Why LO Base created a new ODB database when new PostgreSQL connection?

[PatrickDemets]

Windows 10 Pro
LO 6.4
PostgreSQL 10

I created a new connection to an existing active PostgreSQL 10 database, and I noticed that Base created a separate, but somehow linked, ODB database (in a folder of my choice). All PostgreSQL tables were migrated to this new ODB database (that I dumbly named “New Database” because I didn’t know what I was doing). I created a form front-end to some tables, and I’m able to add/change/delete rows. Referential Integrity works as defined, server-side triggers and sequences work fine. Any changes in this ODB New Database are reflected in my PostgreSQL database (when looking at it with pgAdmin4).

My best guess is that the ODB database stores all “LO Base”-related objects, like forms, reports, stored queries, etc., that are important to Base but that PostgreSQL doesn’t know about. But why duplicate the data? Also, can this ODB database be considered stand-alone? Say for example, I dropped the whole PostgreSQL database, would the ODB database still work?

Thanks,
Patrick

[Wanderer]

I can’t see what you’ve done, but usually you only have a second connection to the same database. The data is not duplicated, only the forms and queries in the odb are new in the other .odb.

If you edit data from one connection a query from the other will show the updated data.

Your last question is something else (DON’T TRY !!! )
If you drop tables they are lost for both/all connections, and you should know where your backup is.
But your queries are still there and could maybe connected to another database of the same structure. (I’m doing this sometimes with a bunch of SQLite-Databases; one for every laptop used offline to enter data. But I would usually not do this with postgres.

AND the .odb with form and query can’t retreive any data without connection or if the database is lost/dropped

J.

[PatrickDemets]

Ok, thanks.If I get this correctly, the ODB database is just a transparent layer over the PostgreSQL database (at least as far as the tables and views are concerned). As you say, no data is stored in that ODB database, it’s just a pass-through. Makes sense now.

LO Base is quite slick actually. I’m still experimenting on how to best represent and work with many-to-many relationships, as well as supertype/subtype structures (I tend to subtype too much, but that comes from many years of modelling without having to actually implement my designs – now I have to eat my own dog food.Yikes!)

Thanks again!