What is wrong with libre office base?

Today I wanted to open a database created in 2015. It opened but I couldn’t access any tables the error message being:

The connection could not be established. The database was created by a newer version of LibreOffice.
details revealed
SQL Status: HY000

So I created a new database, saved it and when I try to open I get the same errors.

I am on Linux Mint 18 and
libre office Version: 5.1.6.2
Build ID: 1:5.1.6~rc2-0ubuntu1~xenial2
CPU Threads: 4; OS Version: Linux 4.4; UI Render: default;
Locale: en-US (en_US.UTF-8); Calc: group

Help is greatly appreciated

#Edit 2018-1-13

When I examine the .odb file using an archive utility and open /database/properties with gedit I get:

'#'HSQL Database Engine 2.3.0

'#'Tue Dec 05 08:33:28 CET 2017

version=2.3.0

modified=yes

When I create a new database with my current libre-office base version which is Version: 5.1.6.2, the properties file has:

'#'HSQL Database Engine 1.8.0.10 '#'Fri Jan 12 16:41:32 CET 2018 hsqldb.script_format=0 runtime.gc_interval=0 sql.enforce_strict_size=true hsqldb.cache_size_scale=8 readonly=false hsqldb.nio_data_file=false hsqldb.cache_scale=13 version=1.8.0 hsqldb.default_table_type=cached hsqldb.cache_file_scale=1 hsqldb.lock_file=true hsqldb.log_size=10 modified=yes hsqldb.cache_version=1.7.0 hsqldb.original_version=1.8.0 hsqldb.compatible_version=1.8.0"

So obviously the error message is correct but how it got that way I have no idea. Since the first post I have reproduced this with several different .odb files created around the same time the original was created.

Is there a way to change my setup in a way that I can open both types of databases?

I’m confused by your question. You write, “The database was created by a newer version of LibreOffice.” but this seems to be in conflict with, “Today I wanted to open a database created in 2015”? Also let’s be clear, by “database” do you mean a .mdb file or do you mean the underlying database that the .mdb file can sometimes hold for embedded databases? Can you open LO, create a HSQLDB database (create and connect to it actually), and create a table in it and edit it?

I am not writing that “The database was created with a newer version of LibreOffice”, that was part of the error message I got. By database I mean an .odb file with embedded database created with LO-base.

edit 2018-1-13
in todays situation I can create, edit, close and reopen, which I couldn’t when I posted the original question. I still can’t open the original.

Hello,

There are a number of possibilities as to the cause. Without the actual .odb I could not tell for certain.

Please look at my answer in this post for some possible solutions. If you can’t figure it out, the actual .odb is needed for further evaluation.

Edit:

Also based on the last comment, it appears you have modified the Class Path for HSQLDB in Tools->Options->LibreOffice->Advanced. This may be the cause of your problems. This would create a DB based upon the pointed to version but when trying to re-open, LO is looking for HSQL embedded v1.8 - not proper way of using newer version of HSQL.

Edit 1/13/2018:

First I would ask that you re-read my above answer & provided info in the link. It is completely relevant.

The further information provided in the question is not going to change the answer. The LO version your are using today seems to be working correctly. However, when the inoperable .odb files were created, they were done so most likely with a different HSQL being pointed to thus making them incapable of being opened as embedded files. The link above states how to possibly repair them.

As for using both as embedded DB’s in the same system, it can’t be done (unless you compile & configure your own version of LO). Regardless of settings, if LO views the settings in the .odb as other than HSQL v1.8, it rejects them with the error of being generated by a new version of the database.

If this answers your question please click on the :heavy_check_mark: (upper left area of answer).