Chapter 5: Read APPX Data with Excel, Access and LibreOffice
Load COUNTRY into LibreOffice Calc and Refresh It
First complete the registered Base connection and COUNTRY ordered query. Use Calc from the same 32-bit LibreOffice installation and profile. The AppxODBC Windows DSN and the registered Base connection have different roles: the DSN selects the gateway; the registered name locates the .odb file and its saved query.
- From Base, select File → New → Spreadsheet, or start the matching 32-bit Calc executable. Create a blank spreadsheet and select cell A1.
- Select View → Data Sources. Expand APPX-554-COUNTRY → Queries and select COUNTRY ordered. Supply the APPX login if requested. The data browser displays the query's rows above the worksheet.
- Leave worksheet cell A1 selected. In the data browser, click the small blank corner above the row selectors, to the left of the field headings, to select all seven records. Select Data to Text on the data-browser toolbar. This inserts the headings and records as a refreshable database range. Ordinary Copy → Paste produced static cells in this test; use Data to Text for the live range.
- Check A1:I8: one heading row, 7 data rows, and 9 columns. Enter
A:Iin the Name Box to select the nine columns, then use Format → Columns → Optimal Width to fit the contents. - Select a cell within the imported range, then select Data → Refresh Range. Wait for completion and check the same values. This re-runs the source query; editing the worksheet is not a supported way to update APPX.
- Save as APPX-554-COUNTRY.ods, retaining the ODF Spreadsheet format. Keep APPX-554-COUNTRY.odb at its registered location. The workbook's database range refers to the registered connection name and saved query.
- Exit LibreOffice, reopen the ODS in the matching 32-bit installation and profile, select a cell inside the imported range, and use Data → Refresh Range again. Supply the APPX password when prompted, wait for completion, and save.
The saved 5.5.4 workbook passed import, refresh, save and fresh-process reopen/refresh. Its seven records and nine fields match the independently checked native sample. The ODS retains a database range at Sheet1.A1:I8, using registered source APPX-554-COUNTRY and query COUNTRY ordered. No password is saved.


Keep the .odb connection, its LibreOffice registration, the Windows DSN and gateway access available for refresh. A workbook copied to another computer carries its saved worksheet data, but it does not install a driver, create a DSN or register its Base connection. Use the registration repair when the named source cannot be found. LibreOffice describes the Refresh Range command separately from refreshing a data-browser display.