Getting result programmatically or via query...my biggest challenge

[jzwp22]

I am concerned that the structure may be complex for casual users.

The users only interact with the database through forms, so the structure should be invisible to them. It is the job of the programmer to make the user interface easy for the user. It sounds like you have the task of being the programmer. With a database like we have been discussing, a user interface would probably take several days even for an experience programmer.

company wants to have some ability to extrapolate data that may not be included in reports in the app I give them. I'm worried that they're going to be calling me for every query they want to run.

There is a technique called Query By Forms that should be able to help. Here is a link to the Microsoft site that describes one way of doing it.

I have read about some people who have taken the Query by Forms techniques to a higher level by allowing the user to select specific tables and fields in addition to just the criteria and then code would be used to dynamically create a query. I have never done that personally but it is possible.

 

[datAdrenaline]

Hello ML!

You mention that Machine1,2,3,4 provide you with information, they do not seem to be processes ... what are they, do they actually perform operations on a piece of wood?

I am in agreement with jz in the this can take some time to flush out. I have a sample of a structure for a production db, but I would be interested in seeing your spreadsheet in order to understand what kind of data your are trying to capture via the database ... as well as your current structure of the database.

 

[ML!]

jz, as much as I agree that I should build in all potential functionality so that users only interact with data via forms, the hardcore reality is that scope of this project and time frames don't allow it

That said, thanks for the reminder about QBF, I haven't used that in a long, long while. Once forms are constructed, I'll try to build that in.

Brent, I did try really hard to confuse jz by using 'machine' and 'process' interchangeably but didn't succeed

Once again to clarify, machines produce reports with data that are used in calculations of performance data. I'm not tracking production data and don't really care about inputs, only outputs and with respect only to performance. It isn't a typical production db, it will be used for tracking and reporting on performance.

I do have to be careful about giving away too much info because of an NDA but I have attached a sample of one day's worth of data from the current data input sheet with fieldnames and machine names changed to protect the innocent. It includes the descriptions provided previously along with some clarification. It also includes the 2 inventory data fields discussed previously.

All the calculations and the data constants (product details etc) are on other sheets but I don't think I can really share them. The important stuff is the data collection - I can work out the calculations later (maybe with a bit of help).

ML!