Base documentation

I've started a new thread for this, in response to Alex Thurgood's comments
on Base docs.

My opinion FWIW is that Base related stuff is desperately needed, including
a full Base Guide. We've been rebranding the OOo user guides as an initial
set for LibreOffice, but the Base Guide has never been written. Three draft
chapters (badly in need of editing) exist, but that's all. One could build
on that, and the Base Gyude outline, or start from scratch. Of course, other
Base-related materials would be useful, too. IMO the "Getting Started with
Base" chapter is quite good, so we wouldn't want to duplicate that.

I personally don't have much database experience beyond the trivial, but I'm
good at testing, critiquing, and editing, revising... if only we can find
some database people to write an initial draft!

I appreciate that developing the Base portion of the website should probably
take priority over the much longer, more ambitious work needed on a Base
Guide.

Hal

Hi,

I personally don't have much database experience beyond the trivial,
but I'm good at testing, critiquing, and editing, revising... if only
we can find some database people to write an initial draft!

For me personally, the best Base introduction was a little tutorial
called base_entwurf_einer_datenbank.odt[1] (translated back to English
it might read "Base - creating a sample database"). It claims to be a
German "polished" translation of issue 28136 [2].

As my impression of the doc team here around is rather good :wink: I just
want to suggest you to think also of a tutorial-like Guide. Lerning by
doing is Not Bad(TM).

Of course, the tutorial only covers a very little section of the Base
functionality but it enables the reader to work with Base better than
any other doc I found.

So the first idea could be to extend this tutorial (e.g. how n:m
relations are handled in queries, forms and reports).

Another idea might be to add some background chapters about database
theory, but there are plenty of them around so this does not really
seem necessary.

Of course, only if you want to take this little tutorial as starting
point - it's just a suggestion.

Nino
[1] http://www.oooauthors.org/deutsch/base
[2] http://qa.openoffice.org/issues/show_bug.cgi?id=28136

I haven't looked for any Base tutorials, but if any exist that would be useful info. And there are certainly lots of other tutorials, it would be good to start some exploration about rebranding those, too.

I second the BASE - TUTORIAL

If the existing documentation is THAT scarse (bad?) the Tutorial is
something a experienced Base user could cover quickly and would be the
starting point of the future GUIDE.

But alas, count me out of this enterprise, I don't even know how to start
the Base program, so ... my opinion should be taken from this rather
(ignorant) perspective.

Of course I could step in if someone needs a a proof reader or/and a mouse
rat for this thing :wink:

Rogerio

The Mid Level Base tutorial [1] is a very good "beginners" document as well. It contains three parts, the first two cover what a database is and how to design it. The third covers Base using SQL command to build a database.

[1] http://documentation.openoffice.org/servlets/ProjectDocumentList?folderID=778&expandFolder=778&folderID=778

Andy

Hi :slight_smile:

There are these 3 but they only mention/advertise/promote OpenOffice

[1] - http://documentation.openoffice.org/tutorials/index.html
[2] - http://www.tutorialsforopenoffice.org/
[3] - http://www.learnopenoffice.org/

Regards from
Tom :slight_smile:

A 4th training site, again only for OpenOffice

http://inpics.net/

Regards from Tom :slight_smile:

I find this to be a *very* good tutorial. A little too deep for a general intro but could be an excellent start to make one (by pruning and grafting... well, more pruning than grafting).

As of a Base tutorial for beginners, here's the outline I'm thinking of:

Part 1
-- What a RDBMS is (principles, tables, relations, queries)
-- How to devise a database
-- Introduction to Base
-- Creating a DB with Base
-- Importing data from Calc and delimited text files
-- Querying a DB in interactive mode (not so sure about the English wording here as I've got the French version installed)
-- Using a DB for mailmerge

Part 2
-- Introduction to SQL
-- Querying a DB using SQL
-- Useful tools (Sun/Oracle Report Builder, MySQLworkbench)
-- Reporting with S/ORB
-- Using Base as a front-end for MySQL (MySQLconnector extension) and PostgreSQL (SDBC)

This contents is what I currently intend to stuff into a series of in-house training I'm planning. I reckon this outline to be quite progressive and, from my experience, seems to be what newcomers want.

HTH,

Jean I think if you manage to do something like this it would be grand, and
I surely would translate it to Portuguese if you manage a English version :slight_smile:

Rogerio

Hi Rogerio,

thanks for your interest.

Jean I think if you manage to do something like this it would be grand, and
I surely would translate it to Portuguese if you manage a English version :slight_smile:

This is currently on my plate... The very beginning (part 1 to the Calc and text import thingy) is already written (in French :frowning: but needs some rethinking and/or rewording.

As for an English version... well, as you might guess English is not my mother language which means I can write some sentences but the wording won't be on par with what a true native would express. All this to say there's a lot to be done.

Also, I'm ok to share what I've got so far (in French!) and go on with anyone interested.

Hi Jean-François,

Hi Rogerio,

thanks for your interest.

Jean I think if you manage to do something like this it would be
grand, and
I surely would translate it to Portuguese if you manage a English
version :slight_smile:

This is currently on my plate... The very beginning (part 1 to the Calc
and text import thingy) is already written (in French :frowning: but needs some
rethinking and/or rewording.

As for an English version... well, as you might guess English is not my
mother language which means I can write some sentences but the wording
won't be on par with what a true native would express. All this to say
there's a lot to be done.

Also, I'm ok to share what I've got so far (in French!) and go on with
anyone interested.

May be you can work with Alex, he said on the FR list that he is going to improve the Base documentation once he has finished to translate the Guide for beginners? However I don't know in which language he will work :slight_smile:

Kind regards
Sophie

Hi Sophie!

May be you can work with Alex, he said on the FR list that he is going
to improve the Base documentation once he has finished to translate the
Guide for beginners? However I don't know in which language he will work :slight_smile:

Yes, I've read Alex' announcement but, as I'm not so sure we are working on the same things, didn't raise my hand (yet). I'm mainly focusing on writing a beginners' guide from scratch and, from what I had understood, Alex's translating an existing document (Mariano Casanova's mid level doc).

Just correct me if I'm wrong.

My beginners' guide idea was born from a few in-house requests that no-one could fulfill. As I already stated, I've already a few pages written on this and I'm working on a few more to come (see the outline in a former msg in this thread).

Of course, sharing the free software ideas as you may know :wink: I'm willing to cooperate into any collective work in this matter.

All the best,

I really like your outline, and I'd say your English is *more* than adequate to get the points across. I'd be glad to edit for smoothing it out if that's needed.

Exactly the same here ... go for it Jean ... if you are willing do please
try to write it in english, we can give it a uplift if you can send our way
even a bad translation (because I will put your french version through a
Google-Translate if you don't have the time ... and take it from there)
besides you underestimate your english, it is quite good for tech writing.

Rogerio

Hi Barb and Rogerio,

I really like your outline, and I'd say your English is *more* than
adequate to get the points across. I'd be glad to edit for smoothing it out
if that's needed.

Exactly the same here ... go for it Jean ... if you are willing do please
try to write it in english, we can give it a uplift if you can send our way
even a bad translation (because I will put your french version through a
Google-Translate if you don't have the time ... and take it from there)
besides you underestimate your english, it is quite good for tech writing.

Thanks to both for your kind words. Writing on a message board is a thing, writing a comprehensive document is really a whole other matter.

Anyway, I'll do my best and provide something in my English asap :slight_smile: so that the folks lurking here may review, correct and rephrase.

Hi, :slight_smile:

Anyway, I'll do my best and provide something in my English asap :slight_smile: so that
the folks lurking here may review, correct and rephrase.

If you want to write in French, I will do the translation if you like.

David Nelson

Hi Dave,

If you want to write in French, I will do the translation if you like.

Thanks for your kind offer.

I'm just wondering about the best option. I'd probably write something in *my* English <g> that could be reviewed and reworded by natives. Then this could be translated back into French or any other language if it is found to fit the bill.

Hi, :slight_smile:

I'm just wondering about the best option. I'd probably write something in
*my* English <g> that could be reviewed and reworded by natives. Then this
could be translated back into French or any other language if it is found to
fit the bill.

Sure, whatever. Anyway, the offer remains open if you change your mind. :wink:

David Nelson

Thanks Dave. Note is well taken, would the job be out of my reach :slight_smile: