How to create a search form in base?

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cocheese256
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Joined: Wed Apr 22, 2015 11:06 pm

How to create a search form in base?

Post by cocheese256 »

I am new to Openoffice base.
I have a database of specialty tools that are listed by number. The database includes "tool number", "Bin number", "Box number", and notes.
I want to create a Form that my techs can use that will allow them to type in the tool number and it will list all the relevant information about that one tool. I would like to do this with a field or button on the form and not have to use the binoculars icon at the bottom of the screen.

I'm sure that this is a basic function that I am simply overlooking. It would seem strange to have a database that holds thousands of entries and there would not be an easy way to search for individual data.
If someone instruct me on how to do this or if there is a simple tutorial that one could direct me to, it would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you.
OpenOffice 4.1.1
Windows 8.1
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MTP
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Re: How to create a search form in base?

Post by MTP »

Fair warning: Base is notoriously user-unfriendly. The method for filtering like this is actually fairly quick to set up once you've learned how, but figuring out what controls and subforms get placed where and how to relate them is a bit mind-bending.

It's a bit easier to set up if you have a list of the tools in a gridcontrol so that clicking on each tool will show the details in a subform. Having a listbox with a dropdown list of tools show the same information in a subform requires some extra steps. (Keyboard typing can be used to jump to the closest match in the dropdown list, if it is long.)

The tutorial is here: [Example #1] Filter/Search with Forms (leveraging SubForms)
OpenOffice 4.1.1 on Windows 10, HSQLDB 1.8 split database
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