Rate my DB

[kingzl3y]

Hoi,
Well, this is my 1st EVER database and whatever I've learnt is either from here or 'on-the-way'..
It's a Libr4ry Database for a college assignment.
Basically, I'm a DBA and also an employee at the library.
Nurseries come to us/me to hire books for their students/children/whatever.

In my DB you can
Add Authors (of books)
Add Books
Add copies of books
Add Nurseries
Delete authors
delete books
delete nurseries
Loan books
Reserve books
Return books
view all authors report
view all books
view all nurseries
view current loans
view current reservations


I've attached my DB, have a little play around say what you think about it..
I know at the moment there are a few issues:

• Adding a copy of a book is annoying because you have to add the book first and then go into an other form and add it as many times as you have it.
• On Loan report you can't see whether or not the book has been returned
• Authors_ID are stupidly HIGH and i have no idea why? Autonumber 1,2,3-100? No! 1,2,3,4120032,4120033,4120034 etc!
• Books can be loaned MANY times
• Reservations can be made MANY times with the same book
• Can't view the stock level on a book (haven't done this yet)
• RETURN table doesn't show necessary data such as names of book and nursery just their ID's which can cause confusion
• RETURN table 'returned?' combo box shows 0/1 instead of Yes/No although Yes/No are in the drop down box it'sself..
• LOAN Table 'date due back' textbox shows '#error' when there isn't a date entered in the Loan date textbox..

That list isn't conclusive :' )
I'll probably find loads more thing wrong with it..

But, if you could..just gimme your feedback and what COULD be improved.. and what's sh-t and what's not etc.

Database password is my username.

Cheers for all the help with it guys/guyesses!



EDIT: if problems opening .zip, rename it too whatever.rar.

 

[dbmanalser84]

Archive Password

What's the archive password?

 

[kingzl3y]

There's no archive password.
The password for the database itself is my user name on here..
The one i'm posting under..
I'm not saying it because if other people google for the name (of my assignment) and they can steal my work.
Well, probably not :' )
But you never know..
xD

11 views and no replies!1
feedback

 

[kurtis51]

Well that seems kind of counter productive to put a password on the database, even if the reason is that someone may / may not steal it from your class... Also, even if any of your classmates did stop by here and happened to see it, wouldn't they have the same information at their disposal from your teacher and/or the internets?

I thought this was a place of helping and sharing of knowledge... It's a sad, sad day when people can't trust other people.

EDIT:
Your Database Zip file is corrupt as well.

 

[kingzl3y]

Well that seems kind of counter productive to put a password on the database, even if the reason is that someone may / may not steal it from your class... Also, even if any of your classmates did stop by here and happened to see it, wouldn't they have the same information at their disposal from your teacher and/or the internets?

I thought this was a place of helping and sharing of knowledge... It's a sad, sad day when people can't trust other people.

EDIT:
Your Database Zip file is corrupt as well.

Where did I mention my class? People doing this kind of assignment, in GENERAL.
Trust me, first thing people do when they've got an assignment to do, is google it. Library database filetype:mdb/txt/doc/etc.
And if you haven't already realised... the information in that database is all fictional..
now are you trying to tell me people are incapable of creating fictional data?

IF YOU were to read my 1st post fully.
You would have seen this:

EDIT: if problems opening .zip, rename it too whatever.rar.

I compressed it via winrar, and seeing as this forum has limited the attachments to .zip only which are <300kb, and compressing it as a .zip got down to 500kb.
So that's why i compressed it as a .rar which saved me 400kb and i was able to upload it on here - which i could of only done so by renaming the .rar to a .zip.


Why couldn't you have just read my 1st post properly and actually had a look at my database and reply with FEEDBACK and not just reply with a whine.
Godverdomme, naab.

 

[kurtis51]

Wow... touchy much? I'm sorry if I happened to hurt your feelings. But with my eyesight as bad as it is, give me a bit of a break for taking the time to read most of it.

 

[kingzl3y]

Nah, i'm not touchy.
Should've read the whole thing first then before posting ._.
Blaming your eye sight, wow, that's a first.
Just gimme feedback, pleeeeeease.

 

[cardgunner]

King,

I couldn't get to the db to view. Before you zipped it did you comapct and repair it thru utilities?

 

[Rabbie]

Nah, i'm not touchy.
Should've read the whole thing first then before posting ._.
Blaming your eye sight, wow, that's a first.
Just gimme feedback, pleeeeeease.

If you want people here to look at your db then you need to remember that this is a free forum and people give there advice free of charge. They are under no obligation to do so and many will not be bothered to change the extension on a file just so they can help you. It also discourages people when they see you snapping at a member who has the misfortune to have less than perfect eyesight. If you want help here then show respect to other members.

 

[kingzl3y]

Jawohl, i compacted and repair through 'utilities'.
But, i locked the menus because that's how the database would be if I were going to put it on the End users machine.
I'll upload another one with everything unlocked if that makes things any easier!

No, wait don't turn it on me!
I only asked :' )
If he's being seriously with the whole eye-sight business, then, okay, fair enough.
It's not helping me, it's would just be nice to get feedback.
Bare in mind it's my first database, and seeing as everyone on this site is most likely a pro DBA, i'd just like to know if they think it's decent.
But, if they don't want to - then it's up to them.

Same again couldn't upload the database when it was .zip'd because it was 779kb, rar'ing it made it 134kb.
So if problems rename to .rar and open with winrar or winace.

 

[stopher]

A major problem with your database is that you can loan a copy of book many times on the same date i.e. you have not taken account that once a book (copy) is on loan then you cannot loan it again.

I see you have related Reservation to Book_Copy. I don't think this is right (?). Does the nursery really care which copy they get. They just want to put their name down for a book. Or is this a scheduling of book copies. In which case you face the same problem as with LOAN I think i.e. more than one nursery can reserve the same book for the same time.

Can a nursery loan a book copy for a period that is reserved (I haven't tested this).

If you really want people to comment on your database then get rid of the protection. If someone wants a good library database there are plenty of free ones available out there written by people with a lot of experience so I don't think you have to worry too much about loss of intellectual property.

Stopher

 

[kingzl3y]

Ah, that's more like it!
Well, okay then.. i'm fine with that, it's just I'm like that :' )
I hate people using my stuff xD - but, fair enough, i'll remove it ^^

Yeah, that's exactly one of my points in my first post (i think?).
I don't know how to do that..so that's why I didn't try it.

Ah, you're exactly right with the relationship betweek the book_copy and the reservation. I've removed that!
Yeah, it's basically the same as the Loan.
If the book is on loan and a nursery wants to reserve that book but it's currently being reserved by another nursery..they can reserve it +1week after the current loan has finished. ( if that makes sense?)
I just don't know how to do that...my access'in skills aren't that good!

There isn't really any way of reserving a book.. well there is, but the problem is that it's only written down..
theres nothing to stop the book being loaned out more then ONCE or the book being loaned out while it's currently reserved for another nursery.

I really need to re-think the whole loan/reserve process, but i have no idea where to start!

You can loan the same book to different nurseries
you can reserve the book at the same time..
AHHHHHH