Bug 105039 - "Analyze SQL command" help should probably refer to "Filter" and "Sort" form properties, rather than "Content list box" property.
Summary: "Analyze SQL command" help should probably refer to "Filter" and "Sort" form ...
Status: NEW
Alias: None
Product: LibreOffice
Classification: Unclassified
Component: Documentation (show other bugs)
Version:
(earliest affected)
5.2.3.3 release
Hardware: x86-64 (AMD64) Linux (All)
: medium normal
Assignee: Not Assigned
URL:
Whiteboard:
Keywords:
Depends on:
Blocks:
 
Reported: 2017-01-02 07:09 UTC by Howard Johnson
Modified: 2024-03-18 15:30 UTC (History)
1 user (show)

See Also:
Crash report or crash signature:


Attachments
Screen shot of help in question (116.47 KB, image/png)
2017-01-02 07:09 UTC, Howard Johnson
Details
Form properties dialog (31.53 KB, image/png)
2017-01-02 07:11 UTC, Howard Johnson
Details

Note You need to log in before you can comment on or make changes to this bug.
Description Howard Johnson 2017-01-02 07:09:54 UTC
Created attachment 130082 [details]
Screen shot of help in question

Hi guys,

The F1 help returned for the "Analyze SQL command" Form Properties input, refers to "Content list box", but I think it should probably refer to "Filter" and to "Sort" instead.

* Here is the help in question returned to me:

"Analyze SQL command

Specifies whether the SQL statement is to be analyzed by LibreOffice. If set to Yes, you can click the ... button next to the Content list box. This will open a window where you can graphically create a database query. When you close that window, the SQL statement for the created query will be inserted in the Content list box."


* I don't see a "Content list box" field in the Form Properties, at least not at the form I'm looking at, which is the LO sample database: Media_without_Macros.odb.

* I'm using the "LibreOffice Built in help in English" help installed from http://download.documentfoundation.org/libreoffice/stable/5.1.6/deb/x86_64/LibreOffice_5.1.6_Linux_x86-64_deb_helppack_en-US.tar.gz

* To get this help to display, I'm either hitting the F1 key, or clicking Menu | Help | LibreOffice Help.

* Note: When I change Analyze SQL command from Yes to No, the Filter and Sort inputs are then grayed out, and later un-grayed, when I return this input to Yes.


Thanks for the documentation.
Comment 1 Howard Johnson 2017-01-02 07:11:55 UTC
Created attachment 130083 [details]
Form properties dialog

Here's where the F1 help is clicked, and the Form Properties it relates to.
Comment 2 Gabor Kelemen (allotropia) 2017-01-02 08:12:56 UTC
That should be the "Content" listbox, above "Analyze SQL command".

At the very least a bit of emphasis could be added :).
Comment 3 Gabor Kelemen (allotropia) 2017-01-02 22:51:36 UTC
I played a bit with this dialog:

The ... button next to the "Content" list box is not activated when "Analyze SQL command" is set to Yes (or even to No).
Instead the "Content type" needs to be set to "SQL command" for that.
Setting "Analyze SQL command" to No makes the Filter and Sort field inactive, this could be mentioned in the help of this command.

Also the text for "Content type" ends with this "not exactly true" sentence: "You can then enter the statement for the SQL query or the subform directly in the List content box on the Control properties Data tab page." - as in, there is no "List content box", this should be "Content list box" too.
Comment 4 Howard Johnson 2017-01-03 02:42:50 UTC
Hi again,

I remember how baffled I was when I first encountered this stuff in early Access versions many years ago. It is the first big thing that is quite different in Base from say, a spreadsheet.  So I feel it is very important to help the new user quickly understand this data setup, as being so fundamental to using forms and subforms.  I want more people to use Base.  So I want it to be easier to use.  

I suppose there are three ways that this all could be more clear:


1) First, I think the name `Analyze SQL command` could be more to the point.  Is it possible to rename it to `Enable Filter and Sort`?  (BTW. MS Access calls this same feature `Enable Filter`.)  I would think this would be the first, best way to improve overall clarity.


2) But failing that, is there some way to produce a hover mode flyout help message explaining this property better, i.e. saying that what it actually does is: enable the Filter and Sort properties?


3) Or failing even that, there might be better F1 help.  See my specific suggestions below.  Also I think the F1 help needs usage examples.  I suggest you give a few examples for each and every one of these parameters.  I think people learn much more quickly from examples than from explanations.


Here is what I suggest for help verbiage:




---------------------------------------------------------------
Content type

To select the data your form will operate on, select a `Content type` and then specify a related `Content`.  Later you can also possibly specify a Filter criteria and/or Sort specification.  Content types:

Table/View - To read or write to a Table or View, set `Content type` to `Table` and `Content` to a table or view's name.

Query - To read or write to a query, set `Content type` to `Query` and `Content` to a query's name.

SQL - To read or write to a data set described by a SQL statement, set `Content type` to `SQL` and `Content` to the actual SQL code to specify the data set.

Examples:
    Content type     Table
    Content            Payroll
   
    Content type     Query
    Content         Payroll query
   
    Content type     SQL
    Content         ( SELECT FirstName, LastName FROM Payroll )


Notes:

* If you wish to create or write records, any table needs to be writeable, and any query or SQL needs to be updatability.

* Each Form and SubForm has it's own independent (but possibly overlapping) data set.  A SubForm's data set is often linked to its parent's form with special criteria which filter a subset of the SubForm's data.

* See also: `Filter` and `Sort`

* If using a SubForm see also:  `Link Master Fields`, and `Link Slave Fields`.  These engage additional selection criteria dependent on the parent's form.




---------------------------------------------------------------
Content

See Content type above.




---------------------------------------------------------------
Filter


(Note: at the moment I'm not seeing any help for Filter when I click F1 on it)


Enter any criteria desired to limit the data read via Content Type and Content.  Format of this criteria is the same as for a SQL WHERE statement. 

This is only one of two possible filter stages, the other one being a subform link that produces it's own, additional data filtering so that a subform can respond to what is selected in a master form.

Example:

    Filter        FirstName='Fred'


See also: `Content type` and SubForm linking via `Link master fields`, and `Link slave fields`.




---------------------------------------------------------------
Sort

"Specifies the conditions to sort ..." etc.  (Good enough I think, but pls add a usage example:).

Example:

    Sort        FirstName, LastName DESC





---------------------------------------------------------------
Thanks guys!
Comment 5 Xisco Faulí 2017-04-13 08:43:47 UTC
Adjusting Assignee...
Comment 6 Xisco Faulí 2017-09-11 08:56:23 UTC
Dear developer,
This bug has been in ASSIGNED status for more than 3 months without any activity. Resetting it to NEW.
Please assigned it back to yourself if you're still working on this.
Comment 7 Andreas Säger 2024-03-18 15:30:16 UTC
This property specifies if LO should interprete the SELECT statement or not. It applies to the record set of a form, listbox or combo box. 
"Analyse SQL command" is the negation of "direct SQL mode".