Connecting to MySQL using Open Office Base via ODBC...

Sun Jun 3 02:46:03 UTC 2007

On Wed, 2007-05-30 at 12:55 -0700, NoOp wrote:
> Sure (modified slightly from
> http://leetturtle.com/guides/guide_ubuntuopenoffice.php):
> 
> 1) First, go to OpenOffice.org and download the latest version for
> Linux. http://download.openoffice.org/2.2.0/index.html
> 
> [NoOp note: before downloading, uncheck the "Include the Java JRE with
> this download" - you don't need it as you'll install separately & the
> version they have included has a bug in it]
> 
> 2) Use Archive Manager or whatever and extract the file you downloaded
> into a directory.
> 
> [NoOp: I recommend changing the name of the directory to something
> simple like 'OOo22' so you don't have to try to type the long name chen
> cd'ing into the directory]
> 
> 3) Change directory (cd) into the RPMS directory:
> 
> cd /where/you/extracted/openoffice/RPMS
> 
> 4) Let's go install alien, which converts the files in the RPMS
> directory into files that Ubuntu can actually use:
> 
> sudo apt-get install alien
> 
> 5) Let's use alien! w00t! (the * selects any file)
> 
> sudo alien --scripts --keep-version *.rpm
> 
> [NoOp note: if you have a slow machine w/limited memory, go to lunch...
> the conversion will take awhile]
> 
> 6) If you still have the OpenOffice that Ubuntu includes by default,
> remove it so this version works:
> 
> sudo apt-get remove openoffice*
> 
> [NoOp note: this will remove ubuntu-desktop. That's OK. You can
> reinstall it later if you do a major dist-upgrade. However, the only
> reason for removing the (U)OOo version is so that it will remove the OOo
> debian menus. You can keep it and still install (O)OOo as (O)OOo gets
> installed into the /opt/openoffice.org2.2 directory and can co-exist
> with (U)OOo]
> 
> 7) After you're done uninstalling the OpenOffice installed with Ubuntu,
> let's finally install the version of OpenOffice you wanted!
> 
> dpkg -i *.deb
> 
> [should be sudo dpkg -i *.deb]
> 
> 8) Now we got to install the file that will give us lovely menu entries!
> 
> cd desktop-integration && dpkg -i *.deb
> 
> [cd desktop-integration
>  sudo dpkg -i *.deb]
> 
> [NoOp note: this will only work if you have uninstalled the
> ubuntu-desktop - see below for adding (O)OOo 2.2 to the menus]
> 
> 9) You can now remove the file you downloaded and the files that you
> extracted.
> 
> 
> =====================================================================
> Adding (O)OOo 2.2 to the Application menu if you've kept unbuntu-desktop:
> 
> Adding (O)OOo 2.2 to Applications|Internet:
> 
>    1. Right click the Applications icon, select 'Edit Menus'. When the
> Menus selection opens up click on the Office icon.
> 
> 2. Select 'New Item'. That will bring up the Create Launcher. Fill in:
> 
> Name: (O)2.2 Writer
> 
> Command: - click the 'Browse' button and find your way to File System
> /opt/openoffice.org2.2/program/swriter - click open. Command will now
> read: /opt/openoffice.org2.2/program/swriter. (You could have typed
> manually).
> 
> Comment: you can add whatever you want.
> 
> Now click the 'No Icon' button. Click the 'Browse' button and find your
> way to /usr/share/icons/hicolor/48x48/apps/ and click 'Open'.
> You'll now find the default OOo icons. Click on 'oo-writer.png' and
> click OK. That will take you back to 'Create Launcher', click 'OK'. That
> will place you back in 'Main Menu' and you'll see your (O)OOo in the
> Items section. Click 'Close'.
> 
> Repeat above for: sbase, scalc, sdraw, smath, simpress, and spadmin.
> 
> Now: Application|Office|(O)OOo Writer. That will launch the registration
> wizard. Accept the license, turn off check automatically for updates,
> and answer that you do not want to register.
> 
> Once in Writer: click Tools|Options|Openoffice.org|Java. If you do not
> have Sun Java JRE 6 installed, I recommend that you do this via Synaptic
> or directly. OOo Base just seems to work better w/JRE 6.
> =========================================================================
> 
> > 
> > Also I can choose to connect to my database using ODBC or JDBC. Since
> > JDBC doesn't work could I use JDBC?
> 
> Of course.
> 
> > If so, how do I make it work?
> > Honestly I don't even understand what JDBC or ODBC is, I just wanna
> > connect to my database :)
> > 
> 
> These might help:
> http://applications.linux.com/article.pl?sid=07/02/12/1736203&tid=13&tid=73
> http://dba.openoffice.org/
>  http://wiki.services.openoffice.org/wiki/Category:Database
> http://documentation.openoffice.org/manuals/
>  [OpenOffice.org2.x User Guide - Chapter 7]
> 
> 

Following your instructions I have successfully installed the original
open office, and removed the Ubuntu one. I am pleased to report that all
the wizards etc function.

One thing I miss is the tango icon them used in the Ubuntu version - do
you know how I put that in the original openoffice?

Also I intend to backtrack a bit and use dpkg-divert to keep the ubuntu
version and the original on the same system.

Will let you know how I get on after I've tested it more thoroughly.

Cheers!!

Gabe