OpenOffice Base

OpenOffice.org Base
File:Ooo Base 2.1.png OpenOffice.org Base 2.
Developer(s)	Sun Microsystems
Stable release	2.3.0 / September 17, 2007
Operating system	Cross-platform
Type	Database
License	LGPL
Website	www.openoffice.org

OpenOffice.org Base is the database module initially released with OpenOffice.org version 2.0. Currently it is based on the HSQLDB database engine written in Java. Note that another database engine, SQLite, had been considered but the OpenOffice.org team decided to go with HSQLDB after evaluating the features, connectivity and embed quality of both database engines.

The HSQLDB developers have suggested only 76% of the target has been met in the 1.8.0 release, which is the version that was integrated with OOo 2.0. They have been appealing for contributions to fulfill all the feature targets, since the core database engine itself is an independent project with no external funding.

OpenOffice.org users, however, can choose to connect to external full-featured SQL database such as MySQL, PostgreSQL and even Oracle through ODBC or JDBC drivers. OpenOffice.org Base can hence act as a GUI frontend for SQL views, table design and query. In addition, OpenOffice.org has its own Form wizard to create dialog windows for form filling and updates.

Starting with version 2.3, Base will offer report generation based on Pentaho software.

Released under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public Licence, Base is free software.

See also

• HSQLDB
• Kexi - a similar free software/open source application

External links

• Base information page
  • OpenOffice.org Base 2.0 project discussion
  • OpenOffice.org Database Access Project
• HSQL and OpenOffice.org
• User resources at OOo Wiki
• Tutorials for new and intermediate ooBase users, from Sheepdog Guides

General articles and resources

• OpenOffice.org database application: A first look review
• OpenOffice.org Base by Kevin Shockey, from TuxMagazine issue 10, p.41-46 (free PDF download after registration, lesson on creating new table and form in Base)
• OpenOffice.org Writer Does More Than Just Word Processing by Kevin Shockey, from TuxMagazine issue 11, p.23-29 (lesson on Mail Merge that combines Base with Writer to provide new powerful functionality)

• OpenOffice.org Base forum, with links to several tutorials and guides
• Andrew Pitonyak's documents on using Macros with OOo Base
• OpenOffice.org Base 2.0 (a book published in German)

• Tutorials on using ooBase from Sheepdog Guides

• SearchOpenSource articles on OOoBase
  • Using Functions in Base Queries
  • Importing Data Into Base
  • Exporting Data From Base
  • Base and Mail Merges

• OpenOffice.org Blog

Third party support

• OpenOffice.org 2.0 lessons in Flash format :
  • Lesson #1: How to create a new database & new table with Base
  • Lesson #2: How to create a new form in Base and how to access it
  • Lesson #3: How to create a new dynamic report in Base

Database connection articles

• Getting Started with Base: Introduction to Data Sources (pdf)
• Also from Database Access Project:
  External Resources, Specific problems, and Database Drivers for connecting to third-party database
• Other articles
  • Hooking OOo to MySQL
  • OpenOffice Base And MySQL
  • Plug OpenOffice.org into PostgreSQL (via postgresql-sdbc-driver)
  • Using SQLite Database with OpenOffice.org (via sqliteodbc or sqlite-sdbc-driver)

• StarOffice 7 Setting Up Database Connections Guide - a little dated for OOo 2.0, provided here for reference

• OOAuthors: FAQs for Database, updated by community contributions