1. IMS1907 Database Systems Summer Semester 2004/2005 Lecture 2 Relational DBMS Software An Overview of Microsoft Access

2. Monash University 20042 Database applications are an intermediary between users and DBMS DBMS processes application requests against database –create definitions, write, read, update Database Systems Database Application DBMS Database Users

3. Monash University 20043 Relational database systems are currently the most common used in industry Access, SQL Server, Oracle, Ingres, DB2, Sybase, MySQL, Informix… Organises the database as groups of related tables Tables are organised by business ‘themes’ –reflect practices and policies of organisation Tables can be ‘joined’ to discover related information occurring across ‘themes’ Relational Database Systems

4. Monash University 20044 Table –storage entity for a database –a grid made up of rows and columns –each row is a record –each column is a field –made up of records containing data about a ‘thing’ customer, sale, rental, loan, supplier, product… –like a folder in a filing cabinet Relational Database Terminology

5. Monash University 20045 Record –unit within a table, normally a row of the table –contains related data about the entity a single transaction’s details, summary details,… –like a sheet of paper in a folder Field –a smaller unit within a record, a column in the table –contains a single fact about the entity –like a field on a sheet of paper in a folder Relational Database Terminology

6. Monash University 20046 Keys –defined from one or more fields of a table –used to order, identify and retrieve data Primary Key (PK) –a unique identifier for a particular record –no two records can share the same PK –often an ID number useful to a business customer number, student number, licence number,… Relational Database Terminology

7. Monash University 20047 Secondary Key –defined from one or more other fields of a a table –used to arrange database in some other order –can be multiple occurrences in a database Foreign Key (FK) –one or more fields of a table that appear as a PK in another table –can be multiple occurrences in a database –used to join tables based on common information Relational Database Terminology

8. Monash University 20048 Table Structure –metadata definitions –instructions regarding arrangement and format of data in record –keys, data type, length –formats, masks, validation rules –constraints, rules Relational Database Terminology

9. Monash University 20049 Forms –alternative method to datasheet for entering and accessing data –screen-based form appears similar to paper-based equivalent of the record –can be used to both capture and display data –allow entry, editing, viewing and deletion of records in one or more table Relational Database Terminology

10. Monash University 200410 Reports –provide the ability to arrange data from one or more tables, and view and print the data for later use –can also be used to perform calculations, summarise, and group information before viewing –screen-based report can appear similar to paper-based equivalent of the report –primarily a display mechanism only Relational Database Terminology

11. Monash University 200411 Queries –allow you to answer specific questions about data in the database –can be used to display records based on criteria, perform calculations, summarise information, sort and group information, or delete data from one or more tables in database –can be regular or ad hoc Relational Database Terminology

12. Monash University 200412 Creating Access Tables DB objects existing DB objects design options

13. Monash University 200413 Creating Access Tables - Design View properties data type data description Primary key

14. Monash University 200414 Access Tables – Datasheet View datasheet field names

15. Monash University 200415 Sorting Tables Unsorted data Data sorted by Member_No Sort filters Field to sort on

16. Monash University 200416 Relationships Between Tables edit relationship related fields relationship

17. Monash University 200417 Subdatasheets subdatasheet Click ‘+’ to open subdatasheet datasheet

18. Monash University 200418 Access – Forms form datasheet

19. Monash University 200419 Access – Forms and Sub-forms form sub-form

20. Monash University 200420 Access – Queries query design related tables

21. Monash University 200421 Access – Queries query response

22. Monash University 200422 Access – Reports report design screen table for report

23. Monash University 200423 Access – Reports

24. Monash University 200424 References Duffy, T., (2000), Microsoft Access 2000, Prentice-Hall, Upper Saddle River, NJ, USA. Kroenke, D.M., (2004), Database Processing: Fundamentals, Design and Implementation, (9 th edn.), Pearson Education Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ, USA.