<p class="Paragraph">In <help:productname xmlns:help="http://openoffice.org/2000/help">%PRODUCTNAME</help:productname>, you have various possibilities for working with a database. You can:</p>
<ul class="L1">
<li class="">
<p class="P2">Incorporate databases in the <help:link Id="66191" xmlns:help="http://openoffice.org/2000/help">dBase</help:link> or <help:link Id="66165" xmlns:help="http://openoffice.org/2000/help">Text</help:link> format in <help:productname xmlns:help="http://openoffice.org/2000/help">%PRODUCTNAME</help:productname>,</p>
</li>
<li class="">
<p class="P2">Access an existing database via <help:link Id="66173" xmlns:help="http://openoffice.org/2000/help">ODBC</help:link> or <help:link Id="66183" xmlns:help="http://openoffice.org/2000/help">JDBC</help:link><help:switch select="System" xmlns:help="http://openoffice.org/2000/help"><help:case select="MAC">.</help:case><help:default>,</help:default></help:switch></p>
</li>
<li class="">
<p class="P2"><help:switch select="System" xmlns:help="http://openoffice.org/2000/help"><help:case select="WIN">access an <help:link Id="66188">ADO</help:link> database.</help:case></help:switch></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p class="Paragraph">The data source can be a directory in which dBase or text files are stored, or a data source for an existing database that you want to access. The entry depends on the database type you want to use in <help:productname xmlns:help="http://openoffice.org/2000/help">%PRODUCTNAME</help:productname>.</p>
<p class="P3">Adabas D format</p>
<p class="Paragraph">In Windows and Unix the <help:link Id="66189" xmlns:help="http://openoffice.org/2000/help">Adabas D format</help:link> can be used.</p>
<p class="P3">dBase or Text format</p>
<p class="Paragraph"><help:key-word value="dBase database" tag="kw66176_4" xmlns:help="http://openoffice.org/2000/help"/><help:key-word value="Text database" tag="kw66176_3" xmlns:help="http://openoffice.org/2000/help"/>If you want to include files in dBase or text format, simply indicate the corresponding directory of the files. Every file is listed on the <help:link Id="66174" xmlns:help="http://openoffice.org/2000/help"><span class="T1">Tables</span></help:link> tab as a database table so that it can be integrated into <help:productname xmlns:help="http://openoffice.org/2000/help">%PRODUCTNAME</help:productname> as a database table.</p>
<p class="P3">Accessing external databases</p>
<p class="Paragraph">Even when accessing a database system that offers an SQL interface, you need to enter a data source. The data source is specified by its label rather than a special directory. When you enter a data source, you automatically see the database tables of the data source on the <span class="T1">Tables</span> tab. They are available immediately for use in <help:productname xmlns:help="http://openoffice.org/2000/help">%PRODUCTNAME</help:productname>.</p>
<p class="Paragraph"><help:key-word value="ODBC database" tag="kw66176_2" xmlns:help="http://openoffice.org/2000/help"/>You can access an external <help:popup Id="65619" Eid="sqlserver" xmlns:help="http://openoffice.org/2000/help">SQL database</help:popup> via <help:popup Id="65619" Eid="odbc" xmlns:help="http://openoffice.org/2000/help">ODBC</help:popup>. If you installed the appropriate ODBC driver, you can access almost any external database that recognizes ODBC .</p>
<p class="Paragraph"><help:help-text value="visible" xmlns:help="http://openoffice.org/2000/help">This is where you enter the name you use to call the database in <help:productname>%PRODUCTNAME</help:productname>.</help:help-text> This name is only used to call the database within <help:productname xmlns:help="http://openoffice.org/2000/help">%PRODUCTNAME</help:productname> - absolutely no files in the database will be renamed.</p>
<p class="Paragraph"><help:help-text value="visible" xmlns:help="http://openoffice.org/2000/help">This is where the type of database is defined.</help:help-text>If you want to register a database, then in the combo box select the corresponding type of database from the database types offered. You can select between<help:switch select="System" xmlns:help="http://openoffice.org/2000/help"><help:case select="MAC"/><help:default>Adabas, </help:default></help:switch>dBase, Text, ODBC, JDBC, <help:switch select="System" xmlns:help="http://openoffice.org/2000/help"><help:case select="WIN">ADO,</help:case></help:switch> and spreadsheet.</p>
<p class="Paragraph"><help:help-text value="visible" xmlns:help="http://openoffice.org/2000/help">This is where you enter the data source URL you want to access.</help:help-text> A protocol schema will automatically be put in front of it, e.g. "sdbc:", "sdbc:dbase:", or "jdbc:".</p>
<p class="Paragraph"><help:switch select="System" xmlns:help="http://openoffice.org/2000/help"><help:case select="MAC"/><help:default>For databases in Adabas format, the name of the Adabas files is entered here. If you access a remote Adabas database, enter the data source as "Computer name:Database name" (without quotation marks).</help:default></help:switch></p>
<p class="Paragraph">For databases in dBase or text format, the directory that contains the dBase or text files forms the data source. In this case, the complete path to the respective directory is entered. If you want to access an external database via ODBC, the data source will be listed here.</p>
<p class="Paragraph"><help:help-text value="visible" xmlns:help="http://openoffice.org/2000/help">Clicking this button opens a dialog where you can select a data source.</help:help-text></p>
<p class="Paragraph">For databases of the dBase or text type you reach the <span class="T1">Select Path</span> dialog, by selecting the directory that contains your database. When ODBC or the address book driver is accessed the <help:link Id="66159" xmlns:help="http://openoffice.org/2000/help"><span class="T1">Data Source</span></help:link> dialog opens.</p>
<p class="Paragraph"><help:help-text value="visible" xmlns:help="http://openoffice.org/2000/help">For databases of the Adabas type the <span class="T1">New database</span> button appears. This opens the <help:link Id="66186"><span class="T1">Create New Adabas Database</span></help:link> dialog.</help:help-text></p>