Writer Guide

Accessing data sources
The most common use for a form is as the front end of a database. You
can provide a form that allows users to enter information into a
contacts database and, because it is part of a Writer document, the
form can contain graphics, formatting, tables, and other elements to
make it look just the way you want. Modifying the form is as simple as
editing a document.
OpenOffice.org can access numerous data sources. These include
ODBC, MySQL, Oracle JDBC, spreadsheets and text files. As a general
rule, databases can be accessed for read and write; other data sources
(such as spreadsheets) are read-only.
Tip
To see the list of supported data source types for your
operating system, choose File > New > Database. On the first
page of the Database Wizard (Figure 410), select Connect to
an existing database and then open the drop-down list. An
example is shown in Figure 413.
Creating a database
Chapter 8 (Getting Started with Base) in the Getting Started guide
covers in more detail how to create a database. Here we give a short
guide to creating a very simple database with OOo Base.
1) Select File > New > Database to start the Database Wizard
(Figure 410).
2) Select Create a new database and click Next.
3) On the next page, select Yes, register the database for me and
Open the database for editing. Registering the database just
means that it can be accessed from other OOo components such
as Writer and Calc. You need to do this if you want to link your
forms into it.
4) Click Finish and save your new database, giving it a name.
Unlike creating other documents in OOo, databases must be
saved when you first create them.
490 OpenOffice.org 3.x Writer Guide
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