[Solved] Can't find "Data to Fields" icon

[JLW]

I am creating an organizational mailing label application. I have been following the instructions from the help index listing "Address labels from databases." Got as far as step "12. On the Table Data bar, click the Data to Fields icon." And that's where I'm stuck. I've looked everywhere I can think of, but so far I have been unable to find it.

It doesn't help that I don't know what the icon is supposed to look like.

Can anyone point me in the right direction?

[acknak]

Do you have the "Data Explorer" panel open? Use View > Data Sources (F4) to open it. The "Data to Fields" button is at the top of that panel.

There's a picture of how it should look in this thread: http://user.services.openoffice.org/en/ ... ?f=7&t=173

[JohnV]

There's a picture of how it should look in this thread: http://user.services.openoffice.org/en/ ... ?f=7&t=173

I didn't like the graphic in the referenced thread to start with but now I am beginning to hate it.

Here's the problem. The correct toolbar is in fact shown in the graphic but:
1. The graphic contains a red circle that has nothing to do with the Data to Field icon, and
2. Not enough of the toolbar is displayed to show the Data to Fields icon. EDIT: This is true if your normal screen resolution is 800x600, if if it's higher your should see two red circles. If you are at 800x600 and using Firefox as your browser you can right click the image and select View Image to see them both.

So JLW, open a Writer document, press F4 and tell us whether you see the toolbar depicted in the referenced thread. If you don't see it, try the method below before you fix the problem and tell us if that works. The fix for the problem is in the referenced thread, in the quote, in the post by gleweliz.

In the meantime you can print your labels by opening the label document, clicking the Print icon and answering 'yes' to the 'form letter' query. This is in fact the easiest way to print more than one page of labels which you can not do by simply using the Data to Fields icon. I have asked you to try this method before you fix your problem and let us know if it works because I don't have the problem and would like to know if this, in fact, works when one does have the problem.

[gleweliz]

Yes, it works. I definitely have the problem and have not been able to implement the fixes recommended, but this works and I have labels at long last! What a relief
Thank you very very much for this helpful work-around! I was about ready to start pulling out my hair
Elizabeth

[JohnV]

Elizabeth,

You're welcome and thanks for your reply. Many times you can ask for this type of information and you simply don't get it.

[JLW]

In the meantime you can print your labels by opening the label document, clicking the Print icon and answering 'yes' to the 'form letter' query. This is in fact the easiest way to print more than one page of labels which you can not do by simply using the Data to Fields icon. I have asked you to try this method before you fix your problem and let us know if it works because I don't have the problem and would like to know if this, in fact, works when one does have the problem.

I tried it, too, and it works! I am delighted that I am able to print my labels. [ I will say, however, that the printing is MUCH slower than normal when printing labels with MS Word. I don't have enough experience yet with OO to know if all text documents print slowly.]

Now, I'll see if I can follow the instructions in the referenced link you sent to repair the problem with the Data to Fields icon and Data Bar.

Thanks for your help.

JLW

[JLW]

There's a picture of how it should look in this thread: http://user.services.openoffice.org/en/ ... ?f=7&t=173

I didn't like the graphic in the referenced thread to start with but now I am beginning to hate it.

Here's the problem. The correct toolbar is in fact shown in the graphic but:
1. The graphic contains a red circle that has nothing to do with the Data to Field icon, and
2. Not enough of the toolbar is displayed to show the Data to Fields icon.

I don't quite understand your 2nd issue, JohnV. You state that "the correct toolbar is in fact shown in the graphic." And there is clearly a second red circle around an icon on that toolbar that shows an alternate text balloon containing the text, "Data to Fields." So, how can it be the case that "2. Not enough of the toolbar is displayed to show the Data to Fields icon."?

[JLW]

There's a picture of how it should look in this thread: http://user.services.openoffice.org/en/ ... ?f=7&t=173

So JLW, open a Writer document, press F4 and tell us whether you see the toolbar depicted in the referenced thread. If you don't see it, try the method below before you fix the problem and tell us if that works. The fix for the problem is in the referenced thread, in the quote, in the post by gleweliz.

Thanks again, JohnV. I tried the solution in the referenced thread by kabing. I was able to get the Data toolbar to display after following the instructions there. I then had to re-register my membership database to get the Data Source View to recognize and display it. But now everything seems to be as it should be, and I am content.

But, wait a minute! The fix worked, but can anyone explain WHY it worked?? It had the result of causing OO to create a new user directory when I restarted the program. But why should the system behave differently the second time around than it did when creating the original user directory? Most strange.

This has been a real learning experience, for which I thank you and all the other contributors.

JLW

[acknak]

... can anyone explain WHY it worked?? It had the result of causing OO to create a new user directory when I restarted the program. But why should the system behave differently the second time around than it did when creating the original user directory?

OOo sometimes corrupts it's configuration data. It "fouls it's own nest", so to speak. Sometimes the corruption is bad enough that OOo won't even run; most of the time, it just causes some strange behavior like a toolbar disappearing. When you take that corrupted configuration away, OOo then creates a new one, which is done correctly, but all of your configuration settings are in the old configuration and so are not available.

It's unfortunate that the simplest solution throws out the entire configuration, when most likely only one small part is out of whack, but to try and save or restore parts of a damaged configuration is far more complicated, and often more trouble than simply re-configuring from scratch.

[JohnV]

acknak,

And there is clearly a second red circle around an icon on that toolbar that shows an alternate text balloon containing the text, "Data to Fields."

My normal screen resolution is 800 X 600 and I only see one red circle, if I bump my screen resolution up I see both of them. Using Firefox at 800 x 600 I find that I can right click the graphic and select View Image and then I can also see both.

If you hadn't insisted there were two circles I, of course, would not have tried either of these.

I will edit my original post.

[acknak]

'Tweren't me insisting anything, but I'm glad we got that straightened out!