devries Posted August 13, 2005 Report Share Posted August 13, 2005 Last week some articles appeared on the web how OpenOffice.org could be used to manage a MySQL database. Since I needed a database to acces my addressbook I thought it would be a good idea to use MySQL (note: it is not a good idea if you don't already run MySQL (for example for Mythtv). Just for an addressbook it is complete overkill). However getting things to work wasn't so easy so to help other people avoid making the same errors I made I'm writing this little howto. To begin with: Mandriva uses urpmi to install software. Most of the time it works really well. Not in this case though. The software we need will have be installed manually. Openoffice uses a java driver to talk to MySQL so you nee to have installed a java runtime environment. If you have a j2re installed with a rpm you need to uninstall it. Download the latest self-extracting bin from java.com. Extract the java folder from the .bin file (I'm not going in to all the details. If you need more information just post your questions). Now download the driver (link). Extract the folder from the tar, open the folder and copy the driver (mysql-connector-java-3.0.17-ga-bin.jar is the latest version) to $HOME/jre1.5.0_04/lib/ext (j2re1.5.0_04 is the latest java version). To complete the installation move the java folder jre1.5.0_04 to /usr/java. Now we have to tell OpenOffice.org to use this java installation. Click on 'extra', 'options' on 'java' and select the new j2re. Restart OpenOffice. As last we have to edit a MySQL config file. With your favorite text editor open /etc/sysconfig/mysqld and from the line MYSQLD_OPTIONS="--skip-networking" remove --skip-networking. That's it. Now OpenOffice can talk to MySQL In OpenOffice.org click on 'file', 'new', 'database'. Choose 'connect to an existing databse' and from the drop down menu select MySQL. Click next and choose to connect with JDBC. Click next, fill in the fields and test the driver. Click next, do the same and test the connection. Click next and finish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jza Posted August 18, 2005 Report Share Posted August 18, 2005 I have to disagree, openoffice.org is really easy to work for address book is actually on a wizard to import your address book from your mozilla address book or whenever. Mandrake is also a great distro, it install apache, php and mysql righ from the instalation cd (althought on the latest I didnt found the mysql server which was a hassle). And at the end u just working out from the box. I have experience problems with the latest blackdown java since it has some issues calling a class to connect to mysql. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
devries Posted August 19, 2005 Author Report Share Posted August 19, 2005 I know :) Anyway, it's not a good idea to use MySQL for an adressbook. https://mandrivausers.org/index.php?showtopic=27329 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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