is difficult to confirm the code snippets really work. I have no doubt they do, but in more than 30 years working with data bases I cannot recall ever having to resort to data filtering with filter tables etc. I assumed that this SQL had been tested against a data base and so what I was looking for was a sample database containing the Filterexamples, MediaExample tables etc so that I could check the contents of these tables. I have down loaded the data bases as you suggested and so I am now trying to identify which ones relate to which parts of Chapter 8. Once I have done this I will test the code, and put in a reference to the exaple data base.

Regards

Peter Goggin

Having looked at the large number of test data bases it would take me much too long to identify the correct ones. I will continue with constructing a simple data base to test the SQL code. I am happy to send you this data base if it will help.

Regards

Peter Goggin

Hi :slight_smile:
I guess there is a 3rd option. Can the untranslated databases be used
without translating them? Do people really need to understand the contents
of the databases in order to understand the concepts being described?

I've seen some places where irrelevant content is replaced by a repeating
phrase in Latin, "lorem ipsum" or something. Could the untranslated
German just be used in a similar way? (ie turn the bug/problem into a
feature?)
Regards from
Tom :slight_smile:

In the examples on page 5 it uses a push button linked to the Updateform function. I cannot find this function. I assume that it is a standard macro somewhere to which you add the name of the form to be updated. Where can I find it?

Regards

Peter Goggin

Hi Peter,

I am reading this mailing-list. You are writing the same content to me
an to the mailing-list. Some other people do the same. Don't know why ...

What I am trying to do is to confirm that someone following the
examples will get the correct results. There are no results given in
the chapter and it is difficult to confirm the code snippets really
work. I have no doubt they do, but in more than 30 years working with
data bases I cannot recall ever having to resort to data filtering
with filter tables etc. I assumed that this SQL had been tested
against a data base and so what I was looking for was a sample
database containing the Filterexamples, MediaExample tables etc so
that I could check the contents of these tables. I have down loaded
the data bases as you suggested and so I am now trying to identify
which ones relate to which parts of Chapter 8. Once I have done this I
will test the code, and put in a reference to the exaple data base.

Regards

Peter Goggin

Having looked at the large number of test data bases it would take me
much too long to identify the correct ones. I will continue with
constructing a simple data base to test the SQL code. I am happy to send
you this data base if it will help.

The database for most of the content is Media_without_Macros.
Example for a filter you will find in the form "Loan", the form "Media"
and the form "Reader_Admission".

If you have problems to find: Copy the code and send it in a private
mail to me. I will have a look where to find the code.

Regards

Robert

Hi Peter,

In the examples on page 5 it uses a push button linked to the Updateform
function. I cannot find this function. I assume that it is a standard
macro somewhere to which you add the name of the form to be updated.
Where can I find it?

When you are writing about "page 5" → which document are you using?

There is no macro needed for Chapter 8 - Database tasks.

Look at the button, for example, in Media_without_Macros → form : Loan.
There is such a button. The content to filter or search for is in form
1. The content you will get the result for is in form 2. When you will
set a button in form 2 you could set
Properties:PushButton → Action → Refresh Form

This button will save the content from form 1 and refesh form 2.

Regards

Robert

Hi :slight_smile:
The mailing lists have been carefully set-up so that most emailers need to
use "Reply to all" in order to reply to the mailing list at all. So your
name appears in the "To" or "CC" field.

Some emailers automatically (or can be set to) filter out duplicates but
not all allow it.

My guess is that you get this message twice? If so it might be worth
poking around your emailer to see if it lets you filter duplicates.
Regards from
Tom :slight_smile:

Hi :slight_smile:
I'm getting a serious sense of deja vue about this thread :wink:

For the future would it be possible to reduce the number of dependencies
the handbook has? Can most of the examples be kept as additional examples
without being referred to much in the main part of the book? Perhaps an
appendix or 2?

Is it possible to reduce it down to just a couple of databases that have
all the behaviour described in the rest of the book and then have the extra
ones as supplemental?

It is fantastic to see all these resources appearing about Base though!
Top marks to all involved! Especially a huge thanks to Hazel for getting
started on this when it was unpopular and no-one else was around to help
and to Dan for the work he is still doing in isolation. I'm hoping someone
can move straight to reviewing or proof-reading his guide too after working
on the Handbook.
Thanks and regards from
Tom :slight_smile:

Most mail clients will have a "mail to list" option.

Hi :slight_smile:
Ahh great, so where is it in Outlook, Gmail and Yahoo?
Regards from
Tom :slight_smile:

I have completed the review of this chapter. I have a couple of problems:

Page 5

The description of the two forms and their interaction with the views, tables etc is not clear. I was able to follow it up to the creation of the forms. However the document uses *Update form*function. I was unable to find this in the Actions part of the menu. I could only find *Refresh Form.*

The description in this section really does not make it clear what the object of the exercise is.

I have been working with databases for about 30 years, and have never needed to use filtering of this type and have so far not been able to understand what the purpose is.

Page12

The only other problem I had was with the final query on page 12;

SELECT "Surname",

( SELECT "Firstname" FROM "View_Group" WHERE "Surname" = "a"."Surname" AND "GroupNr" = 1 ) ||
IFNULL( ( SELECT ', ' || "Firstname" FROM "View_Group" WHERE "Surname" = "a"."Surname" AND "GroupNr" = 2 ), '' ) ||
IFNULL( ( SELECT ', ' || "Firstname" FROM "View_Group" WHERE "Surname" = "a"."Surname" AND "GroupNr" = 3 ), '' ) ||
IFNULL( ( SELECT ', ' || "Firstname" FROM "View_Group" WHERE "Surname" = "a"."Surname" AND "GroupNr" = 4 ), '' ) ||
IFNULL( ( SELECT ', ' || "Firstname" FROM "View_Group" WHERE "Surname" = "a"."Surname" AND "GroupNr" = 5 ), '' )AS "Firstnames"
FROM "View_Group" AS "a"

This returns a row for each record in the View_Group. The query need to be modified to

SELECT DISTINCT ''Surname“ , …...

The modified query (page 12)can easily be either added to or substituted for the existing query.

I have no idea how to deal with the form interactions on page 5.

I have considered making the change to the query on Page 12 and adding a reviewers comments at the end of the document. Any advice on dealing with this will be gratefully received.

Regards
Peter Goggin

Hi Peter,

Page 5

The description of the two forms and their interaction with the views,
tables etc is not clear. I was able to follow it up to the creation of
the forms. However the document uses *Update form*function. I was unable
to find this in the Actions part of the menu. I could only find *Refresh
Form.*

You have asked for this in another mail:
Properties:PushButton → Action → Refresh Form
Seems it is translated wrong. In the German original it is called
«Formular aktualisieren»

The description in this section really does not make it clear what the
object of the exercise is.

I have been working with databases for about 30 years, and have never
needed to use filtering of this type and have so far not been able to
understand what the purpose is.

With a filter you will search for data. Could be you are searching for a
book about "sport" you will get with a filter only the rows of the
databse for "sport" - and could add a new rew to the database.

Page12

The only other problem I had was with the final query on page 12;

SELECT "Surname",

( SELECT "Firstname" FROM "View_Group" WHERE "Surname" = "a"."Surname"
AND "GroupNr" = 1 ) ||
IFNULL( ( SELECT ', ' || "Firstname" FROM "View_Group" WHERE "Surname" =
"a"."Surname" AND "GroupNr" = 2 ), '' ) ||
IFNULL( ( SELECT ', ' || "Firstname" FROM "View_Group" WHERE "Surname" =
"a"."Surname" AND "GroupNr" = 3 ), '' ) ||
IFNULL( ( SELECT ', ' || "Firstname" FROM "View_Group" WHERE "Surname" =
"a"."Surname" AND "GroupNr" = 4 ), '' ) ||
IFNULL( ( SELECT ', ' || "Firstname" FROM "View_Group" WHERE "Surname" =
"a"."Surname" AND "GroupNr" = 5 ), '' )AS "Firstnames"
FROM "View_Group" AS "a"

This returns a row for each record in the View_Group. The query need to
be modified to

SELECT DISTINCT ''Surname“ , …...

You are right. I will correct this also in the German version.

Regards

Robert

I have reviewed and uploaded this chapter. I would be grateful if you could adjust the tasks page to reflect this.

Regards

Peter Goggin