Database crashing / not saving

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greenmonster1970
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Joined: Tue Sep 12, 2017 8:10 pm

Database crashing / not saving

Post by greenmonster1970 »

Hello All...This is my first post. I have a database of my customers, about 500 records. About a week ago i did about 2 hours of paperwork (updating customer info) and when I closed the database, it closed, but normally it would go back to the screen where you choose what part of Oo you want to go to; base,writer...etc....At least thats what I thought it did normally..... this time it didnt, it just completely closed. So I clicked on the shortcut I have to the odb file and I had to go thru the recovery process. I thought ok...a hiccup.... But none of the work/changes I had done was there. It didnt save any of it. So little by little I was able to re-enter all the changes I lost, but being super paranoid I kept closing out of Oo every few minutes to make sure my changes were there. Sometimes they were sometimes they werent, so I uninstalled open office and reinstalled it, but didnt help. So Im hoping someone can help me. This is my first time using Openoffice and I dread going back to Access. Thanks I really appreciate it! :knock:
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UnklDonald418
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Re: Database crashing / not saving

Post by UnklDonald418 »

Welcome to the Forum.
While those sorts of problems can occur on occasion it is unusual to have those problems on a persistent basis.
With your database open. look at the lower left corner and it will tell you what type of database connection you have. Most likely it will show Embedded database.
The obd file for Embedded database is really just a zip archive that contains everything; Tables, Queries, Forms and Reports plus other files needed to load the database. You can use a zip program to look at it if you are interested.
The problem is that if something goes wrong with the zip process the obd file can be saved in a form that cannot be unzipped and all your data is lost!
The solution is to use a split database where the Table data is not zipped into the obd file so the chances of losing all your data is greatly reduced. The trade off is that your database now requires a dedicated folder to hold all the necessary files.
There are some Tutorials on how to set up a split database
viewforum.php?f=83
but some of them can make the process seem rather daunting. It isn't really that difficult.
I've had good success using the process described in the “Instructions for use:” section found at
viewtopic.php?f=83&t=61183

With your newly created split database open, also open your Embedded database and copy all the Tables, Queries, Forms and Reports by dragging them into the appropriate areas of the split database.
Hopefully, your problems entering and saving data will then be resolved.
If your problem has been solved, please edit this topic's initial post and add "[Solved]" to the beginning of the subject line
Apache OpenOffice 4.1.14 & LibreOffice 7.6.2.1 (x86_64) - Windows 10 Professional- Windows 11
greenmonster1970
Posts: 5
Joined: Tue Sep 12, 2017 8:10 pm

Re: Database crashing / not saving

Post by greenmonster1970 »

Thanks for the reply. All that just to be able to enter/change records with no errors? Hardly seems fair. Lol....I'll give it a look. I had done some research on here, and so I tried to resolve by creating a new user profile. It seemed better; it only happened once yesterday, but that is enough to make me only work for a couple of minutes at a time, close the database, and go back in to check it, to find that sometimes, since the last successful closing of the program, none of the changes I just made were kept. :ucrazy:
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UnklDonald418
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Re: Database crashing / not saving

Post by UnklDonald418 »

The problems you are experiencing are unusual even for an Embedded database user. In any case keeping frequent back ups is highly recommended.

As distributed Base is a front end for an early version of the HyperSQL database engine (HSQLDB version 1.8). Unfortunately, Base has seen very little if any active development in the past decade so any updates or bug fixes are unlikely.
There are also some side effects that come with a split database such as losing the ability to use the GUI to edit your tables. The tables can be edited, but the edits must be done using SQL. Actually. some users find that designing tables with SQL isn't much more difficult and without the limitations of the GUI table designer. Most users of Base use a bottom up approach rather than a formal top down approach to database design so table modifications are common. Even with an Embedded database doing that in SQL is often easier than the GUI.

With all those negatives why would anyone want to use Base?
The underlying HSQLDB engine IS under active development (currently 2.4.0), and when using a split database the user can update the engine by simply by replacing the hsqldb.jar file in the Driver sub-folder of the database folder. New versions can be downloaded for free from http://hsqldb.org/
Base also has the flexibility to be used as a front end for several other database engines.
Probably the best reason is Base Forms. They allow someone with a little experience to design a custom user interface that would be difficult to match using Access.
Personally, I had one database originally written many years ago in C on a MSDOS platform that I unsuccessfully attempted to replicate in Access on several occasions. A few months after switching to Base I ran across and example in the Base tutorials that allowed me to create a working version in an afternoon.
If your problem has been solved, please edit this topic's initial post and add "[Solved]" to the beginning of the subject line
Apache OpenOffice 4.1.14 & LibreOffice 7.6.2.1 (x86_64) - Windows 10 Professional- Windows 11
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Sliderule
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Re: Database crashing / not saving

Post by Sliderule »

I highly recommend the suggestion made above by user UnklDonald418 about using a Split database rather than the default Embedded version.

There is one other thing you could try:
  1. Open your Base file ( *.odb )
  2. From the Menu, choose: Tools -> SQL...
  3. In the Command to execute box, enter the command

    Code: Select all

    checkpoint defrag
  4. Press the Execute button
  5. Save and Close your Base file
Explanation: According to HSQL Version 1.8.1.10 documentation:
HSQL 1.8 Documentation: [url]http://www.hsqldb.org/doc/1.8/guide/ch09.html#checkpoint-section[/url] wrote:
CHECKPOINT

CHECKPOINT DEFRAG;

Closes the database files, rewrites the script file, deletes the log file and opens the database.

If DEFRAG is specified, this command also shrinks the .data file to its minimal size.
Because you may have been modifying your database definitions, and/or, the data itself, this MAY reduce the bytes ( size ) and memory required . . . and . . . it may help.

I hope this helps, please be sure to let me / us know.

Sliderule

Thanks to add [Solved] in your 1st post Subject (edit button top right) if this issue has been resolved.
greenmonster1970
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Joined: Tue Sep 12, 2017 8:10 pm

Re: Database crashing / not saving

Post by greenmonster1970 »

I appreciate all the replies. Why would this only happen on one machine and not another. I brought my .odb file to work and for 2 days its not acted up once.
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Sliderule
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Re: Database crashing / not saving

Post by Sliderule »

greenmonster1970 wrote:I appreciate all the replies. Why would this only happen on one machine and not another. I brought my .odb file to work and for 2 days its not acted up once.
That is a hard question to answer, since, I do not have a copy of your database file to look at it.

Perhaps, memory on different machines ( memory available, other applications running, for example browser sessions, etc ), perhaps, JAVA version on different machines.

¿ Did you issue the command checkpoint defrag as I described above ?

Please note, your tag line says you are using OpenOffice Version 4.3 . . . and . . . that is a version that does not exist. The most recent version of OpenOffice as the date I am writing this is 4.1.3 :mrgreen: .

Sliderule

Thanks to add [Solved] in your 1st post Subject (edit button top right) if this issue has been resolved.
greenmonster1970
Posts: 5
Joined: Tue Sep 12, 2017 8:10 pm

Re: Database crashing / not saving

Post by greenmonster1970 »

Thanks sliderule...I did try what you suggested, and it still acted up. My version is 4.1.3. Id be more than happy to send someone my odb file to take a look at it.
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Sliderule
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Re: Database crashing / not saving

Post by Sliderule »

You can post your database here ( to the forum ) by clicking on the tab Upload attachment just below the box where you enter text to the forum.

If you want to send to either user UnklDonald418 ( after all, user is very talented and first responded to your original post ), or myself, perhaps you could PM ( Private Message ) either of us, and, arrange for we can look at your Base file. Just a thought.

Sliderule
greenmonster1970
Posts: 5
Joined: Tue Sep 12, 2017 8:10 pm

Re: Database crashing / not saving

Post by greenmonster1970 »

I'll PM you Sliderule....

Thanks!
OpenOffice 4.3 on Windows 10
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