Documentation

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version 1.1.8

Introduction:

HyperSQLOOo is part of a Suite of LibreOffice and/or OpenOffice extensions allowing to offer you innovative services in these office suites.

This extension allows you:

• To overcome bug 139538 for users of LibreOffice on Linux.
• To use HyperSQL database in embedded mode, making the database portable (a single odb file).
• To take advantage of the improvements offered by the jdbcDriverOOo extension:
  • The management of users and roles (groups).
  • The management of nanoseconds and time zones.
  • The management of java.sql.Array, java.sql.Blob, java.sql.Clob…
• To replace the integrated HsqlDB 1.8 driver provided by LibreOffice / OpenOffice, a version that will soon be more than 20 years old, with a recent HsqlDB version of your choice.
• To support the ACID properties of the underlying HsqlDB database.

If you wish to migrate odb files created with LibreOffice or OpenOffice and HsqlDB version 1.8, it is imperative to use the lastest version of HyperSQLOOo. The migration procedure is given in the How to migrate an embedded database section.

Being free software I encourage you:

• To duplicate its source code.
• To make changes, corrections, improvements.
• To open issue if needed.

In short, to participate in the development of this extension.
Because it is together that we can make Free Software smarter.

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Requirement:

The HyperSQLOOo extension uses the jdbcDriverOOo extension to work.
It must therefore meet the requirement of the jdbcDriverOOo extension.

If you are using LibreOffice on Linux and LibreOffice was installed with the package manager, Your Python packages may be system-provided and outdated. The extension’s logging will allow you to check if this is the case. It is accessible via the menu: Tools -> Options -> LibreOffice Base -> Embedded HsqlD driver -> View log -> System Info and requires restarting LibreOffice after activation.
If outdated packages appear, you can update them with the command:
pip install --upgrade <package-name>

For more information see: What has been done for version 1.1.0.

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Installation:

It seems important that the file was not renamed when it was downloaded.
If necessary, rename it before installing it.

• Install jdbcDriverOOo.oxt extension

  This extension is necessary to use HsqlDB version 2.7.4 with all its features.

• Install HyperSQLOOo.oxt extension

Restart LibreOffice after installation.
Be careful, restarting LibreOffice may not be enough.

• On Windows to ensure that LibreOffice restarts correctly, use Windows Task Manager to verify that no LibreOffice services are visible after LibreOffice shuts down (and kill it if so).
• Under Linux or macOS you can also ensure that LibreOffice restarts correctly, by launching it from a terminal with the command soffice and using the key combination Ctrl + C if after stopping LibreOffice, the terminal is not active (no command prompt).

After restarting LibreOffice, you can ensure that the extension and its driver are correctly installed by checking that the io.github.prrvchr.HyperSQLOOo.Driver driver is listed in the Connection Pool, accessible via the menu: Tools -> Options -> LibreOffice Base -> Connections. It is not necessary to enable the connection pool.

If the driver is not listed, the reason for the driver failure can be found in the extension’s logging. This log is accessible via the menu: Tools -> Options -> LibreOffice Base -> Embedded HsqlDB Driver -> Logging Options.
The HyperSQLLogger logging must first be enabled and then LibreOffice restarted to get the error message in the log.

Remember to first update the version of the Java JRE or JDK installed on your computer, this extension need the new version of jdbcDriverOOo that requires Java version 17 or later instead of Java 11 previously.

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Use:

How to create a new database:

In LibreOffice go to: File -> New -> Database…:

In step: Select database:

• select: Create a new database
• in: Emdedded database: choose: Embedded HsqlDB Driver
• click on button: Next

In step: Save and proceed:

• adjust the parameters according to your needs…
• click on button: Finish

Have fun…

How to import data from a Calc file:

LibreOffice offers you the possibility to import data from Calc directly into an existing table or one created for this import. Here is the procedure to follow:

• You must first create a new HsqlDB database as described in the previous section.
• In Calc select a range of cells then: Edit -> Copy. When creating a new table, it is possible to put in the first row the names of the columns as they will be imported into this new table.
• In Base (ie: the new HsqlDB database), after selecting Tables in the Database pane, right-click in the Tables pane then: Paste and follow the wizard that LibreOffice offers. It is important to name the table with a full name (ie: PUBLIC.PUBLIC.Table1). See the HsqlDB documentation about the default catalog and schema.

How to migrate an embedded database:

If you want to migrate an integrated database (HsqlDB version 1.8.0) to a newer version (for example 2.7.2), follow these steps:

1. Make a copy (backup) of your database (odb file).
2. If not already installed, install this extension and the jdbcDriverOOo extension.
3. Update driver archive of the HsqlDB driver in: Tools -> Options -> Base drivers -> JDBC driver -> JDBC drivers settings -> Driver archive -> Update, with a version 1.8.0.10.
4. Restart LibreOffice / OpenOffice after changing the driver (hsqldb.jar).
5. Open the odb file in Base (double click on the odb file).
6. In Base go to: Tools -> SQL and type the SQL command: SHUTDOWN COMPACT or SHUTDOWN SCRIPT.

• Repeat this procedure at step 3 using version 2.4.0 or 2.4.1 or 2.5.0.
• Repeat this procedure at step 3 using version 2.7.2.

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How does it work:

HyperSQLOOo is an com.sun.star.sdbc.Driver UNO service written in Python.
It is an overlay to the jdbcDriverOOo extension allowing to store the HsqlDB database in an odb file (which is, in fact, a compressed file).

Its operation is quite basic, namely:

• When requesting a connection, several things are done:
  • If it does not already exist, a subdirectory with name: . + odb_file_name + .lck is created in the location of the odb file where all HsqlDB files are extracted from the database directory of the odb file (unzip).
  • The jdbcDriverOOo extension is used to get the com.sun.star.sdbc.XConnection interface from the subdirectory path + /hsqldb.
  • If the connection is successful, a DocumentHandler is added as an com.sun.star.util.XCloseListener and com.sun.star.document.XStorageChangeListener to the odb file.
  • If the connection is unsuccessful and the files was extracted in phase 1, the subdirectory will be deleted.
• When closing or renaming (Save As) the odb file, if the connection was successful, the DocumentHandler copies all files present in the subdirectory into the (new) database directory of the odb file (zip), then delete the subdirectory.

The main purpose of this mode of operation is to take advantage of the ACID characteristics of the underlying database in the event of an abnormal closure of LibreOffice. On the other hand, the function: file -> Save has no effect on the underlying database. Only closing the odb file or saving it under a different name (File -> Save As) will save the database in the odb file.

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How to build the extension:

Normally, the extension is created with Eclipse for Java and LOEclipse. To work around Eclipse, I modified LOEclipse to allow the extension to be created with Apache Ant.
To create the HyperSQLOOo extension with the help of Apache Ant, you need to:

• Install the Java SDK version 8 or higher.
• Install Apache Ant version 1.9.1 or higher.
• Install LibreOffice and its SDK version 7.x or higher.
• Clone the HyperSQLOOo repository on GitHub into a folder.
• From this folder, move to the directory: source/HyperSQLOOo/
• In this directory, edit the file: build.properties so that the office.install.dir and sdk.dir properties point to the folders where LibreOffice and its SDK were installed, respectively.
• Start the archive creation process using the command: ant
• You will find the generated archive in the subfolder: dist/

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Has been tested with:

• LibreOffice 24.2.1.2 (x86_64)- Windows 10

• LibreOffice 7.3.7.2 - Lubuntu 22.04

• LibreOffice 24.2.1.2 - Lubuntu 22.04

• LibreOffice 24.8.0.3 (x86_64) - Windows 10(x64) - Python version 3.9.19 (under Lubuntu 22.04 / VirtualBox 6.1.38)

I encourage you in case of problem
to create an issue
I will try to solve it

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Historical:

What has been done for version 0.0.1:

• The writing of this driver was facilitated by a discussion with Villeroy, on the OpenOffice forum, which I would like to thank, because knowledge is only worth if it is shared…

• Using the old version of HsqlDB 1.8.0 (can be easily updated).

• Added a dialog box allowing to update the driver (hsqldb.jar) in: Tools -> Options -> Base drivers -> Embedded HsqlDB driver

• Many other fix…

What has been done for version 0.0.2:

• Now the driver automatically splits an odb when opened… This allow conversion of odb files produced by the built-in LibreOffice / OpenOffice HsqlDB driver

• Many other fix…

What has been done for version 0.0.3:

• I especially want to thank fredt at hsqldb.org for:

  • His welcome for this project and his permission to use the HsqlDB logo in the extension.

  • The quality of its HsqlDB database.

• Now works with OpenOffice on Windows.

• When unzipping, a file name clash now displays a precise error.

• Now correctly handles spaces in filenames and paths.

• Many other fix…

What has been done for version 0.0.4:

• Modification of Driver.py in order to make possible the use of the Uno service: com.sun.star.sdb.RowSet.

• Many other fix…

What has been done for version 0.0.5:

• Writing a DocumentHandler to allow:
  • The extraction of the database files contained in the odb file on connection.
  • Saving database files to odb file when closing it.
• Rewrote Driver.py to allow:
  • Its operation with the new JDBC driver provided by the extension jdbcDriverOOo version 0.0.4.
  • The support for the new DocumentHandler to make odb files portable as they were in LibreOffice / OpenOffice with version 1.8 of HsqlDB.
• Many other fix…

What has been done for version 1.0.0:

• Renamed the extension from HsqlDBembeddedOOo to HsqlDriverOOo.

• Integration of HyperSQL version 2.7.2.

What has been done for version 1.0.1:

• Renamed the extension from HsqlDriverOOo to HyperSQLOOo.

• Fixed bug 156511 occurring when using the com.sun.star.embed.XStorage interface. The workaround is to use the copyElementTo() method instead of moveElementTo(). Versions of LibreOffice 7.6.x and higher become usable.

What has been done for version 1.0.2:

• The absence or obsolescence of jdbcDriverOOo extension necessary for the proper functioning of HyperSQLOOo now displays an error message.

• Many other things…

What has been done for version 1.1.0:

• All Python packages necessary for the extension are now recorded in a requirements.txt file following PEP 508.
• Now if you are not on Windows then the Python packages necessary for the extension can be easily installed with the command:
  pip install requirements.txt
• Modification of the Requirement section.

What has been done for version 1.1.1:

• Support for new features in jdbcDriverOOo 1.1.2.

What has been done for version 1.1.2:

• Support for the latest version of jdbcDriverOOo 1.3.1.
• When saving under a different name, the database if open will be closed correctly.
• When opening an odb file, if the connection fails, to avoid data destruction, recompression of the database files will not take place. Thanks to Robert for being able to detect this issue.

What has been done for version 1.1.3:

• Use of the new data format implemented in version 1.1.2. As a result, if you need to open odb files created with a version lower than 1.1.2 you must first open them with version 1.1.2, otherwise an error will be thrown.

What has been done for version 1.1.4:

• Updated the Python packaging package to version 24.1.
• Updated the Python setuptools package to version 72.1.0.
• The extension will ask you to install the jdbcDriverOOo extension in versions 1.4.2 minimum.

What has been done for version 1.1.5:

• Fixed issue #2 which appears to be a regression related to the release of JaybirdOOo. Thanks to TeddyBoomer for reporting it.
• Updated the Python setuptools package to version 73.0.1.
• The extension options are now accessible via: Tools -> Options -> LibreOffice Base -> Embedded HsqlDB Driver

What has been done for version 1.1.6:

• Logging accessible in extension options now displays correctly on Windows.
• Changes to extension options that require a restart of LibreOffice will result in a message being displayed.
• Support for LibreOffice version 24.8.x.

What has been done for version 1.1.7:

• Requires the latest version of jdbcDriverOOo 1.4.4.
• In the extension options it is possible to define the options: View system tables, Use bookmarks and Force SQL mode which will be specific to this driver.

What has been done for version 1.1.8:

• The extension will ask you to install jdbcDriverOOo extension in versions 1.4.6 minimum.
• Modification of the extension options accessible via: Tools -> Options -> LibreOffice Base -> Embedded HsqlDB Driver in order to comply with the new graphic charter.

What has been done for version 1.2.0:

• Passive registration deployment that allows for much faster installation of extensions and differentiation of registered UNO services from those provided by a Java or Python implementation. This passive registration is provided by the LOEclipse extension via PR#152 and PR#157.
• It is now possible to build the oxt file of the HyperSQLOOo extension only with the help of Apache Ant and a copy of the GitHub repository. The How to build the extension section has been added to the documentation.
• Any errors occurring while loading the driver will be logged in the extension’s log if logging has been previously enabled. This makes it easier to identify installation problems on Windows.
• Requires the jdbcDriverOOo extension at least version 1.5.0.

What remains to be done for version 1.2.0:

• Add new language for internationalization…

• Anything welcome…