HSQLDB Integration

This is a (more technically orientated) page about the integration of the HSQLDB engine[1] into OpenOffice.org.

Things To Do

• localize error messages (currently all hard-cod English)
• get rid of the "default_schema=true" parameter?

OpenOffice.org-specific settings

Connection settings which are currently necessary to connect to HSQLDB embedded in an OpenOffice.org database file

• storage_key: unique key which globally identifies the connection/storage
• fileaccess_class_name: Name of the class implementing the file access
• default_schema=true: lets HSQLDB behave as if it doesn't support schemas

Desired Features

• single-file
  This would allow to get rid of the temporary files which are currently needed when working on the embedded HSQLDB, and thus remove some performance penalties
• separation of the "auto increment" from the "primary key" concept. Currently, if you declare a column to be an auto increment column, it inevitable becomes the primary key
• editable views
  Currently, if you create a view as simple as SELECT * FROM table, this is not updateable, even if table itself is.
  (side note: Hmm, have to check which part OOo plays here - perhaps it's OOo's fault in real?)
• more tolerance when changing column definitions
  For non-professional users, it's quite common that a database schema is not defined once and then fixed, but instead evolves over time, as requirements evolve. HSQLDB currently is pretty restrictive in some areas, preventing some of such on-demand adjustments to the database.
  For instance, simply (?) changing the length of a column is prohibited as soon as the column is part of a relationship.
• updatable result sets
  This would allow updatable views (wouldn't it?)
• column aliases as variables, see Issue 66837