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Allow OpenOffice database connections via Java UNIX
OpenOffice.org has potentially some very useful database connection abilities. However, the Mac OS X final beta version 1.0.1 released for installation via the GUI installer cannot connect to MySQL (for example) via a Java driver (JDBC). The missing link is a file named 'javarc.' This functionality can be obtained by generating a javarc file and placing it in the /Applications -> OpenOffice.org1.01 -> user -> config directory. That is the default setup by the GUI installer, and if you have put OpenOffice.org elswhere, then look for that directory in your own installation.

To generate the javarc file, use this listing posted by sd on the OpenOffice Documentation Project forum site (using Pico or your favourite text editor to cut and paste from here):
 [Install] 
 ExcludeVersion=1.1.7b 1.1.7B 1.1.8 1.2.2 1.3.1 1.3.1_02 
 AdditionalClasspath= 
 VerifiedVersion=1.3.1 1.3.1_02
 RequiredVersion=1.3.1
 InstallationPath=. 
  
 [Java] 
 Home=/System/Library/Frameworks/JavaVM.framework/Home 
 VMType=jdk 
 Version=1.3.1
 RuntimeLib=/System/Library/Frameworks/JavaVM.framework/JavaVM 
 JavaLibPath=/System/Library/Frameworks/JavaVM.framework/Libraries 
 SystemClasspath=/usr/local/java 
 Java=1 
 JavaScript=1 
 Applets=1
You will note that the listing refers to Java 1.3.1. This will work as is. I do not know if changing it to Java 1.4.1 will work with OpenOffice.org1.0.1 - I suspect it will not (if 1.4.1 is installed on your machine, it exists side by side with 1.3.1 in Mac OS X and both are available). However, changing the reference in the javarc file to Java 1.4.1 works for me with OpenOffice.org1.0.3 - this latest version is available from trinity.neooffice.org.

OpenOffice.org help contains details as to setting up a database connection via JDBC.
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Question for hint author
Authored by: macubergeek on Jun 14, '03 07:44:08AM

I'm not familiar with OpenOffice, does this hint mean that I can access existing mysql databases from within the gui of OpenOffice? If so that would be really cool!



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Question for hint author
Authored by: pjmurphy on Jun 14, '03 08:37:51PM

Yes that is correct.



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Allow OpenOffice database connections via Java
Authored by: MacTed on Jun 15, '03 12:37:29PM

Even better -- though I have not yet experimented with this, as I don't currently have OpenOffice installed -- this should enable OpenOffice to make database connections to any iODBC-linked ODBC data source, through OpenLink Software's JDBC-ODBC Bridge.

This bridge was written independently of Sun's rather disappointing bridge, and is available from OpenLink's main website.

If you are successful with this, please drop me a note, and if you have any trouble along the way, please open an OpenLink support case (there's no charge for web-based support).

---
Support Consultant - Mac Specialist, OpenLink Software

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