Database Applications/Tables
This lesson assists users in creating tables in their new Access database.
Objectives and Skills
editObjectives and skills for this lesson include:
Readings
editMultimedia
edit- GCF Global: Access 2016 Working with Tables
- Microsoft Access - Build tables with Table Designer
- Microsoft: Design and build tables for a database (Part 1)
- YouTube: MS Access 2016 - Create Simple Database
- YouTube: Best Demonstration of | Primary Key | Foreign Key | Composite Key | Candidate Key | Unique Key
- YouTube: Microsoft Access 2013 Tutorial - Creating Tables - Part 1 - Access 2013 Training for Beginners
- YouTube: How to Create Table Relationships
- YouTube: How To Create a New Table in Microsoft MS Design & Datasheet View
- Youtube: Access 2016 - Database Lessons For Students 01 - Tables
- YouTube: Access Database Basics-Referential Integrity
- YouTube: Microsoft Access 2016 for Beginners: Creating a Database from Scratch
Activities
edit- Learn how to create a new database. Youtube: Access 2016 - Creating a Database from Scratch
- Complete the tutorial GCF Global: Access 2016 Working with Tables.
- Review McFadyen: Relational Databases and Microsoft Access - Chapter 2 (Microsoft Access Creating Tables). Complete all of the exercises in Chapter 2.
Lesson Summary
edit- A database is an organized collection of data.[1]
- A table stores data as a collection of related data consisting of fields (columns), and rows.[2]
- A data type defines the data values for that specific data type stored in a field.[3]
- Each table should have a primary key which is the one value in each table that can not be repeated.[4]
- Two fields can be selected as the primary key for a table[5]
- Common Access data types include integers, short text, long text, date/time, autonumber, etc.[4]
Key Terms
edit- AutoNumber
- a type of data used in Microsoft Access that will automatically generate the next incremented numeric counter [6]
- attribute
- In database management systems like Microsoft Access, attributes are referred to as a database component. An example is in the Department's datasheet table, the "deptCode, deptName, and deptPhone" field is an attribute since all three fields are data for the table. [7]
- calculated field
- calculation are developed with in a field by applying several field values in a formula.
- caption
- The caption attribute of a field allows a more descriptive header than the field name. If nothing is entered into the caption the name of the field is used for the header. [8]
- composite key
- A composite key is a candidate key that consists of two or more attributes (table columns) that uniquely identify an entity occurrence (table row).[9]
- currency
- Currency data values stored in 8 bytes.
- date/time
- Date and time data values stored in 8 bytes.
- data type
- Data types indicate the type of data a variable can hold. When a variable is defined, a memory location will be assigned to the newly defined variable and it will also define the type of data that memory location will hold.[10]
- datasheet view
- An Access view used to view or modify data displayed in rows and columns.
- design view
- An Access view used to create tables, and edit the different attributes associated with each table.
- F1
- F1 key is universally associated with Help in most early Windows programs.[11]
- field name
- In computer science, a field name identifies a field in a database record. [12]
- field size
- The field size is the size of a field that can store data. Note that when changing a field size to a smaller value any existing records that have a field with more data than the new size will be truncated. You may need to consider making a backup if the field already contains data.[13]
- foreign key
- A foreign key is defined in a second table, but it refers to the primary key or a unique key in the first table.[14]
- Format Property
- Format Property is used to customize how texts, numbers, dates and times are displayed and viewed to the end user.
- input mask
- a set of simple rules that specifies the format in which data can be entered into a field.[15]
- large number
- Provides additional analytical capability.[16] Added in Access 2016. Not recommended if one needs to ensure compatibility with versions before Access 2016.[17]
- long text
- Long text can hold up to 2^30-1 bytes or around 1.07GB of text.[18] Is limited to 65,536 if entered via the user interface.[19] Additionally, long Text field works the same as the Memo field of old. That is, it can store up to about a gigabyte of text, even though controls on forms and reports can only display the first 64,000 characters. [[3]]
- long integer
- Long integer For example: 32 bits, whole numbers between -2,147,483,647 and +2,147,483,647.[10]
- Lookup Wizard
- Lookup Wizard is a type of data used in Microsoft Access that allows the user to choose input from the list of available values. [20]
- memo
- A text field that can store large amounts of data (65,536 characters in length). Now called Long Text.[21]
- number
- A field that stores only numbers. This field can store the following sizes 1, 2, 4, 8, 12, and 16 bytes depending on field size selected.[22]
- primary key
- A specific choice of columns which uniquely identify rows is called the primary key.[2]
- short text
- Short text can store up to 4000 characters.[18] The default is set to 255.
- short integer
- Short integer For example: 16 bits, whole numbers between -32767 and +32767.[10]
- table
- A table is a collection of related data held in a structured format within a database which consists of columns and rows. [2]
- validation rule
- conditions that restrict user input in a particular field.
- yes/no
- This data type restricts the values to yes or no using a checkbox.
Review Questions
edit-
An Access database filename extension is _____.An Access database filename extension is a .accdb, separated from the base filename by a dot or space, used to indicate the file's content format or usage.
-
Setting the _________ will define what the column can hold.Setting the data type will define what the column can hold.
-
Database software is _____.Database software, also known as database management systems (DBMSs), are specially designed applications that interact with the user, other applications, and the database itself to capture and analyze data.[23]
-
Each column in an Access table datasheet represents a ____.Each column in an Access table datasheet represents a Field.
-
True or False: A table can have more than one primary key.True, this is called a composite primary key.
-
Designating a ____ ____ restricts the information entered in a field and ensures a uniform look for that data within the database.Input Mask.
See Also
editReferences
edit- ↑ Wikipedia: Database
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Wikipedia:Table (database)
- ↑ Wikipedia:Data type
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Wikibooks: Microsoft Office/Create a basic two table database with reports
- ↑ Wikipedia: Database
- ↑ Wikipedia: AutoNumber
- ↑ [1]
- ↑ [2]
- ↑ Wikipedia: Compound key
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 Wikiversity: C/Data Types and Keywords
- ↑ Wikipedia: Function key
- ↑ Wikipedia: Field name
- ↑ "Set the field size". support.office.com. Retrieved 2019-01-31.
- ↑ Wikipedia: Foreign key
- ↑ Wikipedia: Input_mask
- ↑ "Using the Large Number data type". support.office.com. Retrieved 2019-01-31.
- ↑ team, the Access (2017-03-06). "New in Access 2016—Large Number (BigInt) support". Microsoft 365 Blog. Retrieved 2019-01-31.
- ↑ 18.0 18.1 "Data types for Access web apps". support.office.com. Retrieved 2019-01-25.
- ↑ "Access specifications". support.office.com. Retrieved 2019-01-25.
- ↑ McFadyen, Ron. “Relational Databases and Microsoft Access”, 2016.
- ↑ "The Memo data type is now called "Long Text"". support.office.com. Retrieved 2019-01-25.
- ↑ "Introduction to data types and field properties". support.office.com. Retrieved 2019-01-31.
- ↑ Wikiversity: Editing IC3/Database Software (section)