Even if
it
can
look
weird (use a GIS tool not to update a GIS
base) there are occasions when it proves
very
useful.
A GIS base comprises two types of information : spatial information ( geometry ) and attributes information . For many field projects there is untrained GIS staff responsible for maintaining the information , especially attributes , of a GIS database.
It is easier to provide them
with a tool such as LibreOffice rather
than training them in GIS. In this
article we will discuss the remote
update of a database Postgresql / Postgis. It is obvious
that the updates will only concern the data attributes
, the creation of geometries remaining reserved
for the use of a GIS client.
We will use as Postgres client, LibreOffice Base, the
equivalent of Microsoft Access. LibreOffice Base allows the
creation of forms , used as updated interface with a
database.
To download LibreOffice, follow
this link .
For more information regarding forms creation with LibreOffice, here a
link to the corresponding
documentation .
You will find abundant
documentation and tutorials on how to use forms
with LibreOffice. By cons it
is
not easy to find how to connect to a Postgresql database with LibreOffice.
It
is this point what we will discuss here .
You must start with LibreOffice
Base
The first time you want to connect to your
postgresql database, choose Connect a
database existing
and
select
PostgreSQL. Next time you
can use the option Open a
Database file existing
.
The Connection settings
window is displayed .
It is here that, usually, you find
the first problem since there is no clear documentation on the structure of the
URL to enter . Moreover, this is
not a URL it’s actually a chain Connection:
dbname = name of your
database hostaddr = IP address
of the base port = 5432 user = postgres password
= password postgres
dbname must correspond
exactly
the name of your database appears in the window pgAdminIII
hostadrr is the IP address of the
server Postresql . If you
are
in
local, localhost corresponds, in general, to the address
127.0.0.1.
Harbor is the Postgresql listening
port . It appears next to the server name. If you
keep
the default configuration it is
5432.
The user and password
have
to match a user defined in
the Postgresql database. If you want
to sign in administrator, it is
postgres
and
the password that you have defined
when
installing Postgresql.
The user setting window appears :
Enjoy to test the connection and check,
as
well as, the connection string entered in the window former
works
correctly
.
Save the connection file , as well you
can
you
save
all
these
operations
in future connections: you will
select in the first window Opening
a database file existing
and you point to this file .
You are now connected
to the Postgres database.
You can navigate
in
different diagrams , tables and views
of your base.
On the left window you have the Query and
Forms
buttons that you will let you create them.
Just an advice
to finish . When you
create
a
form
, the first window allows you to choose the fields to integrate
in
the form .
Avoid
selecting the geom field. Adding it to the form
does
not make sense and the user may, inadvertently, make its
content unusable .
