OpenOffice.org Base Switchboard-1.0.0

The Switchboard extension generates a Switchboard/Main Menu interface to access Base forms and reports. The switchboard can be grouped into categories, each of which can contain any number of menu entries. Furthermore, you can specify the size and screen location of the form to be opened.

The generators creates three database objects.

1. The SWITCHBOARD table which has some basic information about the switchboard such as size and location of main form as well as size and positioning of menu entries.
   
2. The SWITCHBOARDITEMS table which has the menu entries configuration information.
   
3. The SWITCHBOARD form. This is a blank form generated by the wizard, and is populated with the menu entries. This form document can be modified by the user—keeping in mind that the menu entries need to be positioned at runtime.
   

All these items are generated automatically when the extension main hook is invoked, and that database document does not have said objects. The main hook is can be accessed through the Tools | Add-ons | OpenOffice.org Base menu option. The extension can only be invoked from a Registered Base document.

Currently, there are four times of menu entries that can be generated. Forms, Reports, Switchboards, and Switchboard Links. The Form and Report entries open a form or report, respectively. At runtime, the difference between a Switchboard and Switchboard Link is trivial. A Switchboard is an entry which can appear as the parent of other entries (a menu). A Switchboard Link is an entry that links to another Switchboard menu—but does not have entries; this is usefully to get back to another menu (such as main menu) from an entry that may be nested somewhere down the hierarchy.

A Database form or report need not be located in the database where the Switchboard is located. This feature makes it possible to have a main switchboard that gives access to forms and reports from any number of databases.