Introduction to MS Access

Creating a New Database File/New –Blank database –New database name and location

Access Objects Tables –Create a new table: Create/Table Design –Open a table: Double click the table name –Home/View: Datasheet view Design view Queries –Create a new query: Create/Query Design Others: Forms, Reports

Creating a Table Create/Table Design: –Field name –Field data type Don’t use the AutoNumber type Create a primary key –Don’t use the default ID field for primary key. Use a meaningful entity key field. Enter data

Example: Create an Employee Table Database name: HRdatabase Table name: Employee Table fields: –EmpID: Text, 10 characters –EmpName: Text, 30 characters –Sex: Text, 1 character –HireDate: DateTime field –Salary: Currency field

Create a new Query Create/Query design/Show table –Select fields –Add criteria Sorting Total and subtotal –Query design tools/Total –A Total row is added to the design view –Select function from the total row’s dropdown list

File Organization and Access Sequential file (heap file): Records are organized in sequence in the order in which they are entered. File access: –Sequential access –Direct access Index file: Key + record’s location (address)

Major Functions of an Index 1. Enable the direct access to a record. –Keep track a record’s location on disk. 2. Enforce the no-duplication rule for a table’s key field.