Using mySQL with Base

[djones33]

I am a new user, and am finding that setting up BASE extremely difficult.

I downloaded the mysql/connector-j application from mysql.
The wiki page http://wiki.services.openoffice.org/wik ... SQLandBase
tells you to download the application then after setting it up go to OpenOffice.

My Problem: the article does not tell you:
a) how to open the jar file (is that somethign I'm supposed to know how to do?
b) how to open mysql
c) how to set up mysql, towork with Open Office.
d) mysql documenttion is as sparse with some of the basic instructions

My concern is that as a new user there are a lot of assumptions as to what I should know. Is there a basic step-by-step procedure for setting up mysql with BASE, one that will not make any assumptions.
I, and probably many others, want to use BASE, but are unable to because of a lack of good instructions.

I thank you for any inout youmay offer.

Dan

[TerryE]

What platform are you running on? If it is XP then one option is to load the ODBC connector for MySQL, configure your database as a know database through the Control Panel -> Administration Tools -> Database Sources, then you will be able to link tables to it from Base. If you are on Linux, then the jdbc option will be easier.

[djones33]

Thank you for your reply. I am using XP.
What you are talking about is not quite clear. I'm like a lot of neo[hytes users who would like to use Open Office,jsut to get away fomr Microsoft, but we do not udnerstand musch.

When I go to Admin Tools --> Data Services --> Add [a DB] I am presented with a list. The problem, which do i choose. Since I am wanting to use an Access DB, where my data is, would I use the Access DB, or would I use the SQL DB? It is probably simple.

I am also confused, for in all the documentationput out by Open Source and MySQL there is no mention of this method for installing a DB.

Also, all the documentation says to create a setpath= . Would taht also be done in concert with what you are stating?

Thank you for your resposne, I do appreciate it.
Dan

[TerryE]

If your D/B is an Access one then your Q is nothing to do with mySQL and all to do with Access. After Add you go into the Create New Data Source menu. Pick the Microsoft Access Driver; this then throws up the "ODBC Microsoft Access Setup" dialog; give it a meaningful name, hit select and browse down to find your database; the advanced button can be used to specify the username and password; then hit OK and you have registered your database as a known data source.

Now go into Base, connect to an existing ODBC D/B, select yours and you should now be in business. Once you get the hang of this it takes about a minute.

[wurzel]

I downloaded the mysql/connector-j application from mysql.
The wiki page http://wiki.services.openoffice.org/wik ... SQLandBase
tells you to download the application then after setting it up go to OpenOffice.

Yes, rather laconic isn't it :-/ Perhaps you should try the following pages instead :

http://www.linux.com/articles/60185

http://rpbouman.blogspot.com/2006/12/my ... ceorg.html

There is also documentation available in languages other than English, that deal with setting up OOo, Mysql and ODBC/JDBC connectivity. You could always Google/Babel Translate them.

My Problem: the article does not tell you:
a) how to open the jar file (is that somethign I'm supposed to know how to do?
b) how to open mysql
c) how to set up mysql, towork with Open Office.
d) mysql documenttion is as sparse with some of the basic instructions

See the second link above, which gives a full explanation of what to do with the driver.

My concern is that as a new user there are a lot of assumptions as to what I should know. Is there a basic step-by-step procedure for setting up mysql with BASE, one that will not make any assumptions.
I, and probably many others, want to use BASE, but are unable to because of a lack of good instructions.

Like I said, read the above links, they're pretty detailed. I wrote a document ages ago that I submitted to the OOo documentation project about setting up ODBC connections on Linux, but it appears not to have been published (probably lost in one of the Issues on the bug tracker somewhere). The ODBC stuff can be done on Windows in much the same (but not identical, way). The second link above tells you what to do in Windows and Linux.

Alex

[djones33]

TerryE;

Thank you for your response.
You say after ADD, "go into Create New Data Source menu and pick the Access Driver."
I am unable to find where ADD is located.

When I open Base, I get the DB Wizard asking me "What Do I want To Do?"
The only place I see the Access Driver is when I select "Connect to an Existing DB.
I then select the Acess Driver and go to next screen, where I select my Access DB.
I open teh DB, but I am unable to edit it.

[TerryE]

OK, Let's take the steps slowly. Tell me exactly where this breaks. I suspect its because your D/B has a non-default user/password. In which case you need to go through the ODBC configuration to specify these.

Instruction to create a New ODBC source
Control Panel --> Admin Tools --> Data Services --> Add which displays the ODBC Data Source Administrator
Add --> displays Create New Data Source.. This has a list of Sources including "Driver do Microsoft Access (*.mdb)"
Double click on ""Driver do Microsoft Access (*.mdb)". Thus displays "ODBC Microsoft Access Setup"
Put in a memorable DSN and description; Click "Select" to open a "Select Database" browser and find your D/B.
If your D/B uses a non-default user/password, you will need to Click Advanced and set the user name and password.

Click OK. Then click OK on the "ODBC Microsoft Access Setup" window. Your D/B should now be listed in the "ODBC Data Source Administrator" list.

Existing ODBC source
In this case navigate down to the ODBC Data Source Administrator, highlight the D/B and click Configure. This give you access to the "ODBC Microsoft Access Setup" screen and the advanced button.

Also a handy hint: If you want help try hitting the Help button. Someone has put time and effort into writing this to help people

Don't bother opening Base until you've got this far.

[wurzel]

Hi all, FYI,

I've just updated the offending wiki page to provide the details of how to set up and create a connection to a mysql database using the JDBC connector from within OOo.

Alex