OpenOffice Base Tutorial: Simplest Database Management Strategy with OpenOffice Base
Database management is a specialized business these days that can be easily controlled even by non-technical people. It is used to organize data in business companies. Plenty of tools have been developed for database management, varying in their complexities. OpenOffice provides Base that is another handy tool for managing the data of organizations in a simple and convenient manner. You can follow some simple steps to create a simple database management system using Base to store and retrieve the information using custom-designed forms and reports.
Get Your Package
Base is basically part of the OpenOffice. The packages for all platforms can be easily downloaded from this link. The Linux users might not require manual installation since the OpenOffice suite is available in the standard repositories of most distros. Ubuntu users can download the packages from here.
Create Your Database
When you run the setup of Base, it will take you to a wizard that will guide you through the first few steps. While you may find many setups quite complex, the installation for Base is quite straightforward. The initial steps are quite smooth. Even if you don’t have much familiarity with the database software, there is no problem at all.
This article will provide you the method for creating a database containing information of employees and then building a form to manipulate that database.
The next step will require you to register with OpenOffice. It is not necessary to register. This option is useful if you want to integrate your Base projects with OpenOffice.
Before proceeding to the next option, you need to check the box for “Create Tables Using the Table Wizard”.
How to Create Tables
The previous step saves your new database to a file. If you have checked the box for the Table wizard, you should be taken to screen where you can easily begin laying out the information that your database will contain.
We are creating database for employees of a fictional company. For the beginners, use tables for creating information about separate fields. There should be different tables for employees’ ages and their salaries. You need to have a Primary Key for each table that is a unique identity for that table. It means that in one column, you will have unique information corresponding to the employees.
On the second page of the installation wizard, you will be required to input the type of data for the tables that you intend to create. The names should be logical. You can also choose the fields from the dropdown menu. These types will be automatically applied to the right fields.
The next step will require you to input the Primary Key that is an identity for each of the employees in the table present in a separate column.
Creating Forms
You are now ready to build the forms for your database. It sounds something like a webpage where you can view, enter, and manage the information in your tables.
Check the layout section carefully as it may contain some useful options.
Now you have the idea that database management is quite simple with OpenOffice Base. You can create your database in simplest fashion.