Even with all of the high quality software available, sometimes you just have to break down and write a custom application, and usually you don't have a lot of time to devote to it. This is the situation I found myself in when my wife started a new business and needed a simple means of tracking sales leads. To her credit, she realized that she couldn't simply use a spreadsheet and needed a database application. So I decided that I'd see just how involved it would be to write an application with Open Office's database program, known as Base.

When I started, I'd never used Base before and even had to install the program on both my machine and my wife's before I could get started. I had used Microsoft Access many years ago and I do have a lot of experience with PostgreSQL and MySQL, so I figured I'd be able to pick up Base in short order and be able to build a customized application for my wife. Now there have been many articles written about Base. (See References, below) This article isn't a How-to, or a product review. Instead this article is more of a crash course that covers the point in time right after initial installation to the point where you have a working application. I came in with zero experience with Base and not a lot of time to climb a steep learning curve. Two evenings later, I had a basic application that my wife could at least get started with. As I learn more, I expect to improve the program, but in the mean time, she's able to get some use out of it.

So let's get started.

As with any database application, and even ones as simple as this one, it helps to draw