mm3project

DATABASE TIPS

1) no spaces in field names, query names, tables names etc

2) If you have a list of possible values for a field, make it a lookup but NOT and MS ACCESS lookup.
i.e. if you have a member table with a country field. Make the country field country_id, then create a new table for Country which will have 2 fields country_id and country_name
WARNING, if you implement the lookup in ACCESS other than as described above, the database design will not translate to other database management systems. MS ACCESS is not only a database management system but it is also an application and because lookups occur so often, the application makes it easier and quicker. BUT DON'T USE IT.

3) When you want to be able to store zero or many languages for a member for example.
i.e. you have a table for languages with a language_name field which has the values English, Irish, French etc. You also have a table for Member with a field member_id which might have values for say 3 members. Each member can speak 0 or more languages. Create a new table Language_Member whose fields are the primary keys of the 2 tables Language and Member

posted by thebigblaa @ 1:36 p.m.