1. Class Agenda – 02/03/2014 Finish presenting Information Visualization
Review logistics of course including course file placement/Where to seek help
Team Declaration
Present computer data organization
Explore files, folders, and libraries in Windows 7
Discuss the different levels of software available to manage data on a computer.
Explore the functions of a DBMS vs. an operating system to manage data.
Discuss the relative data management capabilities of a DBMS vs. a spreadsheet.
Introduce Access
Begin discussion of database design

2. Course Learning Process
Course objectives
Visualization methods; systems development process
Systems development tools: Access and Excel
Methods to learn material
Course lectures: concepts, exercises, questions
Book tutorials:
Labs: in-class time to try out new and/or difficult Access and Excel skills/concepts
Outside of class: do book tutorials not done in labs
Book material:
Explanation, concepts, detailed description
Methods to assess learning (and hopefully learn more…)
Homework and projects:
Apply instruction from tutorials
Create simulated “real” applications

3. Help available Your books!!!! Online help via Access and Excel
Google (or other favorite search engine)
IS Lab Assistants: Every day except Saturday
IS Graduate Assistant (Robert Dittmer)
Office hours: Mondays10 AM – noon in lab
Professor (Christina Hilfer)

4. Views of Computer Data Organization & Access
Conceptual
Physical
I want to buy music on iTunes.
I want to see if that shirt is available in blue in a size medium.
Primary Storage/Main Memory
Processor
ALU
Secondary Storage/Disk
Data and Programs

7. Computer Data Organization Vocabulary
Windows Library: View
Folders
Database
Program Files
Data Files
Records
Fields
Bytes
Bits

8. How does it work? Primary Storage/Main Memory Processor
Data and Programs when they are being processed
ALU
Secondary Storage/Disk
Data and Programs when they are not being processed

9. What is an operating system?
Examples:
Windows
Unix
Mac OS X
Linux
Definition: Set of software that manages a computer’s operations.

10. What does an operating system do?
Manage hardware and software resources:
Allocate main memory.
Direct processor activities.
Track all program activities.
Manage network connections.
Allocate secondary storage.
Move data and programs from secondary storage to main memory and back again.
Manage users

11. Moving data between primary and secondary storage
Operating System
MS Excel
Firefox
Photoshop
MS Word
Secondary Storage/Disk
Primary storage/main memory

12. Organizing Files and Folders
A file is a collection of bytes that has a name and is stored in a computer
A file can store a “program” or “data”
Organize files by storing them in folders
Disks contain folders that hold files
USB drives
Compact discs (CDs)
Digital video discs (DVDs)
Hard disks
Each drive is assigned a letter

13. What types of data are stored on a computer?
Video, pictures, audio
Web pages
Word processing documents
PowerPoint-type presentations
Structured data: Pre-defined formats such as employee, customer, student, registration data.

14. Understanding the Need for Organizing Files
Windows (and all other operating systems) organizes folders and files in an hierarchy, or file system
Windows stores the folders and important files it needs to turn on the computer in its root directory
Folders stored within other folders are called subfolders

15. Understanding the Need for Organizing Files and Folders
Figure 2

16. Developing Strategies for Organizing Files
Figure 3

17. Developing Strategies for Organizing Files
Type of disk you use to store files determines how you organize those files
Storing files on removable media allows you to use simpler organization
The larger the medium, the more levels of folders you should use
You should have a “backup”, or duplicate copy, of all files
Definitely all data files
All program files that you don’t have available in other forms (downloads, other media)

18. Exploring Files, Folders, and Libraries
Windows Explorer and the Computer window show the drives, folders, and files on your computer
Each has a slightly different view
A folder window displays the files and subfolders in a folder
Divided into two sections, called panes

19. Exploring Files, Folders, and Libraries
Figure 4

20. Using Libraries and Folders
When you open Windows Explorer, it shows the contents of the Windows built-in libraries by default
Libraries display similar types of files together, no matter where they are stored
Figure 5

21. Files in a Folder Window

22. Navigating to Your Data Files
The file path is a notation that indicates a file’s location on your computer
G:\FM\Tutorial\Map.png
G: is the drive name
FM is the top-level folder on drive G
Tutorial is a subfolder in the FM folder
Map.png is the full filename with the file extension

23. Navigating to Your Data Files
Figure 8

24. Managing Folders and Files
Creating a folder
In the Navigation pane, click the drive or folder in which you want to create a folder
Click New folder on the toolbar
Type a name for the folder, and then press the Enter key
Figure 9

25. Working with Folders and Files
Moving and Copying Files and Folders
Moving a file removes it from its current location and places it in a new location you specify
Copying places the file in both locations
Naming and Renaming Files
Filenames provide important information about the file, including its contents and purpose
Main part of the filename
File extension
A filename extension identifies file type and indicates program in which file was created
Deleting Files and Folders
Recycle Bin is an area on your hard disk that holds deleted files until you remove them permanently
Files removed from a network drive do not go to the Recycle Bin!
Figure 10

26. Working with Compressed Files
Files stored in a compressed (zipped) folder take up less disk space
Allows you to transfer files more quickly
Extracting a file creates an uncompressed copy of the file in a folder you specify, while the original file remains in the compressed folder
Compression programs
WinZip
7-Zip
Figure 11

27. What is a DBMS?
A set of software that facilitates storage and access of data on a computer.
Designed to work with a specific operating system.
Examples from vendors.
Microsoft products: Access, FoxPro, SQL Server
Oracle products: Oracle, MySQL
SAP: Sybase, HANA
IBM products: Informix, DB2
Open-ish: PostgreSQL

28. What does a DBMS do?
Data structure maintenance: add, delete, change data objects.
Data maintenance: add, delete, change data.
Data backup and recovery.
Concurrency control.
Data access (query) optimization.
Security.
Distributed data management.

29. What does MS Access do?
Data structure maintenance: add, delete, change tables for data storage.
Data maintenance: add, delete, change data in tables.
Provide user-friendly tools for data access.
Forms.
Reports.
Integration with other software such as Excel.

30. Why do we store data in a database?
To protect the “integrity” of the data.
Make data accurate.
Reduce data redundancy.
To make data more accessible.
Enhance flexibility of data access methods.
Improve speed of data access.
To make an application more adaptable.
Provide more flexibility in application development.
Decrease dependence on a given visualization method.

31. What other software is available for data storage?
Word processing
Spreadsheets
Application programs
Examples: TurboTax, QuickBooks
Data storage: files, or enhanced file structures
Some application programs rely on a DBMS

32. Decision Issue Spreadsheet (Excel) Database (Access)
Ability to maintain accurate data
Limited. Completely dependent on user for accurate input.
Excellent. Many filters/constraints available to protect data accuracy.
Ease of showing data in different formats
Limited. Can make small color changes to basic spreadsheet.
Excellent. Very flexible. Data entered once can be viewed in many different formats.
Ease of doing calculations
Excellent. Statistics, financial functions available.
Limited. Can do calculations, but only basic math.
Difficulty of learning/using product
Excellent. Easy to learn.
Difficult to learn.
Necessity for pre-planning
Not much planning required.
Must plan/design the database in advance.

33. Overview of MS Access
Data Management Software (not technically a database management system)
Has the following objects:
Tables: Object to store data. This is the only data storage object in Access.
Queries: Object to view data stored in tables. Can be used to filter data, reformat data, create calculations, create aggregations, create summarizations.
Forms: Object to enter data into a table in user friendly format. Also used to view data in a nice format on a screen.
Reports: Object to view data in a nice format on paper.

34. Database Vocabulary- 1
Table: A two-dimensional database object used to store data.
Row: One “entry” of data within the table. Must have a primary key that has a different value than all other rows of data within the table
Column: A field used to store data. Must have a single data type.
Cell: An intersection of a row and column. Can only have one data type and one value.

35. Database Vocabulary- 2
Entity (when implemented it is called a “table”): A person, place, or thing about which we store data. Example is a Customer for Belmont Landscapes.
Entity instance(also called a “record” or “row”): One instance of an entity that includes all data stored about that instance. Example is “Anthony Rodriquez row” for Belmont.
Attribute (also called a “field” or “column”): A characteristic of the entity about which we store data. Examples are Company, FirstName, Lastname for a Customer entity.

36. Process for Designing Databases (Database Normalization)
Identify all the fields needed to produce the required information
Divide each piece of data into its smallest useful part
Example 1: Break up a name into first, last, initial
Example 2: Break up an address into street, city, state, zip
Group related fields into tables
Use an entity-relationship diagram (ERD) to depict the design
Determine each table’s primary key
Identify how the tables are related (or if they are related)
Include a common field in related tables (foreign key)
Determine the properties of each field
Type of data: Text, date, number, etc.
Size of data
Name of data

37. Examine the contract “spreadsheet”
Review data content.
What is the application? What is the purpose of the stored data?
Is any of the data redundant?
Why might redundant data be a problem?

38. Contract Number
Customer ID
Company
LastName
FirstName
Phone
Address
City
State
ZIP
Contract Type
Invoice Number
Invoice Date
Invoice Amount
3011
11001
StudentLast
StudentFirst
49 Blackstone Drive
Rockford MI
49341
Residential Landscape Plan
2011
03/23/2013
$1,500.00
2012
05/10/2013
$2,500.00
3012
11027
O'Brien
Karen
38 Langley Rd
Lansing
48933
Consultation for backyard, residential
2021
02/25/2013
$300.00
3015
11005
Hawes
Owen
102 Pineview Rd
Holland
49423
Schematic plan for backyard, residential
2041
04/01/2013
3017
11012
Grand Rapids Engineering Company
Rodriquez
Anthony
225 Summer Street
Grand Rapids
49503
Peer plan review for town
2051
$2,250.00
3020
11055
Fox and Hound Grille
Gorski
Steve
1440 Beadle Lake Rd
Battle Creek
49014
Landscape design for restaurant
2031
04/19/2013
2032
08/19/2013
$2,000.00
2033
09/20/2013
2034
10/20/2013
$1,000.00
3021
11040
RiverView Development Company
Nowak
Charles
144 E Tower Ave
Landscape plans for multifamily housing site
2111
10/12/2013
$4,500.00
2112
11/12/2013
$3,000.00
2113
09/02/2014
$12,000.00
2114
09/05/2015
$8,500.00
3022
11043
Monroe State College
Kirk
Rachel
40 Monroe St
Landscape design for two entrances
2101
07/14/2013
2102
11/15/2013

39. Contract Data

40. Group (sub-divide) the customer data

41. Group (sub-divide) the invoice data

42. What is a primary key?
Definition
Examples
“Natural” vs. “Surrogate”

43. Primary Keys Natural keys are primary keys having an innate value
Examples
A UPC code
A stock symbol
A book ISBN number
In cases where there is no innate value, we create an artificial key (surrogate key).
The key value is arbitrary
Maybe just some Integer value
Composite key: two or more fields combine to uniquely identify a record.
Sometimes used when joining tables.

44. Define keys and relationships

45. What does it look like in Access?

46. What is a foreign key?
Definition
Example
Depiction on diagrams

47. What is referential integrity?
Definition
“Constraint”
Conceptual example
Implementation in Access example

48. Referential Integrity Usage
Primary keys ensure entity integrity
Eliminates duplicate records
Null values are prohibited
Referential integrity ensures that a foreign key in one table matches a primary key in another table
Without referential integrity, orphaned records can exist
A record in the (many) table with a corresponding record in the (one) table

49. Referential Integrity in Access

50. Referential Integrity
Enforce referential integrity means 1-to-many relationships are enforced
Cascade Update means that if primary key changes in master table the corresponding key is updated in the detail table
Cascade Delete means that deleting master record causes corresponding child records to be deleted