[Solved] Attempting to get multiple .ods spreadsheet to Base

[Letsgetthisfinished]

But to be frank I cant even get one test spreadsheet to transfer in a clean and good clean cut way.
The spreadsheets are large data of; 7 columns and run in the thousands of lines of data sources...(approx 7 thousand as a grand total as a indication.)

All I have separated into day time frame and through some of less records put together into month records as time span to separate and having kept these as records.

Ive tried searching and the drag and drop idea as a solution sounds a great solution. But is not working for me at all even with one small test file.
I"drag and drop" and nothing , literally happens. That being said I tried dragging and dropping on a already set up with wizard file, does it have to be a new and not used wizard file?
SO in essence my problem is have large volume of information in spreadsheets that I would like to get easily transfer into a base database.

Using open office 4.1.1 and windows 8.
Excuses if I've missed something obvious as am a beginner user in essence and my office programs use is now fairly rusty.
Thanks for any ideas and thoughts on completing this and getting this to work.

EDIT : It is in the planning of the files from the beginning, I do see that now. Changed to solved even though this is still major work in progress for creating what I would love to see...
Thanks you for your help all. Maybe one day I will solve the "drag and drop" question??!

[Villeroy]

No database at all: viewtopic.php?f=9&t=72566&p=328344
Introduction into normalization: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/283878/EN-US/
THE base tutorial: https://wiki.documentfoundation.org/ima ... torial.pdf
This forum's tutorials: viewforum.php?f=83
With examples viewforum.php?f=100
Consolidating a spreadsheet: viewtopic.php?f=13&t=46565&p=215440 #p215440

[Letsgetthisfinished]

ok Thanks Villeroy for your reply. Its both enlightened me and posed other further questions.
I will try to explain what I am attempting to do here.
I have my data in spreadsheets done in calc and would like to use this data which is names and addresses and mange this into a usable mailing list.
At present my data is yes in both .odf and also in .xlsx files.
Ive used both open office and Libre office in doing this.
My sole objective is to create a mailing list of these names, address email address , plus further information: Items brought, date, further info as notes.
I have the data as sated above in .odf and .xlsx format and thought a database would be best. As then can search on all aspects, date, name, email etcetc.


I can not seem to transfer the odf or the xlsx to base database formate...But reading your reply yes has both enlighened me and confused me!
is this possible and is this what you are meaning with your replies?
I cant script in complex languages. I have however created a make shift answer to my problem with said .odf files and .xlsx files. But am now stuck!
I envision a type of database in my mind where I can search as I said above on any of the aspects. Surely this is possible and is a database?
A spreadsheet is ok but yes I have quite alot of data so thought a database best would solve this.
I have yet to transfer this data to base and am confused at my best step further.

[Letsgetthisfinished]

I have created so many new databases in base and still nothing I try is working.
press f4? does nothing....
drag and drop? does nothing.
I try registered databases & I have tried new unregistered databases...and still no combined data. Still nothing is showing or appearing to work.

[RPG]

Hello

What do you see left down in your window of your database document?
you can see:

• dBase
  Text
  Spreadsheet
  Embedded database
  Or something else

Romke

[Letsgetthisfinished]

hello,
at present on the new document I have most recently attempted says Embedded database.
But yes this is a database with zero data as has again not taken any of the data I have tried to combine.
"record 1of 1" and has zero data in that record as again has not worked and not taken anything Ive tried.

[RPG]

Hello

For test then it can be a good choice. You can copy data from a spreadsheet and past it in a table. Possible your table must created. Maybe it is better for you to make a database based on a spreadsheet. You have all data in a spreadsheet and you want do simple things.

Create new database
then connected to an existing database.
then make a choice for a spreadsheet.

Be aware at the end you have two documents
a) Your spreadsheet
b) Your database document.

Romke

[Letsgetthisfinished]

Again making a new attempt, says the same embedded database.
I select all the data of the previously done files; odf and other times the .xls files.
I attempt to drag and drop and I literally cant as I have all the files selected. and the widow has a half circle with a bar through it. not matter which part of the various windows I attempt it with. no drag and drop works any where. f4 does nothing either.

[RPG]

Hello

Then you do not make the good choices on the first page of the wizard.
Take the last choice on the first page.

Romke

[RPG]

Hello

Maybe you can drag and drop but I do always

• Select data
  Copy data
  goto to the database document
  select the table
  paste the data. Look care to the tables and table names

I do use most of the time the right mouse button

Romke

[Letsgetthisfinished]

This attempt Ive manged to get 1 day of data into the database.
but how do I add further. Ive also been here before as well by that I mean I can get 1 file of data into the database and then how do I add further to this??

ok ok interesting point....RPG..Thanks you very much I will try again and see if any of your ideas and comments work and see if I can get further.
Appreciate your ideas and help.
I have yet to get Anything to drag and drop and work. I have tried that numerous times and does absolutely nothing. I get a big bared out circle. So I will try your other ideas in your list above.
Thanks you.

[RPG]

Hello

If you data is in different sheets then you have choice:
Place all data in one sheet and copy then
Copy as much time as you sheets.

I think start reading the page Villeroy did link to. Maybe you can understand them now better.

Romke

[Letsgetthisfinished]

The crux of my issue with all of this, sorry for my multiple posts, is that.
yes I have the data on separate sheets and am trying to get it all in 1 database. Over a time period of over half a year.

I have all this data but its in separate sheets so when adding to base its ok with one file. But as soon as I have the data in and is showing, as it is now. how do I add to this further with the other files of other data and other days in the selected mass of time period that I have in the collection?

I will read further and try more. Thanks very much for your ideas and help.

well yes the idea of placing all the data on one sheet... have had this but this is what I attempting to do without doing that? does that make sense.
I have data from several months over a say approx half a year period and thats alot of days. So
yes am attempting to not alter my set data of day by day. in that time period. Dont know if that makes sense and how to get that to work.

[RPG]

Hello

The only idea I have is to copy by hand all the data. How much tables you have?

Take care you have a good backup of the data. Before you start copy you have to take care for making one or more field so you make a difference between all the table you have now.

An other problem is do not use the embedded database. Make a split database other wise you can loose your data.

When you have a database then there is no problem to have a lot of records.

Romke

[Letsgetthisfinished]

hello
ok I was trying to avoid that, but ok alright!
If I have to do it manually I guess I will just have to do it!
I have 169 files..yes approx half a year of day by day data. Of various sizes of the data of those days.

Question:
how do I make sure it is not embedded database?
When I save it or when I open/make a new file?

[RPG]

Hello

When you read embedded database you have it and that is not good for. You can work with a spreadsheet in a database. Then copy the data in your spreadsheet. When you are satisfied then you can copy it later to a real database.

I think start also reading in the tutorials of this forum.

Romke

[Villeroy]

Code: Select all

I can not seem to transfer the odf or the xlsx to base database formate

It is not a simple formuat conversion. Creating your own database is more like creating your own file format. All the data you are going to import need to match your own format specifications. There are several reasons why informal spreadsheet data may not fit the pattern of data types that is defined in your database. If you don't care, Base creates a bunch of text fields which is almost useless.