All the Ways You Can Create Stored Data and Bring It Into Documents

All the Ways You Can Create Stored Data and Bring It Into Documents

OpenOffice.org have a bunch of features relating to predefined, stored information, and how you get it out. However, it's used differently depending on the type of information, and gets all used together sometimes. For instance, the mail merge templates use just about everything, so something simple like predefined name and address get sucked into something more complicated like data sources.

So to clarify what the features are and just where it all is, here's Table 33-1.

Table 33-1. Topics related to stored data and using it

Tasks you want to do	Where you do it	Where to go in this book
Setting up predefined bits of data like signatures, business card information, etc.	AutoText icon in main toolbar	Creating AutoText Entries on page 866
Using those predefined bits of data	AutoText icon in main toolbar	Inserting AutoText Entries in Your Document on page 870
Setting up predefined bits of data like page numbers , conditional fields, etc.	Insert > Fields > Other, or double-click a field to edit it or create a new one	Editing Fields on page 865
Using those bits of data	Insert > Fields > Other	Inserting Fields on page 859
Setting up databases/data sources	Tools > Data Sources	Chapter 35, Creating and Modifying Data Sources , on page 871.
Taking predefined bits of data and/or fields from data sources, and doing mail merges	File > AutoPilot > Letter or other selections View > Data Source	Chapter 10, Mail Merges, Business Cards, and More , on page 357
Creating a form for viewing data source information, containing fields, buttons , etc., using the AutoPilot	File > AutoPilot > Form	Getting Started With Forms on page 922
Creating your own form for viewing data source information	Form Functions icon on the main toolbar	Basics for Creating a Form on Your Own on page 932
Making fields in forms run a macro when you complete a task in a form.	Form Functions icon on the main toolbar, right-click and choose Control or Form	Macro and Events Basics on page 947
Bring a data source into a spreadsheet using the Data Pilot	Data > Data Pilot	Simple Procedures for Bringing Data Sources Into Spreadsheets on page 515

Help With Data Sources

In addition to the Help topics mentioned in Getting Help on page 96, see Good Sources of Information Online on page 39.

You can also see an example data source and form that connects to it at www.getopenoffice.org/templates.html