Is Kexi supposed to be able to use an existing mysql database?

English Applications
1

I have koffice2-kexi-2.2.2-4.2.x86_64

I open kexi, I get a dialog: blank database, create from template, import
existing database. I use import.

I select “projects stored on a database server”. I see the list of
databases, I choose the proper one (an existing book list database).

Database project stored on a server, Mysql.

It appears that it want to replicate the existing database into another one!

Ok, how do I tell kexi to just use the existing database, do not try to import?

Or is kexi a tool to create databases, not to use databases?

–
Cheers / Saludos,

Carlos E. R.
(from 11.2 x86_64 “Emerald” at Telcontar)

2

It seems like Kexi is needing it’s own workspace in your /home folder.
In my deem at the moment Kexi is only an experiment. When I try something involving form design, it crashes.

3

According to the FAQ, it cannot use an existing database because it needs to store metadata in the database also. Maybe you can create a database with the same schema as your existing database in Kexi, then use the import tool to load the data you have.

4

On 2010-11-25 16:06, ken yap wrote:
>
> According to the FAQ, it cannot use an existing database because it
> needs to store metadata in the database also. Maybe you can create a
> database with the same schema as your existing database in Kexi, then
> use the import tool to load the data you have.

As far as I can see, kexi is a tool to create databases, and it stores the
new tables on a new database or on a file (or set of files), dunno. It is
not a tool to use databases, which is what I need.

When importing, it can import the structure of an existing database and
duplicate it, and copy the data too. It can not simply use a database.

As far as I can see, there is no such tool in kde4. Knoda has not been
ported, nor rekall. And neither gnome has it: supposedly Glom, which is
broken and doesn’t even start. It has missing dependencies (not listed in
requires) that make it crash (yes, there is a Bugzilla).

There are no good database clients in Linux, it appears. The field belongs
to MS Access. :-/

–
Cheers / Saludos,

Carlos E. R.
(from 11.2 x86_64 “Emerald” at Telcontar)

5

Yes, what I said.

6

On 2010-11-25 23:36, ken yap wrote:
>
> Yes, what I said.

I hoped that things would be different 5 years after the last time I had a
look :frowning:

You know, sometimes it is true that linux is made by geeks for geeks. Or by
hackers for hackers. Not for users.

A hacker would program the database. Php, whatever, like some have told me
here. But if you are a simple user and want a simple database as one would
do with access in thousands of small offices, it is not possible, there are
no tools.

I’m a bit of a hacker myself. I coded for a living years ago. But I don’t
want to fight my way all the time, I want to do simple things now and then!

–
Cheers / Saludos,

Carlos E. R.
(from 11.2 x86_64 “Emerald” at Telcontar)

7

Welvome in the clan! I searched ten years experimenting almost all, but nothing comes near to MSAccess. I’ve always been told “it’s so simple, use C or C++, or hire a technician”! To be said that I wrote a business accounting application in MSAccess ten years ago, it’s still working, and I was never able to port it in Linux. The only way to make database applications in Linux is using some very complex interface like QT, KDevelop or WXWindows.

8

The only way to make database applications in Linux is using some very complex interface like QT, KDevelop or WXWindows.

Or, simply, bash with the command line mysql client and any flavor of dialog.

9

On 2010-11-26 14:06, vodoo wrote:
>
>> The only way to make database applications in Linux is using some very
>> complex interface like QT, KDevelop or WXWindows.
>
> Or, simply, bash with the command line mysql client and any flavor of
> dialog.

Simply? Simply?

Why on earth do I have to write any code at all, just to use a database? It
is absurd. MS access solved the problem many years ago. Rekall in linux did
a fair job of it, but then abandoned.

This is plain normal office job, not a programming job. If there is
programming to do, then welcome Access! PUAGH! :frowning:

–
Cheers / Saludos,

Carlos E. R.
(from 11.2 x86_64 “Emerald” at Telcontar)

10

Having done a little bit with M$ Access 2007 in the last year or two… while you can do a considerable amount with just the point-n-click interface, I keep running up against things where either its a whole lot simpler to bypass the Query Wizard and use the SQL window directly, or where I need something more than just macros to ‘glue’ things together or to give a certain functionality. So Access isn’t entirely ‘programming-free’, IMO. For all its warts, it does have quite a few years head start over any thing on the Linux desktop. I had(have) hopes for OOo Base… eventually, maybe. Dabo seems to be able to put together simple CRUD apps without too much coding, but for anything beyond bare-bones some understanding of Python and object-oriented programming is needed.

11

On 2010-11-26 16:06, memilanuk wrote:
>
> Having done a little bit with M$ Access 2007 in the last year or two…
> while you can do a considerable amount with just the point-n-click
> interface, I keep running up against things where either its a whole lot
> simpler to bypass the Query Wizard and use the SQL window directly, or
> where I need something more than just macros to ‘glue’ things together
> or to give a certain functionality.

Obviously, if you need something more complex, you need coding, that is
understood. But simple queries and table view (with linked aka joined table
edit), which is all I need, I can’t find in Linux an app that does it.

The exception is Rekall, but as I said, it is out of maintenance.

–
Cheers / Saludos,

Carlos E. R.
(from 11.2 x86_64 “Emerald” at Telcontar)

12

I think OOo Base is probably as close as you’re likely to get. As mentioned, it has its shortcomings, but it should be able to do what you want with a little work. I’m afraid you’ll have to get your hands at least a little dirty, either with SQL (which really isn’t that hard) or with macros, though.

13

On 2010-11-26 21:06, memilanuk wrote:
>
> I think OOo Base is probably as close as you’re likely to get. As
> mentioned, it has its shortcomings, but it should be able to do what you
> want with a little work. I’m afraid you’ll have to get your hands at
> least a little dirty, either with SQL (which really isn’t that hard)
> or with macros, though.

It is impossible, see the photo I posted.

<http://picpaste.com/Screenshot-Biblioteca.Libros_-Biblioteca-native-_OpenOffice.org_Base__Table_Data_View.png>

Instead of getting “Asimov” I see “1”. If I do a query so that the “1” is
converted to “Asimov”, then I can not edit.

There is no way I can get a table where the names show and where I can
edit. Both things. Only rekall does this. And MS Access.

–
Cheers / Saludos,

Carlos E. R.
(from 11.2 x86_64 “Emerald” at Telcontar)

14

Sorry, can’t see it nor the other pictures you’ve posted throughout these threads. Is there some reason you’re unable to use a proper image link as provided by the forum software?

Sound like a problem with the table relations… which shouldn’t be insurmountable - with even a basic knowledge of SQL. Sorry, at some point you are going to have to learn something about it if you want to deal with ‘linked’ tables outside of M$ Access and your dead rekall program.

15

On 2010-11-26 23:06, memilanuk wrote:
>
> Sorry, can’t see it nor the other pictures you’ve posted throughout
> these threads. Is there some reason you’re unable to use a proper image
> link as provided by the forum software?

I don’t use the forum software at all.

The links are fine, they are plain picpaste links.

…]

Ok, I see the problem: the forum software has destroyed the links and
posted them as text. Copy the text into firefox adress line (without the
brackets), hit enter.

> Sound like a problem with the table relations… which shouldn’t be
> insurmountable - with even a basic knowledge of SQL. Sorry, at some
> point you are going to have to learn something about it if you want to
> deal with ‘linked’ tables outside of M$ Access and your dead rekall
> program.

I don’t see how knowing a bit of SQL will help me in any way. How will SQL
print the table in the screen, and allow me to edit the result of the SQL
query, so that it is uploaded to the database?

That’s a huge amount of coding. Several years work.

–
Cheers / Saludos,

Carlos E. R.
(from 11.2 x86_64 “Emerald” at Telcontar)

16

Not with modern CRUD frameworks. Web app coders don’t have that much job security. :wink:

But your point that it should be possible for a non-programmer to create and use personal databases is taken. That’s why Filemaker and Access still enjoy popularity.

17

On 2010-11-27 07:36, ken yap wrote:
>
> robin_listas;2258308 Wrote:
>> That’s a huge amount of coding. Several years work.
>
> Not with modern CRUD frameworks. Web app coders don’t have that much
> job security. :wink:

Yeah, obviously, nobody pays for such a program to be made from scratch
when there are other cheaper ways. For me it is a huge undertaking because
I know nothing. Others would have most of it known and done.

> But your point that it should be possible for a non-programmer to
> create and use personal databases is taken. That’s why Filemaker and
> Access still enjoy popularity.

That’s it.

It is something like excel/oocalc, word/oowrite, access/what?

Mind, I have said in the past that the easy is easy in access, and that the
complex is terribly hard in access. Then it is when a programmers comes in
and shines.

But I only want the simple part… Sigh.

Well, I still have two proposals they gave here to test.

–
Cheers / Saludos,

Carlos E. R.
(from 11.2 x86_64 “Emerald” at Telcontar)

18

I have suggested this before but you seemed to think it was beyond you.

How about you relax the requirement to be able to use your existing DB to being able to import your existing DB to Kexi? I.e. how about you create a database within Kexi using Kexi’s GUI, whose schema is close or even identical to what you have and then do an import from your existing database?

From what you described of your DB, it seemed like just a simple case of two tables where the author_id in the publication (?) table is a foreign key referencing the author table. I’m sure any of the MySQL users in this forum could tell you to proceed if you post the schema:

mysql -d -u username -p dbname

will dump the schema of your DB for you to post.

19

On 2010-11-27 13:36, ken yap wrote:
>
> I have suggested this before but you seemed to think it was beyond you.
>
> How about you relax the requirement to be able to use your existing DB
> to being able to import your existing DB to Kexi? I.e. how about you
> create a database within Kexi using Kexi’s GUI, whose schema is close or
> even identical to what you have and then do an import from your existing
> database?

Ok, I started kexi again.

I create new database on a file.

I created one table, books. Three fields: id, titles, authors, set id as
primary, and save.

I create another table, id, author. I try to set id as primary field, it
doesn’t hold. I try to save, it complains no primary key, set one
automatically? Yes. It defines new id2 as primary. Save is disabled.

Buggy as hell.

I have to switch to “data mode” and back to be able to choose the primary
key, and save.

Now, how do I tell kexi to use the table authors as a list of authors for
the table books? There is no link button.

No, imposssible, kexi is not an option.

>
> From what you described of your DB, it seemed like just a simple case
> of two tables where the author_id in the publication (?) table is a
> foreign key referencing the author table. I’m sure any of the MySQL
> users in this forum could tell you to proceed if you post the schema:
>
> mysql -d -u username -p dbname

cer@Telcontar:~> mysql -d -u cer -p biblioteca
mysql: unknown option ‘-d’

> will dump the schema of your DB for you to post.

No, no such option “-d”

–
Cheers / Saludos,

Carlos E. R.
(from 11.2 x86_64 “Emerald” at Telcontar)

20

Sorry, my mistake: s/mysql/mysqldump/