Re: [libreoffice-users] Can Calc read/import data from Google Docs?

Thanks, Tom, but the need is for dynamic.   I know I can download the 
Google Docs file, but that won't help.   I had wanted to do everything 
on Google Docs originally, but the function GD offers for reading 
(importing) data from one sheet to another sheet has a limit of 50 uses 
in the spreadsheet.

What I'm trying to do is this: we have a spreadsheet on GD that 
maintains membership information (names, addresses, phone, etc) and 
which is accessed by 2 people.   I have started working on another 
spreadsheet that will maintain dues information (amount assessed, 
payments made, etc.)  The second sheet would be accessed only by a third 
person.  So GD provides a function that would enable the second sheet to 
import data on members from the first sheet, but has the 50 instance 
limit.   We could maybe work around that, but the bigger problem is that 
GD doesn't have any "normal" mail merge function.   It does allow 
JavaScripts that could perhaps serve the purpose of a mail merge 
operation, but JavaScript is beyond my abilities.  So, I figured I could 
build what I need for the second sheet using LO or OO and use their mail 
merge function to generate invoices/bills.  That brings me to the need 
to have Calc read the membership data from GD.

This project has become way more complicated than I anticipated.   I 
started out looking for a free membership mgt. package, but we don't 
have a server that could host what's available.  The solutions that 
provide hosting all cost at least $50/month which is far too expensive 
for us.  That brought me to GD....

-Michael

On 9/27/12 2:57 PM, Tom Davies wrote:
> Hi :)
> Ok, this is probably not what you are looking for but just to clear 
> the idea out of the way ... Can you just open the google-docs 
> spreadsheet and save it onto your computer?  Then just double-clicking 
> on it should open it in Calc.
>
> Google-docs uses the same native format as LO but both can save as 
> .xls or .xlsX (MS formats) and Google-docs might do that by default.  
> If Google-docs does that instead of saving in native .odS then you can 
> probably choose "OpenDocument Format" from Google-doc's "Save As ... " 
> menu.  Double-clicking on the .ods almost definitely opens the file in 
> Calc.
>
> Alternatively if it has saved as .xls or .xlsX then right-click the 
> file and choose "Open With" and then try to find Calc or LibreOffice 
> in that menu.  This approach is slightly different in different OSes 
> but is roughly the same in all except Apples.
>
> A similar alternative is to open Calc (or just LibreOffice) and then 
> drag&drop the file onto it.  This approach will definitely work 
> whatever format it's in unless something really weird is going on in 
> which case tells us and we might be able to figure it out.
>
>
> However i have a feeling that you don't want to download the file at 
> all and just want LO to dynamically read the Google-docs spreadsheet 
> while other people are editing the google-docs spreadsheet.  If so 
> then i think there is a far better answer but it involves using Base 
> at your end and having a proper database on a server somewhere.
>
> So, the question is do you want to do this with static data (as in my 
> first 4 paragraphs), or dynamically changing data?
> Regards from
> Tom :)
>
>
>
>     ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>     *From:* Michael Reich <reich.mikey@gmail.com>
>     *To:* users@global.libreoffice.org
>     *Sent:* Thursday, 27 September 2012, 18:24
>     *Subject:* [libreoffice-users] Can Calc read/import data from
>     Google Docs?
>
>     I'm trying to figure out if I can have a Calc (OpenOffice or
>     LibreOffice) spreadsheet "import" data from a Google Docs
>     spreadsheet. The online assistance via google search is very
>     confusing and seems mostly oriented toward importing data to
>     Google Docs.  What I want is a local sheet that can pull several
>     cells of info (like names and addresses) from a Google Docs
>     spreadsheet, but I can't figure out what function and syntax, if
>     any, can do this in OO or LO.  Is this possible to do?  If so, I
>     apparently need the "idiot's instructions."
>
>
>
>     -- For unsubscribe instructions e-mail to:
>     users+help@global.libreoffice.org <mailto:help@global.libreoffice.org>
>     Problems?
>     http://www.libreoffice.org/get-help/mailing-lists/how-to-unsubscribe/
>     Posting guidelines + more:
>     http://wiki.documentfoundation.org/Netiquette
>     List archive: http://listarchives.libreoffice.org/global/users/
>     All messages sent to this list will be publicly archived and
>     cannot be deleted


--
For unsubscribe instructions e-mail to: users+help@global.libreoffice.org
Problems? http://www.libreoffice.org/get-help/mailing-lists/how-to-unsubscribe/
Posting guidelines + more: http://wiki.documentfoundation.org/Netiquette
List archive: http://listarchives.libreoffice.org/global/users/
All messages sent to this list will be publicly archived and cannot be deleted