Calc linked range database path: absolute vs relative

[frankpapa]

I’m running 7.3.7.2 on the an up-to-date Linux Mint system. I created a Calc file with multiple linked ranges to a Base file holding an embedded HSQLDB database. Both the Calc and the Base file are stored locally, in the same directory.

I had to reboot my computer, and when I next opened my Calc file, every time I tried to refresh a linked range, I would get an error saying that the connection couldn’t be established.

I tried to create a new linked range from the same Base file, and it worked fine. The linked ranges I originally made showed a path of “/viewname”.
The new linked list (that worked), showed the entire file path “file://…filename.odb/viewname”.

In both cases, I created the linked list by dragging a view from Base into Calc.

• Are there different ways of creating linked ranges in Calc in which I can cause either a relative or absolute file path be used? I would prefer to use a relative path, since I will be giving this application to other people to use.
• Is there anything I can do to make my original linked ranges with the relative paths work again?

[frankpapa]

I stumbled across the answer:

• When a linked range is created from dragging a table/view from Base, the link path is an absolute file path (ie: file://…).
• When a linked range is created from dragging a table/view from the list of registered databases, the link path is described as [registereddatabasename]/[tablename].
• My specific problem probably happened because there were two different databases with the same name in the list of registered databases. Once I deleted both of them, re-registered the correct database, and linked from that (dragged a table/view from the registered database list to the Calc sheet), I got everything working again.

I certainly learned a lot researching this. I hope this helps somebody else!