QUESTION/DISCUSSION1.How to create a table1.Understanding
TablesA table is a set of columns and rows. Each column is called a
field. Within a table, each field must be given a name and no two
fields can have the same name. Each value in a field represents a
single category of data. For example, a table might have three
fields: Last Name, First Name, and Phone Number. The table consists
of three columns: one for last name, one for first name, and one
for phone number. In every row of the table, the Last Name field
contains the last name, the First Name field contains the first
name, and the Phone Number field contains the phone number. Each
row in a table is called a record.
All of the data in a table should refer to the same subject. For
example, all of the data in the Employees table should refer to
employees, all of the data in the Students table should refer to
students, and all of the data in the Courses table should refer to
courses.You can view an Access database as a collection of related
tables. For example, in a database that contains tables for
Employees, Students, and Courses, the Employees table lists the
employees, the Students table lists students, and the Courses table
lists the courses students can take.After Access creates a blank
database, it opens in Datasheet view and makes available the tools
you need to create a table. Datasheet view displays a table as a
set of columns and rows. When you view a blank database for the
first time in Datasheet view, you see a column named ID. This
column is by default the primary key field.
Aprimary keyis a field or combination of fields that uniquely
identify each record in a table. No two records in a table should
have the same values in every field. For example, the following
should not occur in a table.Last NameFirst NameCity
SmithJohnJonestown
SmithJohnJonestown
In the real world, it is possible to have two people from the
same city with the same first and last name. In cases like this,
you can use the ID field as the primary key field and use it to
make each record unique. The ID field has a data type of
AutoNumber; as a result, Access automatically creates a unique
number for each record in the database. The resulting table will
look like the one shown here.IDLast NameFirst NameCity
1SmithJohnJonestown
2SmithJohnJonestown
Access provides several methods for creating a table. One method
is to use the Rename option with the Add New Field column labelto
give each column the field name you want it to have and then to
type or paste your data into the table. Field names can include
letters, numbers, and spaces and can be up to 64 characters long.
When choosing a field name, try to keep it short.When you save your
table for the first time, Access gives you the opportunity to name
your table. Each table name must be unique; hence, two tables in
the same database cannot have the same name. The table name should
describe the data in the table; can consist of letters, numbers,
and spaces; and can be up to 64 characters long. When choosing a
table name, try to keep it short.You can save a table by clicking
the Save button on the Quick Access toolbar or by right-clicking
the Tables tab and then choosing Save from the menu that
appears.
2.To add fields to a table:
1. Click the Add New Field column label.2. Activate the
Datasheet tab.3. Click Rename in the Fields & Columns group.4.
Type the field name.5. Press Enter. Access creates the field.6.
Type the next field name. Access creates the field. Continue until
you have created all of the fields in your table.7. Press Enter
without entering a field name to end your entries.Or1. Right-click
the Add New Field column label. A menu appears.2. Click Rename
Column.3. Type the field name.4. Press Enter. Access creates the
field.5. Type the next field name. Access creates the field.
Continue until you have created all of the fields in your
table.
3.Name and Save a TableAfter you create a table, you must name
and save it.To name and save a table:
1. Click the Save button on the Quick Access toolbar. The Save
As dialog box appears.Type the name you want to give your table.2.
Click OK. Access names your table.
4.To use Design view to create a new table:
1. Activate the Create tab.2. Click Table Design in the Tables
group. Access changes to Design view and the Table Tools become
available.
3. Type the first field name in the Field Name field.4. Press
the Tab key.5. Click the down-arrow that appears when you click in
the Data Type field and then select a data type.6. Click Primary
Key if the column you created is a primary key. A small key appears
next to the field name.7. Press the Tab key.8. Type a description.
The description is optional.9. Press the Tab key. Access moves to
the Field Name field.10. Repeat steps 3 through 10 until you have
created all of your fields.
5.To use the Lookup Wizard to create a lookup column:Open the
Lookup Wizard
1. Open the table to which you want to add a lookup column.2.
Click the field label for the field before which you want to add a
lookup column.3. Activate the Datasheet tab. (You must be in
Datasheet view.)4. Click the Lookup Column button in the Fields
& Columns group. The Lookup Wizard appears.5. Make sure the
radio button next to I want the lookup column to look up the values
in a table or query. is selected.6. Click Next. The Lookup Wizard
moves to the next page.
2.How to create a Query1.How are queries used ?Queries are far
more powerful than the simple searches or filters you might use to
find data within a table. This is because queries can draw their
information frommultipletables. For example, while you could use
asearchin the customers table to find the name of one customer at
your business or afilteron the orders table to view only orders
placed within the past week, neither would let you view both
customers and orders at once. However, you could easily run
aqueryto find the name and phone number of every customer who's
made a purchase within the past week. A well-designed query can
give information you might not be able to find out just by
examining the data in your tables.When you run a query, the results
are presented to you in a table, but when you design one you use a
different view. This is calledQuery Design view, and it lets you
see how your query is put together.
2.To create a simple one-table query:Select theCreatetab on the
Ribbon, and locate theQueriesgroup.Click theQuery
Designcommand.
Access will switch toQuery Design view. In theShow Tabledialog
box that appears, select the table you would like to run a query
on. We are running a query about our customers, so we'll select
theCustomerstable.
ClickAdd, then clickClose.The selected table will appear as a
small window in theObject Relationship pane. In the table window,
double-click thefield namesyou would like to include in your query.
They will be added to theDesign Gridin the bottom part of the
screen.
In our example, we want to mail invitations to customers who
live in a certain area, so we'll include theFirstName,Last
Name,Street Address,City, andZip Codefields. We aren't planning on
calling or emailing our customers, so we don't have to include
thePhone NumberorEmailfields.
Set thesearch criteriaby clicking on the cell in theCriteria:row
of each field you would like to filter. Typing criteria into more
than one field in the Criteria: row will set your query to include
only results that meet all criteria. If you want to set multiple
criteria but don't need the records shown in your results to meet
them all, type the first criteria in the Criteria: row and
additional criteria in theor:row and the rows beneath it.
3.For this one-table query, we'll use simple search criteria.We
want to find our customers who live in the city ofRaleigh, so in
ourCityfield we'll type"Raleigh". Typing "Raleigh" inquotation
markswill retrieve all records with anexact matchfor "Raleigh" in
the City field.Some customers who live in the suburbs live fairly
close by, and we'd like to invite them as well. We'll add their zip
code,27513, as another criteria. Because we want to find customers
who either live in Raleighorin the 27513 zip code, we'll type
"27513" in theor:row of theZip Codefield.
After you have set your criteria,runthe query by clicking
theRuncommand on theDesigntab.
The query results will be displayed in the query'sDatasheet
View, which looks like a table. If desired,saveyour query by
clicking theSavecommand in the Quick Access toolbar. When prompted
to name it, type in the desired name, then clickOK.
Now you know how to create the simplest type of query with
onlyone table. In the next lesson, you'll learn how to create a
query that usesmultiple tables.
3.How to create a Form1.To create a simple one-table
query:Select theCreatetab on the Ribbon, and locate
theQueriesgroup.Click theQuery Designcommand.
Access will switch toQuery Design view. In theShow Tabledialog
box that appears, select the table you would like to run a query
on. We are running a query about our customers, so we'll select
theCustomerstable.
ClickAdd, then clickClose.The selected table will appear as a
small window in theObject Relationship pane. In the table window,
double-click thefield namesyou would like to include in your query.
They will be added to theDesign Gridin the bottom part of the
screen.
In our example, we want to mail invitations to customers who
live in a certain area, so we'll include theFirstName,Last
Name,Street Address,City, andZip Codefields. We aren't planning on
calling or emailing our customers, so we don't have to include
thePhone NumberorEmailfields.
Set thesearch criteriaby clicking on the cell in theCriteria:row
of each field you would like to filter. Typing criteria into more
than one field in the Criteria: row will set your query to include
only results that meet all criteria. If you want to set multiple
criteria but don't need the records shown in your results to meet
them all, type the first criteria in the Criteria: row and
additional criteria in theor:row and the rows beneath it.
2.For this one-table query, we'll use simple search criteria.We
want to find our customers who live in the city ofRaleigh, so in
ourCityfield we'll type"Raleigh". Typing "Raleigh" inquotation
markswill retrieve all records with anexact matchfor "Raleigh" in
the City field.Some customers who live in the suburbs live fairly
close by, and we'd like to invite them as well. We'll add their zip
code,27513, as another criteria. Because we want to find customers
who either live in Raleighorin the 27513 zip code, we'll type
"27513" in theor:row of theZip Codefield.
After you have set your criteria,runthe query by clicking
theRuncommand on theDesigntab.
The query results will be displayed in the query'sDatasheet
View, which looks like a table. If desired,saveyour query by
clicking theSavecommand in the Quick Access toolbar. When prompted
to name it, type in the desired name, then clickOK.
Now you know how to create the simplest type of query with
onlyone table. In the next lesson, you'll learn how to create a
query that usesmultiple tables.
3.To add a field to a form:Select theDesigntab, then locate
theToolsgroup on the right side of the Ribbon.Click theAdd Existing
Fieldscommand.
TheField Listpane will appear. Double-click the desired
field(s).
The field will be added.
You can also use the above procedure to add fields to a totally
blank form. Simplycreate a formby clicking theBlank Formcommand on
theCreatetab, then follow the above steps to add the desired
fields.
4.To add a field from a different table:You can also add fields
fromdifferent tablesin your database to the form.From theField
Listpane, clickShow All Tables.Click the plus sign+next to the
table that contains the field you wish to add, then double-click
the desired field.
The new field will be added.
4.How to create a Reports1.To create a report:Reportsgive you
the ability to present components of your database in an
easy-to-read, printable format. Access lets you create reports from
bothtablesandqueries.Open the table or query you would like to use
in your report. We want to print a list of cookies we've sold, so
we'll open theCookies Soldquery.
Select theCreatetab on the Ribbon. Locate theReportsgroup, then
click theReportcommand.
Access will create a new report based on your object.It's likely
that some of your data will be located on the other side of thepage
break. To fix this,resizeyour fields. Simply select a field,
thenclickanddragits edge until the field is the desired
size.Repeatwith additional fields until all of your fields fit.
Tosaveyour report, click theSavecommand on theQuick Access
toolbar. When prompted, type anamefor your report, then
clickOK.
Just like tables and queries, reports can besortedandfiltered.
Simplyright-clickthe field you wish to sort or filter, then select
the desired option from the menu.2.Deleting fieldsYou might find
that your report contains some fields you don't really need to
view. For instance, our report contains theZip Codefield, which
isn't necessary in a list of orders. Fortunately, you
candeletefields in reports without affecting the table or query
where you grabbed your data.To delete a field in a report:Click any
cell in the field you would like to delete, then press theDeletekey
on your keyboard.
The field will be deleted.When you delete a field, be sure to
delete its header as well. Simply select the header and press
theDeletekey.
3.To print a report:Click the buttons in the interactive below
to learn aboutPrint Preview.
From theHometab, click theViewcommand, then selectPrint
Previewfrom the drop-down list. Your report will be shown as it
will appear on the printed page.
If necessary, modify thepage size,margin width, andpage
orientationusing the related commands on the Ribbon.
Click thePrintcommand.
ThePrintdialog box will appear. Set any desired print options,
then clickOK.The report will be printed.4.Saving reportsYou can
save reports in other formats so they'll be viewable outside of
Access. This is calledexportinga file, and it allows you to view
and even modify reports in other formats and programs.Access offers
options to save your report as anExcel file,textfile,PDF,HTML
document, and more. Experiment with the different export options to
find the one that best suits your needs.
5.How to create a Relationship One of the advantages of
Relational Database Management System such as Access 2010is to
easily setup tables and relationships with constraints to make them
more tightly followed. One feature is being the ability to create
and maintain relationships between tables.1.To start create a
relationsip tableTo start off with, Launch Access,create tablesfor
defining relationships among them.For Instance, I am using an
existing database with tables (primary keys assigned and data types
with constraints applied ). Launch Access 2010, navigate toDatabase
Toolson new Access ribbon and clickRelationshipsbutton.
2.Make a colomns names in tableAccess will openRelationshipstab
withShow TableDialog box. Select tables, queries or both, and hit
Add.
You will see selected tables/queries small windows with columns
names inRelationships window.Now sit back start pondering over the
selected tables to relate them properly. In this example I am using
only four tables (AddictiveTips Example, Courses, Lecturer, Mark
Sheet).
3.Creating many one relationshipI am now creating
one-many-relationship betweenAddictiveTips Example(Student)
andCoursestable. Click & hold the primary key ofAddictiveTips
Example,drag it and drop overcourse nameinsmall window
ofCourses.ImmediatelyEdit Relationshipsdialog window will pop-up.
Here you can create new relationship between tables, Specify Join
Type, and Enforce Referential Integrity. For demonstration purpose,
I am going to ignore all options and hitCreate.
You will see one-many relationship created betweenAddictiveTips
Examples IDandcourse code.4.Creating the junction tableIn this case
there are two ways of linked products to orders. We can create a
junction table with ansurrogateprimary key field, like the ID
Autonumber field Access automatically provides.We can also create
our owncompositeprimary key that consists of the two foreign key
field in the junction table. I will show you both ways and discuss
the implications of each solution.Create the junction table using a
surrogate keyThe junction table with surrogate primary key will
have three fields, including the ID primary key field that Access
automatically creates for you. The two non-primary key fields
areforeign keys. They will reference the primary keys of the Order
and Product tables (or perhaps some other tables in your
case).Create a new table and name it something like
LeftTable2RightTable. In my example I named it Order2Product. This
notation is often chosen for junction tables.Go to thedesign viewof
your new table (Readhow to create a table in Access 2010if you need
more info on creating tables in design view).Leave the
automatically supplied ID primary key field in tact. Add two new
fields. In my example I createdorderandproductfields. The order
field will reference the primary key of the Order table. The
product field will reference the primary key of the Product
table.Make sure your fields are of thesame data typeas the primary
key fields they will reference.The example below is a finished
junction table with some data. The order and product fields are
both of theNumbertype, because they both refer to an Autonumber
primary key field, which is in fact a Number field that is managed
by the database.
5.Create the actual relationshipsThe final steps in creating the
many-to-many relationship is creating the actual relationships in
the Relationships view. Creating a many-to-many relationship is a
matter of creating two one-to-many relationships. Here is how you
do it.Open theRelationshipview by going to the Database Tools tab
on the ribbon and selecting the Relationships button.
In the Relationships screen, add the three tables you want to
create the many-to-many relationship with to the screen. You can do
this bydraggingtables from the left onto the screen or by using
theShow Tablewindow, which is accessible via the Show Table button
on the ribbon.When your tables are on the Relationship screen drag
the primary key fields of the entity tables (Order and Product in
this example) to their counterparts in the junction table.
When you drag and drop a primary key field onto a field in
another table, Access knows you want to create a relationship and
it brings up theEdit Relationshipswindow. This is where you create
the actual relationship. In order to create a many-to-many
relationship you must createtwo one-to-many relationships.
Create a one-to-many relationship between both your entity
tables (Product and Order in this example) and the junction table.
Select all three integrity options (Note: the integrity options are
discussed in the articleCreate a one-to-many relationship in
Access).When both one-to-many relationships are created you have
really created a many-to-many relationship, because a many-to-many
relationship is made of two one-to-many relationships. The end
result should look like this: