[Solved] A Database of Text Only

[RetiredGuy]

I want to create a data base that will contain only text and it will be a massive amount of text.

Background:

I've been writing since 2011 up to and including this year. I've kept each year separate in my word processing software so my files are 2011, 2012, 2013 and so on up until now, 2020.

I've tried to create a data base table in BASE, but rather than having the text lines go down the page / table, the text that I copied into the table is one long string on one line. So I'm batting ZERO trying to create a data base for text data.

My previous experience with data bases was over 20 years ago and I was doing relational data bases on different platforms, but not text data bases.

I wanted a data base with all the years in one file (it would be HUGE) or have files for each year so I could search each year for key words, find them and copy the entire article containing that key word into a key word subject data base.

Any suggestions? Is BASE right for this type of project?

Thanks,

RetiredGuy

[Villeroy]

The tables and queries provide a basic view on raw data.
Input forms can have multi-line text boxes.
Reports provide a printable view. For more layout options you may want to install the report builder extension.
You can dump data onto Writer documents by calling the data source window (key F4) and then dragging an icon of a table or query into the document.
You can also dump your text onto a Calc sheet and format the cells to wrap text. [Tutorial] Using registered datasources in Calc

[MrProgrammer]

I want to create a data base

"Database" is normally written as one word, if you do any searches on the forum. I changed your subject line above.

my files are 2011, 2012, 2013

I don't understand that. What does it mean for a file to be "2011"? Is "2011" the name of a directory on your file system?

search each year for key words

I suspect XY Problem. If you just want to search for content in files, Windows already does that. All modern operating systems provide file search features.
Windows Search: Search for anything, anywhere

I have a Mac, not Windows. This is a MacOS search for Writer documents containing the word "November" in a directory "PMinutes" which has subdirectories by year and 12 monthly files per subdirectory. When I select a file, MacOS shows me its complete location. If I double-click it in the search list, Writer opens the file. I didn't have to develop a database. My operating system maintains this information automatically. Yours does too. A search in Windows will look different, but the basic idea is the same.

Is BASE right for this type of project?

Not if your operating system provides that facility. If you need additional help with locating content on your computer, a web search will answer your questions.

a data base with all the years in one file (it would be HUGE)

The file search database on my Mac is 543 megabytes but a search only takes a second or so.

If this solved your problem please go to your first post use the Edit button and add [Solved] to the start of the subject field. Select the green checkmark icon at the same time.

[Villeroy]

Mr Programmer is right. A computer's file system provides enough capabilities to store texts in systematical ways and make them searchable. A database with large text snippets makes sense if you store additional information about the text snippets such as keywords, author, date of writing, publisher etc. But even then I would prefer to store only the meta-information in the database together with a link to an external file containing the actual text.

[RetiredGuy]

WOW! That's a lot to take in. Thanks.

The 2011 is a year. In creating a table, the wizard wanted an integer as a first field, which I took to be a Key, so, as each of my text file in my wordprocessor is a year, 2011 is a year of data and so on for all subsequent years up to now in 2020 that I am working in. I guess I must be wrong in my understanding.

Database, Yep, slip of the old typing fingers.

Searching: In each year of text in a file, many subjects are covered such as Taxes, Medicine, Politics, current events and so on. I want to be able in that year of data to search for a key word like Taxes and find every instance of text that subject and copy it into a new data table just on that key word subject for that year.

[RoryOF]

To an extent you are attempting to re-invent a "Document Management System". I suggest you search for those terms and see if there is an existing Freeware or Shareware application that might suit your needs - perhaps better than you outline.

[RetiredGuy]

Thanks for the information. I had not thought of that description. I'll give it a look.

Pat