Creating Forms

This task requires us to create a form.
A form is used to display data so it is easy to read and more understandable then just reading off a data table.

This is a screenshot of my created form. It makes the general infomation about the product easier to read.

Data Types

There are nine possible data types in Access, They are:
-Text
-Number
-Currency
-Attachments
-Hyperlink
-Yes/No
-OLE Object
-Date/Time
-Memo

All these types have different roles and usages in the creation of the databases.

I have created a database for data types listing the Data type, typical usage, size and an example.

Queries

Contact name and number of companies in the USA?

This was done through creating a query and selecting Product name, Product Number and Country. I wrote USA in the criteria and it showed me the four companies in the USA.
Product names that cost more then $20.00

I did this through creating a query and selecting Product name and Unit Price. I wrote >20 and the query selected all the products that were priced above $20.00
Products with more then 30 items in stock-

I did this through creating a query and selecting Product name and Units in stock. I wrote >30 in the criteria and the query selecting all the products with more then 30 units in stock.

Querying A Database

What sort of information has the query selected?
Any product that has a price that is $10.00

What sort of information has this second query selected?

Any product that has a price that is $20.00 or more. ( I did this by saying >19)

Describe the type of information these queries are selecting.

1. This query has selected any of the products with a recorder level of 10.

 2.  This query has selected any of the products with any recorder level. This is done through not putting a particular amount into the criteria section of the query.

Creating a Basic Database

Notes:

• 
  
  Part 1
  
  
  -Tables Organize your data.
  
  
  -All databases in Access contain at least one table.
  
  
  -Tables store data, so they're essential building blocks of any database. 
   
  Fig. 1  The row containing information about United Package is a record.
  Fig. 2  The column containing phone numbers is a field.
  
  
  -A database should have a separate table for every major subject.
  
  
  -Each table contains rows called records and columns called fields.
  
  
  -A record is a collection of facts about a particular person, event, CD, or other item of interest. 
  
  
  -A field is a single kind of fact that may apply to each person, event, or other record.
  
  
  -If an existing field name isn't descriptive enough, you can rename the field.
  
  
  -A field's data type limits and describes the kind of information you can enter in a field, such as Number or Currency.
  
  
  -You use a unique identifier, called a primary key, for each record in your table.
   
• -Field properties are a set of characteristics that provide additional control over the data.  
  
  
  -The fields in your database have settings that determine the type of data they can store, how the data is displayed, and what you can do with the data. 
  
  
  -One important setting for fields is the data type, including number, text, currency (money), and date/time.
  
  -Each record in each table should be unique—in other words, you wouldn't have two identical records about Nancy Davolio in the same database. But what if you have two employees named Nancy Davolio?
  
  -To distinguish one record from another, tables can contain a primary key field.
  
  -The primary key is an identifier—such as a part number, a product code, or an employee ID—that's unique to each record.
  
  -The primary key should be a piece of information that won't change frequently.
  
  -Employee ID appears in both tables—as a primary key and as a foreign key.
  
  -A primary key separates similar information and makes each record unique.
  
  -You relate one table to another using a primary key. This is how tables share data, and how you can avoid repeating information in both the tables.
  
   TEST RESULTS
  
  
  Part 2
  
  -Queries can answer  questions by assembling stored data from your database, or by performing calculations with the data to provide further information.
  
  -To answer questions, queries retrieve, filter, sort, and assemble data on command. Another important power of queries is to combine the data from several tables into a single view.
  
  -A query can also remove data.
  
  -Forms enable people to enter or view data in your database easily.
  
  -Forms control and simplify data input.
  
  -Forms make data from a table or a query easier to understand by presenting it in visually appealing designs.
  
  -A report converts data into a formatted document.
  
  -Using reports, you can group your data, perform calculations on it, and add headings and other formatting to make it more meaningful and easier to read. 
• TEST RESULTS
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

Database Definitions

Field:  A space allocated for a particular item of information. A tax form, for example, contains a number of fields: one for your name, one for your Social Security number, one for your income, and so on. In database systems, fields are the smallest units of information you can access. In spreadsheets, fields are called cells.

Record:  In database management systems, a complete set of information. Records are composed of fields, each of which contains one item of information. A set of records constitutes a file. For example, a personnel file might contain records that have three fields: a name field, an address field, and a phone number field.
In relational database management systems, records are called tuples.

File: A collection of data or information that has a name. Almost all information stored in a computer must be in a file. Different types of files store different types of information. For example, program files store programs, whereas text files store text.

Query:  A request for information from a database

Database: Often abbreviated DB. A collection of information organized in such a way that a computer program can quickly select desired pieces of data. You can think of a database as an electronic filing system. Traditional databases are organized by fields, records, and files.

Report: A formatted and organized presentation of data. Most database management systems include a report writer that enables you to design and generate reports.

DBMS: Stands for Database Management System. This is a collection of programs that enables you to store, modify, and extract information from a database.

Data Dictionary: A data dictionary contains a list of all files in the database, the number of records in each file, and the names and types of each field. Most database management systems keep the data dictionary hidden from users to prevent them from accidentally destroying its contents.

Data Type: Is a classification of a particular type of information. It is easy for humans to distinguish between different types of data. We can usually tell at a glance whether a number is a percentage, a time, or an amount of money. We do this through special symbols -- %, :, and $ -- that indicate the data's type. Similarly, a computer uses special internal codes to keep track of the different types of data it processes.

1. Illustrate, with the aid of a table or diagram, what is a file, record and field.

                                   

The whole table is a file.

Data> field> Records> File

2. List as many commonly used databases as you think of – you should be able to come up with at least five.

      1. School Library

      2. Contacts

      3. Archives

      4. White Pages

      5. Itunes Library.

Using an electronic Database

Defintion of Database:

• A database is a collection of data that is organized so that its contents can easily be accessed, managed, and updated.
•  A database is a specific collection of information or other data that is organized in a structured fashion.

Examples of Databases:

• Address Book/Contacts
• Library
• Newspaper
• TV Guide

WolframAlpha has a lot of infomation about the word you have searched for (such as origin, synonyms, defintion, etc.) but not so much about what the actual thing is.

1.    I know there is a computer shop in the main street of Katoomba (Katoomba St.), but I don’t know its name. See if you can find the number for me.

      Bennet Office Supplies, 122 Katoomba St, Katoomba NSW 2780
      ph: (02) 4782 2228

                    

2.    Sally lives in Merrylands on Fowler Rd. and she wants to know the closest florist to where she lives. Help her out (see if you can get her a map).

M & A Fresh Cut Flowers

Beautiful Bouquets And Flowers For Any Occasion

91a Fowler Rd, Merrylands NSW 2160

                    

3.    You want the phone numbers of some motels in Noosa QLD. But of course your phone book only has NSW numbers?
       Hotel Laguna

      ph: (07) 5447 3077

¨      Is the yellow/white pages a database? Give reasons for your answer.

Yes. It stores related infomation such as address, phone number, etc.

¨      What can you see as some of the advantages of using this electronic database compared to the conventional paper based version of the yellow pages?

        It is easier and less time consuming. It is also easier to edit if the person or buisness moves or changes something. You can search by any category and by multiple categories. It saves space. Easier access even from home. Duplication/Backup.

¨      Do you see any dangers or disadvantages in this online version of the yellow pages?

         It is not hard to find where someone lives and their phone numbers. Invasion of privacy. Internet crashes or internet unavailability such as in remote areas, money problems, elderly.