Re: [libreoffice-users] definition of flat/relational database

Dan, 

As I said in my response above, the distinction that LO is making is 
"database engine call or manipulate file directly".

If it manipulates files directly it does it with simple, slightly 
extended, text manipulation.  LO has no database functionality 
itself, for such functions it can only make calls to a database 
engine (ie another program) when it has anything other than simple 
single file manipulation to do.

DBase (for example) has no engine that LO can call to.

"Flat file" databases are those where there is no ability to  relate 
different "tables".  In that respect, outside its correct 
environment, I suppose you could say that dBase files are flat, but 
that is because of the lack of correct environment rather than any 
shortcoming in the files themselves.

That, I think, points to "flat file" being a misleading term, not 
only because it's not just to do with the file, but also because, at 
least in the beginning, many databases didn't store their data in 
operating-system-recognisable files.

So, my suggestion is to remove the term "flat file" and instead refer 
to calls to a relational database system engine or direct file 
manipulation.

Regards
Mark Stanton



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