How to create a drop-down list on base?

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bex273
Posts: 4
Joined: Fri Feb 19, 2010 10:34 pm

How to create a drop-down list on base?

Post by bex273 »

Hi,

I'm totally new at using OOo Database (I started last night), but so far I've been able to create a basic table and form with the help of the program's wizard. Anyway, can anyone help me create a drop-down menu/list to add to my form? I dont want to have to buy MS Access bc I'm broke, but I think it might be easier to figure out! Anyway, thanks in advance!
:)
Last edited by bex273 on Sun Feb 21, 2010 3:25 am, edited 2 times in total.
OpenOffice 3.1 on Windows Vista
RPG
Volunteer
Posts: 2250
Joined: Tue Apr 14, 2009 7:15 pm
Location: Netherlands

Re: How to create a drop-down list on base?

Post by RPG »

Hello

Form
I will try to explain the idea of forms in OpenOffice.org. Understanding the idea of form is realy important when you want work with OOo.
You have also to understand that the word "form" does have two meanings:
  • a) the writer document
    b) what you see in the form navigator
When you open a form as document then it is not open in edit mode but only input mode for data. You can open it in edit mode by right clicking and then choose for edit.
When you have open the form in this way you can easy switch between edit mode and not edit mode.


Toolbars
OOo-base does have four toolbars.
  • a) Form Navigation Bar
    b) Form Controls
    c) Form Design
    d) More Controls
When you not have study these controls don't start with base. You can only make or change forms when you can handle this.

Some tools you have to understand and can be activate with button on these toolbars.

Form Navigator
Howto open the form navigator and make it visible
On one of the tool bars there is a buttom with this you can make it visible. In the form navigator you see all elements of your form. The form navigator is an other tool than the navigator

Add Field
Is easy in combination with the form navigator for adding control to your form.

Wizard
You can switch on the wizard for listboxes, comboboxes gridcontrols and some more.


Howto make a new mainform and subforms
The form navigator acts like the explorer in windows. When you want make a new form select the place where you want have it. Right click and select new. You can not choose for a subform or main form. A main form is all what is the first level subforms are below. This means also you can have more then one mainform in your form document.

An important difference between a mainform and a subform is that a subform has always master and slave fields on the property tabpage. With this master and slave fields you can select data in the subform.



listbox and Combobox
When you have litle experience then activate the wizard for making a listbox.

Gridcontrols
A grid is a control who contain other control but it is no form.
You can add listboxes and comboxes to a grid control but the wizard is not working. The properties from the control inside a table control can differ a little of the same control outside a table control in a form.
I make a listbox somewhere in the form and copy some values to the listbox in the table control, and delete the listbox.
I think the name is table control and for programming we use more gridcontrol. Don't ask why.


link
http://www.baseprogramming.com/resources.html
LibreOffice 7.1.4.2 on openSUSE Leap 15.2
bex273
Posts: 4
Joined: Fri Feb 19, 2010 10:34 pm

Re: How to create a drop-down list on base?

Post by bex273 »

thank you! i'm gonna go look for this listbox wizard you mentioned and see how that goes. this is kinda embarassing to admit to a bunch of experts like all of you, but i think my main problem was that i didnt know they were called listboxes so my searches didnt yield any fruitful results! :oops: im so ashamed :(
OpenOffice 3.1 on Windows Vista
bex273
Posts: 4
Joined: Fri Feb 19, 2010 10:34 pm

Re: How to create a drop-down list on base?

Post by bex273 »

Sorry to whoever changed it to "solved," but it isnt, at least, not yet.

So thanks to RPG, I found out that what I wanted was a listbox, and although it didnt work out according to their instructions, I did find a good tutorial thing through google...I followed their instructions and made a mini-database. However, when I went to edit my original database, openoffice kept shutting off. No warning or other type of message. It's been doing that ever since yesterday, so I havent been able to use Base at all. the OOo word processor and spreadsheet programs both work, but Base shuts down immediately after I click anywhere on the screen. Later, when I open other OOo programs, it starts a "document recovery" process. It even gives my a "successful recovery" notification and then opens up the database again...but it just happens all over again.

Does anyone know what this means or how to fix it?
ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

btw, this is the site that helped me out (hopefully!):
http://sheepdogguides.com/fdb/fdb1listb.htm
OpenOffice 3.1 on Windows Vista
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