[libreoffice-users] success: form with detail subform; working list boxes in main form

This is very early in my learning period, but I seem to have achieved a 
small breakthrough.

It now appears that if list boxes are to work reliably, or at all, in a 
form with a subform, they must be created using raw tables - i.e. view 
or queries cannot be used. Likewise for the main form and the subform. 
Use only raw table, not views or queries. This means that one cannot 
take advantage of aliases set up in view or queries, but that's no great 
loss. Aliases mainly affect labels, in a form, and they can be altered 
via the control's property dialog.

A remaining problem is how to get sorted list box source tables. If I 
have a list box that has 250 possible items, I need them sorted, but I 
cannot see how to do this. So far, using a view to achieve this has 
resulted in screwy or totally nonfunctional list boxes. I suspect the 
SQL needs adjusting, but that's a bad solution for your average user. I 
shouldn't have to be an SQL wizard to get a sorted list box.

In any case, my initial, test case database is working perfectly. It 
going into immediate use, as it details storage of various things I own 
(books, clothes, etc.) in various containers, in various rooms, and even 
various buildings, etc.

So, the procedure I used tonight was this:

1. Set up main table, with foreign key field for one or more detail forms.

2. Set up at least one detail table.

3. Use the main menu Tool>Relationship functionality to link detail 
table primary key to relevant main table foreign key. (Do not know if 
this is absolutely necessary or not, but it doesn't hurt anything.)

4. Launch form designer wizard. Use the main and detail tables set up 
above. Do NOT use any view or query. Set up main table to display 
display one record at a time, as set of text boxes linked to record 
fields,. Set up the subform as a grid matrix (or whatever it's called), 
so multiple detail records will show. Main table order can be set as a 
property, and subform can be ordered once the form is executed, using 
sort options available in the interface of the activated (executing 
form); they will persist from session to session!

5. In the form designer, replace all main record field text boxes with 
list boxes, using the list box wizard (be sure the "use wizard" icon on 
side of page is depressed, to get the wizard). As before, use raw 
tables, not views.

6. In executing the form, one can click the icon at the bottom of the 
interface which has the tool tip description that begins "Activates an 
additional table view..." to get a very useful view of the main database 
at the top of the form. It is especially interesting to note that in 
this view, for every field to which one attaches a list box in the main 
form, the main table foreign key is replaced by the data field to which 
it refers, once you make a selection from a list box. This makes a 
database filled with foreign keys sudden very readable. Where the 
foreign keys have not been instantiated, it is readily apparent.

This seems to work without a problem (so far).

If this is the most I get Base to do for me, it's worth the price of 
admission and then some, but I suspect it can do more!

I hope this description of what I have found to work helps some other 
folks struggling with forms and list boxes, and I for damn sure an going 
to try to get the essential information into the documentation, if that 
proves to be appropriate.

All constructive comments welcome...

Tom





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