[libreoffice-users] Re: Numerical terms used in Base

Am 15.08.2012 22:31, Thomas Taylor wrote:
> It's been way too many years since I did commercial programming on
> databases and I've forgotten some of the terms (formats) for numerical
> data.  I'm trying to create a simple database of local
> facilities/doctors/stores with Base using the wizards. The formats that
> are giving me trouble are:
>
> Text[VARCHAR]    - a variable number of type CHAR?
> Text(fix)[CHAR]  - does that mean a fixed number of CHAR?

Right.

> Integer[INTEGER] \
> Numeric[NUMERIC]  > How do these differ?
> Decimal{DECIMAL] /
There are tiny integers, small integers, integers and big integer 
numbers. Decimal(8,3) has 8 digits, 3 of them behind the point.
I don't know about Numeric. Never used that.

> I looked in LibreOffice help but couldn't find the definitions.  Some
> help would be appreciated.
Base is not a database program. It is a mere frontend. You may decide to 
wrap a HSQLDB backend into the frontend file which is a very unstable 
construction and should be avoided for production databases.
The embeddable HSQLDB 1.8 is documented here:
> http://www.hsqldb.org/doc/1.8/guide/ch09.html


> For instance, which format is used for a telephone number?
> (1.800.123.4567)?

That is text unless you want to practice some arithmetic witchcraft on 
phone "numbers". A pattern control on a form can enforce the right 
pattern of points and digits.



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