[Issue] Base v4.1.2 does not open Tables & Queries (Mac OSX)

[charlie.it]

Hi,I installed the new version on Mac OS X 10.7.5 (see my signature).
Base does not open existing tables or create new ones (in design mode). The wizard works.
It happens with both existing database and new database.

[RoryOF]

Charlie, have you tried deleting or renaming the OO user profile? If that doesn't help would you please post a sample so that this can be tested across other platforms.

[charlie.it]

Yes, I tried with user profile but nothing.
I attach 2 files that work with 4.1.1 version, with LibO and NeoOffice.

P.S: 1. The problem has been marked first by another user OSX in the Italian forum
2. Sometimes the existing tables are non visible

[RoryOF]

I've just made a very quick check. The Old.odb file opened each table correctly in OO 4.1.2 on Xubuntu 15.10. There was nothing defined in the New,odb file and I'm in haste, so I didn't fiddle with it. I have effectively no database experience (last was dBaseII, of glorious memory!) so I'll leave this thread for more experienced users to investigate.

I'm offline now for most of this morning.

[charlie.it]

Updating:
in OSX 10.11.1 ( El Capitan ) there are the same problems.

[RoryOF]

I have posted a message to the developer mailing list to draw attention to the problem.

It would be good to have confirmation for each operating system.

[FJCC]

I tried both databases on Windows 7 and could create tables in Design View in both.

[FJCC]

I also successfully created tables with Design View in both files using Redhat Linux.

[Villeroy]

OK with Ubuntu Linux (x64).

[charlie.it]

It is a bug of the OSX version, it is clear!

[Villeroy]

Does it affect non-Java databases? Right-click the Bibliography in the data source window and choose "Edit DB".
Does it affect external JDBC connections or only embedded databases? Extract http://www.mediafire.com/download/yctf8 ... Trader.zip to a trusted directory (trusted for embedded Basic code) and open the contained odb.

[RoryOF]

I have posted a link to this thread to the developer mailing list. Thanks to FJCC and Villeroy for checking Windows and linux. Any BSD user who could check?

[charlie.it]

Updated:
tables
- Create Table in Design View: not working
- Wizard: runs but the final window does not close (End key disabled), closes with button (X)
- The newly created table and the existing ones do not open (double-click or right-click> open). They do not even open in edit mode.
queries
- Create Query in Design View: Users can not add tables
- Wizard: runs but the final window does not close (End key disabled), closes with button (X)
- The query you just created and the existing ones do not open (double-click or right-click> open). They do not even open in edit mode.
forms
- Seem to run on both tables query

Closing Open Office
- If you create a new table or new query (with the wizard) OO does not close, a forced exit from o.s. OSX is required.

[lgusaas]

AOO 4.1.2 does not open existing database table on my Mac. It does open Forms

[charlie.it]

I have posted a link to this thread to the developer mailing list. Thanks to FJCC and Villeroy for checking Windows and linux. Any BSD user who could check?

Thanks you RoryOF.

[lgusaas]

Updated:
tables
- Create Table in Design View: not working
- Wizard: runs but the final window does not close (End key disabled), closes with button (X)
- The newly created table and the existing ones do not open (double-click or right-click> open). They do not even open in edit mode.
queries
- Create Query in Design View: Users can not add tables
- Wizard: runs but the final window does not close (End key disabled), closes with button (X)
- The query you just created and the existing ones do not open (double-click or right-click> open). They do not even open in edit mode.
forms
- Seem to run on both tables query

Closing Open Office
- If you create a new table or new query (with the wizard) OO does not close, a forced exit from o.s. OSX is required.

Have you filed a bug report? If not, please do so and post the # here.

Thanks.

[charlie.it]

Issue 126622: https://bz.apache.org/ooo/show_bug.cgi?id=126622

[pescetti]

I posted to the dev list too, but may I ask for additional tests just to be sure that this is not related to Java?

1. If you disable Java (Preferences - OpenOffice - Java), are you still unable to [edit: create a new database and] create tables in design mode? (much of the rest of Base won't work)
2. If you re-enable Java and try invoking some other function that requires Java, does it work? For example: launch Writer, press F1 for help, open the Search tab (name may be different) and search "Test". Is the search successful?

We didn't change much in Base between 4.1.1 and 4.1.2. The most significant bugfix for Base is https://bz.apache.org/ooo/show_bug.cgi?id=121492 ; developers might want to try reverting that patch and seeing if the problem is solved (this last bit is probably for the dev list rather than the forum).

[Villeroy]

Without Java you can not connect to JDBC databases including the embedded HSQL. You can connect to a non-JDBC database such as dBase.
Without Java you can still create a new database which will be a dBase database.
This is why I asked if the flaw affects non-Java databases such as "Bibliography" (dBase).
Without Java you can create queries and forms but no report. Running old style reports is possible. Old style reports are plain Writer tables that do not depend on the (Java) report builder extension.

[pescetti]

Yes, I meant after creating a new database (I edited the post accordingly), thanks Villeroy. Anyway, with whatever method we want to reach the same information, i.e., whether the problem only appears when Java is involved. This will be useful for investigation.

[lgusaas]

I posted to the dev list too, but may I ask for additional tests just to be sure that this is not related to Java?

1. If you disable Java (Preferences - OpenOffice - Java), are you still unable to create tables in design mode? (much of the rest of Base won't work)

Created new database. Unable to create table in design mode (no response).
Can create Form in design mode.

2. If you re-enable Java and try invoking some other function that requires Java, does it work? For example: launch Writer, press F1 for help, open the Search tab (name may be different) and search "Test". Is the search successful?

Search not successful. No response

[charlie.it]

1. If you disable Java (Preferences - OpenOffice - Java), are you still unable to [edit: create a new database and] create tables in design mode? (much of the rest of Base won't work)

Hi Andrea,
I tried with 4.1.1, I can create a new table or editing an existing with Java disabled. This would exclude Java as responsible for the problem.

[pescetti]

This is quite confusing... Remember, just to be sure, to restart OpenOffice after enabling/disabling Java.

What about the tests from Villeroy at https://forum.openoffice.org/en/forum/v ... 02#p368449 ?

[Villeroy]

This is quite confusing... Remember, just to be sure, to restart OpenOffice after enabling/disabling Java.

What about the tests from Villeroy at https://forum.openoffice.org/en/forum/v ... 02#p368449 ?

It is confusing because we do not know which type of database we are talking about. When Java is disabled, we are not talking about HSQL which is entirely written in Java. Most likely, we are talking about the dBase driver shipped with the Office suite. The type of database is indicated in the status bar of the respective database.

[charlie.it]

Edit: written before the last message of Villeroy
I'm sorry for the confusion.
Update (after restarting enabling / disabling java)
Java disabled
4.1.1 creates new table but you can not create a primary key (no normal table)
4.1.1 does not open existing table (SDBC driver error)
4.1.2. does not create new table
4.1.2 does not open existing table (SDBC driver error)
java enabled
4.1.1 creates new table
4.1.1 opens existing table
4.1.2. does not create new table
4.1.2 does not open existing table

Villeroy's test
1. I do not understand "Right-click the Bibliography in the data source window"
2. 4.1.1 open existing tables - 4.1.2 do not open

[charlie.it]

Most likely, we are talking about the dBase driver

I confirm.

[Villeroy]

So you did the comparison with the same dBase database in AOO 4.1.1 and AOO 4.1.2 on your Mac?

Villeroy's test
1. I do not understand "Right-click the Bibliography in the data source window"
2. 4.1.1 open existing tables - 4.1.2 do not open

1) Open any Writer or Calc document.
2) Hit F4 or menu:View>Data Sources
3) Right-click the "Bibliography" and choose "Edit Database" from the context menu.
This is just a convenient way to open the dBase example that comes with OpenOffice suite and which is stored in your user profile. You could also browse your user profile and open the document database/biblio.odb
You could also create a new dBase database with Java enabled or not:
menu:File>New>Database...
[X] Connect to existing db
Type: dBase and point to some directory which may be blank or having some *.dbf files already.
Creating a brand new database with Java being disabled creates the same type of external dBase database instead of embedding a HSQL database into the Base document.

With AOO 4.1.2 on Linux I can open the existing "biblio" table and edit data, add tables to this database, add fields and indices to the table. I can remove fields, indices and tables. Using the table designer I can do all this with Java enabled or disabled. I can use the table wizard with Java enabled.
Same with queries and forms. Without any Java I can do everything using the designer tools but wizards don't work (which is not a big loss IMHO).
I can run existing reports without Java but the only way to create one is a Java wizard.
The report builder extension and its reports depend entirely on Java.

In short: We can test if the problems with AOO 4.1.2 on the Mac affect Java databases only, embedded databases only or other types of databases too. 95% of all OpenOffice databases are connections to spreadsheets in order to merge serial letters. I think none of these users will ever take notice of the defect.

[lgusaas]

You could also create a new dBase database with Java enabled or not:
menu:File>New>Database...
[X] Connect to existing db
Type: dBase and point to some directory which may be blank or having some *.dbf files already.
Creating a brand new database with Java being disabled creates the same type of external dBase database instead of embedding a HSQL database into the Base document.

I created two new databases. One when Java was enabled, one with Java disabled.
Unable to create table in design mode with either version. Creating table with Wizard works in Java enabled version.

[Villeroy]

Too bad. It's not limited to the embedded database. And it might not be a Java issue. On this forum I use to recommend dBase for serial letters because it is simple, editable in Calc and in the data source window and because changes take place instantly. Edits in spreadsheet lists do not update in the serial letter until you restart the entire office suite.

Oh, one more quick test on the Mac please (2 minutes):
Open a new Writer doc, hit F4, select Bibliography>Tables>biblio in the left pane and if the table appears on the right pane drag some column lables of populated columns into the Writer document. The column labels will produce mail merge fields.
Then print, confirm that you are going to print a serial letter and choose a single document for output. Then open the output document. Does this serial letter have the expected content (one page per table row)?

We may have to struggle with this issue another year.

[lgusaas]

Oh, one more quick test on the Mac please (2 minutes):
Open a new Writer doc, hit F4, select Bibliography>Tables>biblio in the left pane and if the table appears on the right pane drag some column lables of populated columns into the Writer document. The column labels will produce mail merge fields.

Did that

Then print, confirm that you are going to print a serial letter

Clicked Yes to question "Do you want to print a form letter." Nothing changed.

and choose a single document for output.

Got no option to choose document (have never done this before, so don't know exactly what is supposed to happen.

Then open the output document. Does this serial letter have the expected content (one page per table row)?

Didn't get to this stage.

Tried with Java enabled and not enabled.

PS: When I close the test document AOO crashes.

I have little experience with databases. I have one small one set up.