Getting to Know Access 2003, Part 3
(Page 1 of 5 )
After a brief hiatus, our series explaining the ins and outs of using Microsoft Access 2003 continues. This installment takes you from creating tables to hold data to enforcing referential integrity on those tables.
Creating Tables and Relationships
You created database structures in our last lesson. Now it’s time to make tables to hold your data. Before you start creating your tables however, it’s a good idea to plan your table designs carefully. You should decide what kind of information your tables will contain and the relationships between your data. The importance of table design cannot be overestimated: good table design helps make error-free databases possible, while bad table design creates flawed and unusable databases. Access gives you tools to help with table design, and that is a major topic of this week’s lesson. We will also cover table relationships in some detail.
Using the Table Wizard
It’s time to create your first table using the Table Wizard. Open the Tables page in the Database window and double-click the Create Table by Using Wizard icon; a dialog box will pop up. The dialog shows two lists of sample table types: business and personal. Select the one you want and then choose from the list of sample tables below. Then you’ll select either some or all of the fields from that sample table, to the right, for use in your new table. You may rename some of the fields if you like using the Rename Field button. When you have selected and renamed your desired fields click "Next." The Table Wizard dialog box looks similar to the following:
A second dialog box lets you name the table and also set the primary key. You have the option of letting Access assign the primary key for you, in which case the key will automatically comprise consecutive AutoNumber values. Alternatively, you can set the primary key yourself. Click "Next" when you have finished.
If you opted to set your own primary key, the following dialog box asks you to name your primary key field. You will also be asked to set the data type for the field. Consecutive numbers are usually your best option here because Access automatically assigns unique values to this field, and it’s important that your primary key values be unique.
The next dialog box asks you if you want to relate your new table to pre-existing tables, if you have any.
The final dialog box gives you the option of going directly to the Design View of the table, opening the Datasheet View, or having the wizard create a form for data entry. The design view is where you determine your field names, data types, and field properties. The datasheet view is a columnar data entry view similar to Excel. Forms are a more attractive and easier method of putting data into your tables. We’ll cover forms in a later lesson. Select whichever option you like best and click "Finish."
Next: Creating a New Table Without the Wizard >>
More Microsoft Access Articles
More By Sage Adams
