OT- Libreoffice - Base / Writer will this work?

[P. Echols]

On Sun, Dec 13, 2015 at 12:16 PM, Tommy Trussell <tommy.trussell at gmail.com>
wrote:

>
>
> On Fri, Dec 11, 2015 at 1:15 PM, P. Echols <p.echo926 at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> Greetings:
>>
>> Question is whether what I describe below is possible / reasonable using
>> Libreoffice Base and Writer.  Part 1 is setting up the database, part 2 is
>> importing data into writer, which is what I need.  Since Part 1 is time
>> consuming, I don't want to start if I cannot get the desired result.
>>
>> I manage projects where I need to generate written reports, action
>> requests, etc. with project specific information.  Because of my existing
>> extensive library of forms, I need to stay with LO writer.
>>
>> I know it is possible to set up a database with a single table, each
>> record having the data for one project.  Insert fields for that db into a
>> template, and then open the template and select the particular record to
>> populate.
>>
>> BUT, in my project, there are two items that require a list more
>> appropriate for a linked table.  Imagine a report about an author.  Details
>> specific to that author are from the "AuthorInfo" table, the author's
>> bibliography is a separate table and publishers are another table.  I need
>> to be able to generate a Writer template that will import the individual
>> fields from the AuthorInfo table, but also allow inserting the bibliography
>> and publisher info as if pasting in a spreadsheet.
>>
>> Has anyone done this?  I have a sense of the difficulty of Part 1, how
>> difficult is Part 2?
>>
>>
> No matter how complicated the database, if you can get the results into a
> single table (the table can be the result of a Base query if you are
> pulling data from other tables), then you can have Writer merge the fields
> from that single table into multiple documents. Writer can "see" the
> results from more than one table, but as far as I know it can only merge a
> single table. Writer can also insert fields or change text based on
> conditions (if - then - else).
>
> UNFORTUNATELY even though I have used it successfully for years (I have a
> database of legal descriptions, terms, and payments and I produce contracts
> and renewal letters annually), I will caution you that Writer is extremely
> finicky and the tools for managing and updating the merge fields in Writer
> are ugly. The conditional text is frustratingly picky on its syntax, too.
>

I have managed to do that and it works pretty well.


>
> It sounds like you are creating more of a directory (single document with
> multiple data rows in it). I don't believe the mail merge tools are able to
> insert new rows into tables, but it would be logical and useful if they
> could. (I know you can set up a blank table and insert database contents
> into it -- that's how the mailing label tools work.)
>
>
What I am really trying to do is both, have a document that contains
information from the basic information table sprinkled throughout, but
includes a table populated by a linked table.  Do you know how to set up
such a table in a document?  I have not found a guide that shows it.


> LibreOffice has a "Report Builder" tool available as a separate install.
> (Install the libreoffice-report-builder package in Ubuntu.) Based on your
> description, I would think Report Builder might help you, but I recall it
> being similarly finicky and limited. It allows you to create a special
> document populated with database fields. Once you install the
> libreoffice-report-builder package (and restart LibreOffice if you had it
> open), then open the database, Report Builder becomes visible as an option
> from inside Base. I haven't tried it in awhile, though. If I understand
> what you are looking for, you might have a look at the Report Builder and
> see if it helps accomplish what you're looking to do.
>

I can certainly take a look at that.  My guess is that it will be even a
steeper learning curve to get report builder to spit out the rather strict
format that I'll need.  Maybe easier to use the database for the basic
info, then simply use a spreadsheet table to save the secondary table and
cut and paste as I have done in the past.  Silly, but it works.

Thanks again.
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