What is a database? - WordPress.com · Reports vs. Forms Reports and forms are used to give people...
Transcript of What is a database? - WordPress.com · Reports vs. Forms Reports and forms are used to give people...
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Lesson - 1 What is a database? A database is any
collection of data that is organized for quick retrieval.
Databases can be computer based or paper based
Examples of Databases Computer Based
Databases
Bank databases
School databases
Business databases
Paper Based Databases
Telephone book
Address book
Index of a book
Paper Based
Computer Based
Types of Computer Based Databases There are two main types of
databases:
Flat Database
Relational Database
Flat Database Is a simple database model, where all the
information is stored in a plain text file, one database record per line.
Relational Database All information in the
database is stored in related tables each consisting of rows and columns.
The tables can be linked to each other in the database by the use of values common to more than one table.
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Relational Database What is MS Access 2010? Access is a powerful database
management program that can be used for:
storing,
organizing,
retrieving, and
reporting (summarize and print) information.
What can we do with a database? Find the related data
Analyze, manage, manipulate and retrieve the data
Display the information as a chart, graph or Web page
Print or publish uses friendly reports
Automate auto repetitive tasks
Export the data to other programs such as MS Excel and MS Word, and
Protect the data from errors
Access or Excel? An Excel spreadsheet is a good choice to do calculations,
analysis such and graphing.
But Excel is relatively poor at handling lots of different sets of related data.
An Access database is used for storing lots of data in a format that can be searched and summarized on reports.
It is ideal for setting up and managing sets of related data, but is relatively poor at the mathematical analysis whereas Excel is good at.
Microsoft Access Database Objects
A database usually consists of several objects.
An Access database might contain up to seven different database object types.
Microsoft Access Database Objects
Tables
Queries
Forms
Reports
Pages
Macros
Modules
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Tables Tables store a
database’s data in rows (records) and columns (fields).
A database must always contain at least one table where it can store the information.
Tables
In a database table:
Rows are called Records
Columns are called Fields
Queries
Queries ask a question of data stored in a table.
Forms
Forms are custom screen that provide an easy way to enter, view and modify the data in a table or query.
Reports Reports present
data from a table or query in a printed format
Pages A special type of Web
pages designed for viewing and working with Access data from an Intranet or Internet.
It is the only external object of a MS Access Database.
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Macros Macros help us to
perform routine tasks by automating them in a single command.
Modules
Are like Macros, modules automate tasks but by using a built-in programming language called Visual Basic for Applications or VBA.
They are much more powerful and complex than macros.
Class Work - 1 Create a simple school database with one table. The
table is going to contain students’ personal information, like: Student_ID
Student_Name,
Student_Surname
BirthDate
BirthPlace
PhoneNumber
Student_Email
Student_Address
Lesson - 2
Creating and Modifying
Tables
Tables form the essential foundation of a
relational database and the development of a
database begins with building the tables to
store the distributed data.
A table in a database is divided in Records
(Rows) and Fields (Columns).
Table Views There are four different
views of tables:
Datasheet View
PivotTable View
PivotChart View
Design View
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Primary Key Primary key is the unique identifier of a table.
Primary key is used to prevent duplicates of
records.
Datasheet View
It is similar to Excel worksheet view.
Rows in datasheet view are called Records.
Columns are called Fields.
Design View of a able
Is used to define
Names,
Properties and
Descriptions
of fields.
Data Types in Table
Design View
Text
Memo
Number
Currency
AutoNumber
Date/ Time
Yes/No
Ole object
Hyperlink
Data Types in Table Design
View
Text:
Used to store any text or number that does not require
calculations up to 255 characters in length.
Memo:
Used to store paragraphs, sentences or large block of text
up to 65535 characters in length.
Number:
Used to store various kinds of numbers that are used in
calculations.
Data Types in Table
Design View
Currency:
Is used to store currency values.
AutoNumber:
Unique sequential or random values generated
for use as primary key.
Date/ Time:
Used to store dates and times.
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Data Types in Table Design
View Yes/No:
Used to store two-valued data. Yes or No appears as
checkbox in a table.
Ole object:
Used to get data from Windows based applications such us
images, graphs and movies clips.
Hyperlink:
Used to link a document, a file on our computer or an
internet resource.
Example
Lesson - 3 What is a Form?
Forms are used to view, enter, edit, and modify data quickly and easily in tables directly or through a query.
Record navigation buttons Making a Form in MS Access There are several ways to create a form in MS Access:
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Lesson - 3 What is a Query? Queries are database objects used to extract, gather
and select required data from database.
We can use queries even to perform calculations on data or to update or delete records.
Query Types Query Types
Creating a Query
On the Create tab, from Queries Group click the Query Wizard button
Lesson - 4
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What is a Report? Reports display selected
and required information in an organized fashion for previewing on the screen or as hard-copy printouts.
Reports vs. Forms Reports and forms are used to give people
easy access to the information stored in the tables in a database.
However, reports and forms have different aims for use:
Reports vs. Forms Forms Reports
Forms are used to enter, view, delete, and edit information.
Forms are usually used to display information on the screen.
Forms generally provide information for the people who actually work with the database.
Reports are used only to view information.
Reports are usually designed for printing needs.
Reports are often used to group and summarize data and are often for people who do not work with the database, but who use its information for other business tasks.
The Anatomy of a Report Reports are made up of
many parts and sections.
A report usually has the following three sections:
Page Header section
Detail section
Page Footer section
Page Header Section Page header appears at the
top of each page of the report.
The Page Header section automatically prints at the top of every page of the report.
You can use this section for column headings, page title, or some common information for all records on the page.
Detail Section The Detail section is the
main section of the report.
It is used to show the details of each record from the table or query.
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Page Footer Section The Page Footer section
automatically prints at the bottom of every page of the report.
The footer is used to specify information that you want to appear at the bottom of each report page, such as page numbers, dates, or copyright notification.
The Anatomy of a Report In addition to these
three sections, a report can also include:
Report Header section
Report Footer section
Group Headers section
Group Footers section
Report Header Section The header appears and
prints once at the beginning of a report.
The report header is often used to show the Report title or make a cover page for a report.
Report Footer Section This appears and prints
once at the end of a report.
The most common use of the report footer is for grand totals, but it can also include any other information for a report.
Making Reports
There are several ways to create a report in MS access: Report
Creates a simple report automatically based on currently selected table or query.
Report Design Creates a new blank report in the design view to design a report
from scratch.
Blank Report Create a blank report in layout view but lets you layout the
report controls.
Report Wizard Creates a report using Wizard.