Bug 158406

Summary:	Calc: data connectors (ODBC, OLEDB....) and query builder just like Excel
Product:	LibreOffice	Reporter:	Simon Aubert <simon.aubert>
Component:	Calc	Assignee:	Not Assigned <libreoffice-bugs>
Status:	NEW ---
Severity:	enhancement	CC:	buzea.bogdan
Priority:	medium
Version:	7.6.3.2 release
Hardware:	All
OS:	All
Whiteboard:
Crash report or crash signature:		Regression By:
Bug Depends on:
Bug Blocks:	104790
Attachments:	Excel screenshot

Description Simon Aubert 2023-11-27 22:05:00 UTC

Description:
Excel allows to get data from Database (with direct connectors, ODBC, OLEDB...) and from different services. I would like at least to connect to db with jdbc/odbc/oledb and API.

Best regards,

Simon



Steps to Reproduce:
N/A

Actual Results:
No

Expected Results:
Exactly the same feature than in Excel


Reproducible: Always


User Profile Reset: No

Additional Info:
No

Comment 1 Simon Aubert 2023-11-27 22:06:46 UTC

Created attachment 191069 [details]
Excel screenshot

Comment 2 Alex Thurgood 2023-12-11 11:47:59 UTC

You can already connect from Calc to a registered datasource, and the data is accessible either by direction copy/paste of data from a table, or via a query prepared and stored in the corresponding ODB database file, irrespective of how the ODB file connects to the database (C/C++ connector, JDBC, ODBC).

https://ask.libreoffice.org/t/insert-data-from-base-to-calc/48696

Comment 3 Simon Aubert 2023-12-11 11:55:48 UTC

Hello Alex Thurgood,

Sorry to write that but I don't think you understood the demand. I don't want to connect to an odb database at all.
I want to connect to... let's say postgresql or monetdb, or firebird, or Mariadb with an odbc connection. Excel allows that and it's cool. As a big user of databases at my work, that's today my main regret about Calc

Best regards,

Simon

Comment 4 Alex Thurgood 2023-12-11 12:08:46 UTC

Hi Simon

I understood what you were asking, but the functionality you want is already present, albeit you have to go through an ODB file to get to it.

I don't currently see that anyone will develop the functionality you are requesting:

(a) would require using the sdb/sdbc APIs, which are already complex and under-developed / maintained  ;

(b) would require a decision on where to store the information containing the query - as LO is essentially a document-centric program, then that information would need to be stored in the Calc ODS document itself - I don't know whether the ODF specification for Calc documents currently supports the storage of such an element (although presumably it does in part due to being able to access an ODB query/table) ;

(c) it would require a UI rework to bring in some of the Base UI components, e.g. - the UI connection part of the datasource creation/connection wizard ;
- the Query Designer UI

(d) were I a developer, I would have to ask myself why would I bother with all of the above when there is already an alternative working solution available ? 


None of the steps (a) to (c) are trivial undertakings.

Setting as RFE, but don't get your hopes up.

Comment 5 Simon Aubert 2023-12-11 12:32:35 UTC

Hello again Alex Thurgood,

First of all, thanks a lot for the explanations and your time. Yes, I know it's not trivial at all and there is only a little chance it will be implemented ;) 

Best regards,

Simon