LibreOffice Base Guide Quality and images

Hi,

I'm a bit worried of the quality of the Base Guide. Due to the speed of translating the Base Guide I am afraid that the quality of the guide is less than normal.

For example at the top on page 14 of "Introduction to Base (6.2)" chapter it says "The field names forename (first name), surname (last name), and birthday are likely to be clear. In addition, a field called ID was added. This field will later take a value which is unique for each record. A unique key field is necessary for the embedded database. Otherwise, no records can be entered in the table. This key field is called the /primary key/ in databases."

The sentence "A unique key field is necessary for the embedded database" is imho not correct. a table has an unique key (primary key), not databases. Also the primary key is used on tables in all sorts of databases. It is not only valid for Embedded databases.

I recommend to check the (technical) details in the manual in order to provide correct info.

another thing what we have seen in de manual while translating it into the Dutch language is the usage of numbered captions for images in the manual.
In "Introduction to Base (6.2)" chapter and only the first 10 images are having numbered captions and after that it stops... why is this?
Going thru the text It was sometimes not clear which text is related to an image....

Seen this also in the "Creating a Database" chapter.

I promissed to redo the screenshots, Is it OK to do them in Ubuntu? I hope I can keep up the pace....

Also the Index of the chapters has to be updated....

/Rob

Hi Pulkit,

Maybe I used the wrong words... By index I mean "Table of contents" at the beginning of each chaper and book.
If you need to update the table of Contents you choose command "Update index".... that is where the confusion came from.

/Rob

Hello Pulkit,

Hello Rob,
..... The chapter was reviewed by Dan and Jean. So there is very less chance of error.

I'm a bit disappointed on ignoring my improvements of the text and suggestion to have a better look at database-related text...

/Rob

Hi Rob,

For example at the top on page 14 of "Introduction to Base (6.2)"
chapter it says "The field names forename (first name), surname (last
name), and birthday are likely to be clear. In addition, a field called
ID was added. This field will later take a value which is unique for
each record. A unique key field is necessary for the embedded database.
Otherwise, no records can be entered in the table. This key field is
called the /primary key/ in databases."

The sentence "A unique key field is necessary for the embedded database"
is imho not correct. a table has an unique key (primary key), not
databases.

The database HSQLDB requires this primary key for every tabe - if you
will work with the table in GUI.

Also the primary key is used on tables in all sorts of
databases. It is not only valid for Embedded databases.

This is wrong. Have a look at DBase, MySQL or, very simple, have a look
at HSQLDB without using the GUI. You could create tables in this
database without using a primary key and you could also add values to
this tables. The wizard works with this feature.

Regards

Robert

Hello Robert,

Also the primary key is used on tables in all sorts of
databases. It is not only valid for Embedded databases.

This line means that primary key is not only used in embedded database but
also in external Database. You cannot add records to a table using base
without a primary key, in any database engine, be it external or embedded.
Pulkit Krishna

Hi Pulkit,

Also the primary key is used on tables in all sorts of
databases. It is not only valid for Embedded databases.

This line means that primary key is not only used in embedded database but
also in external Database. You cannot add records to a table using base
without a primary key, in any database engine, be it external or embedded.

I'm able to do this. Please try it before writing.

Robert

And now the example:

Create a table in the internal HSQLDB.
Fields: "forename" and "surname" - both VARCHAR(50)
Save this table with name "table_without_pk", ignore the warning for PK
Go to Tools > SQL
INSERT INTO "table_without_pk" ("forename","surname") VALUES
('Robert','Großkopf')
... and press "Execute" (don't know the name for the button haven't time
to switch to English ...)
One row has been added.

Don't think I haven't written all this content for the Base-Handbuch and
haven't tested. If you think so put it away and write your own.

Robert

Hi Rob,

For example at the top on page 14 of "Introduction to Base (6.2)"
chapter it says "The field names forename (first name), surname (last
name), and birthday are likely to be clear. In addition, a field called
ID was added. This field will later take a value which is unique for
each record. A unique key field is necessary for the embedded database.
Otherwise, no records can be entered in the table. This key field is
called the /primary key/ in databases."

The sentence "A unique key field is necessary for the embedded database"
is imho not correct. a table has an unique key (primary key), not
databases.

The database HSQLDB requires this primary key for every tabe - if you
will work with the table in GUI.

You are correct Robert, but the text is saying that a primary key is attached to a database (at least that is how I'm reading it) , but a primary key is attached to a table!

Also the primary key is used on tables in all sorts of
databases. It is not only valid for Embedded databases.

This is wrong. Have a look at DBase, MySQL or, very simple, have a look
at HSQLDB without using the GUI. You could create tables in this
database without using a primary key and you could also add values to
this tables. The wizard works with this feature.

The text is: "A unique key field is necessary for the embedded database" You can better add to the text that Base requires a primary key for tables in embedded databases...

Suppose someone without database knowledge reads this text and he or she will think that external databases do not use primary keys at all, because in the text the emphasis is on Embedded databases.

There for you have to mention that in general database usage a primary key can be used (is advised) but not necessary....

BTW. Thank you for writing the guide(s), great job, I'm a fan!! I got a lot information out of it and also from the early versions like importing info from PDF files for example.... I'm planning to translate those samples as well, because it shows us what is possible with Base with some little programming!

Thanks!

Rob

Hi Rob,

seems I don't understand enough English to get the right words for it.
Could be it is only a problem in the translated book. I have had a look
at the German original and couldn't find any problematic content there.

Regards

Robert

Hi Robert,

Hi Rob,

seems I don't understand enough English to get the right words for it.
Could be it is only a problem in the translated book. I have had a look
at the German original and couldn't find any problematic content there.

I already thought it was a translation problem... so I hope that some people with database knowledge will check the text, and not only look at grammar errors.

Best regards,

Rob

For several years, we've been trying to find people who have the
knowledge, the time, and the English skills to review and improve the
text. I questioned some things in the book while I was reviewing
chapters, but my knowledge is limited to quite simple databases.

If you (or anyone else) can help with this, we would all be very glad.
But perhaps not holding up publication of the v6.x book; instead,
working toward a much improved book for LO v7.

Jean

Because I am mentioned in this discussion, I will respond here. I
noticed the lack of figure numbers and captions, but I did not
recommend adding them in the v6.x versions of the book because we were
in a hurry to get the book done. I was going to suggest that for v7.

Also, my knowledge of databases is fairly limited. I know a lot of
theory but have little experience beyond very simple ones. I did not
test everything, and I did question some things, but I would not like
to say there is "very little chance of error".

Jean

I do not have the Base skills as I have only cretics very simple databases in past. However, I think my English skills are good and could always help. The question is time available.

Jean you mentioned figures for Base in one message. To me figures should always be numbered and captioned. That way it makes it easier to refer to figures.

Regards
Peter Schofield
psauthor@gmail.com

Peter,
For the record: I disagree that *all* figures need a caption (with a figure
number), nor do all figures need a reference in the text, but yes *most* of
them do need one or both.

Jean

Hello Jean,
Not only you but Dan and Drew have also reviewed the chapters. But Rob is
welcome to do the review of the 6.4 chapters.

Pulkit Krishna

Hi All,

I do not have the Base skills as I have only cretics very simple databases in past. However, I think my English skills are good and could always help. The question is time available.

The same goes for me: Time availability.... for now I will working on the screenshots... and translation of the Sample databases to Dutch for the Dutch Base manual.

What is the time planning for the V7 release of the manual?

/Rob

Hello Peter and Rob,
I thought about Peter when I first read Rob's message. Perhaps, if Rob does
the first review of the chapters of the base guide 6.4 then Peter can take
them for their second review and make sure good English is used. That way
both tasks would be fulfilled- database errors would be removed and English
would become good. As for figures I agree with Jean. We should do all this
in the v6.4 not v6.2. We should let v6.2 be published because Base Guide
has not been updated since v4.0 I think. I have already prepared the drafts
of first 6 chapters of v6.4. If Rob can take it for its first review it
would be great. I think Peter, you are busy with Draw guide. Can you manage
the two at once? As for time I think we have much for v6.4. v7.0 is going
to be released in August, so if we complete v6.4 by end of July, and it
would have no or only little mistakes, then I think it wouldn't take more
than a month to update it to v7.0. It depends how base changes in going to
v7.0.
Pulkit Krishna

I am not sure that it is in the translation. Here is why:

German version:

Die Feldnamen "Vorname", "Nachname" und "Geburtstag" dürften klar sein. Zusätzlich wurde ein Feld mit der Bezeichnung "ID" eingetragen. Dieses Feld soll später einen Wert aufnehmen, der die einzigartige Eigenschaft eines jeden Datensatzes ist. So ein einzigartiges Schlüsselfeld ist für die eingebettete Datenbank notwendig. Ansonsten lassen sich keine Datensätze in die Tabelle eingeben. Dieses Schlüsselfeld wird bei Datenbanken als «Primärschlüssel» bezeichnet.

Google's translation:

The field names "first name", "last name" and "birthday" should be clear. In addition, a field with the name "ID" was entered. This field will later hold a value that is the unique property of each record. Such a unique key field is necessary for the embedded database. Otherwise, no data records can be entered in the table. This key field is referred to as “primary key” in databases.

However, this paragraph needs to be rewritten to make it more meaningful. As Robert has pointed out, tables can be created in the Base GUI. Data can be added to such a table using Tools > SQL. My question to Robert is this: How can a table without a primary key be accessed in terms of forms, and reports? I know queries can be created with Tools > SQL.

Dan