Do I Need Java To Create A Database?

[JEJeffrey]

I am happily running Libre Office 4.2.3.3 under Windows 8.1. I have a lot of data in a *.ods spreadsheet and want to write a ‘front end’ using Libre Office Base to produce reports, allow queries etc. When I launch ‘Base’ and point it to the spreadsheet, I get a message telling me I need Java Runtime Environment on my PC (and presumably on any PC that I copy the front end to).

I would prefer not to install (or rely on) any extra software unless it is essential. Is there another way of doing what I want to do without involving JRE?

The data spreadsheet is on a network-attached drive so I can access it from any PC on my home network, but I don’t think the situation would be any different if it were on the PC local drive.

[frofa]

It seems that ‘file-based’ data sources (like spreadsheets) require drivers that don’t support advanced SQL functions - see this thread, so you might need to import your .ods file into Base to run SQL queries and reports based on such queries. You’re in a bind, because currently the default Base ‘engine’ is HSQLDB v1.8 which requires JRE. You could use Base as a front-end to various other ‘flavours’ of SQL ‘backends’ such as MySQL, PostgreSQL, and (hopefully soon Firebird), and provided ‘direct’ drivers exist (and I think they do), you would not need JRE to connect to your database. Note: JRE is also required for many (?) of the wizards, and the REPORT BUILDER (RB) in Base, so you might have to do without those to - see this list of Java dependencies in Base. It’s possible to do without RB and use Calc to do your reporting.