Good Db design skills

[k209310]

Id like some advice of others with a little more experience with me with databases than me. Id like to know opinions on what you people see as good design methods.

I think this question may come down to opinion but im sure both methods have their pros and cons.

When designing a database I have had to design several forms. Each separate form may only have a subtle difference from the last. A form will load depending upon different selections in selection boxes and results on other forms. Does this make sense?

I was wondering if it is seen as good practice to design many separate forms and have them load when certain results are met or is it seen as better practice to have visual basic alter a single form depending upon the results. E.g. using the form.visible and multiple IF statements.

I don’t have a problem designing in either method. I was just wondering what was seen as common practice?

Thanks for reading and any advice is greatly received.

 

[Newman]

I use both method.
If there is to many fields to change, I use another form, but if it is similar, I use VBA to make fields visible/invisible.
I don't like when I get a db with a lot of fields one over the other one. When in creation mode, it is hard to tell which field goes with which criteria.
Also, I don't like to spend time before finding that a field I'm looking for was right behind that other one.
Finally, there is a chance that you change the properties of the wrong field 'cause you didn't see that there was two fields at the same place.

Like you said, it is only an opinion.

 

[Len Boorman]

Basically I think that you should use whichever is appropriate for the particular circumstances. Maybe if only a couple of fields are affected use VB. More complex use a specific form. Bear in mind that at sometime in the future somebody will ask for an amendment.
So having not seen the application for two years how would you feel about coming back and implementing an update that was going to add say 2 fields to a specific form and 1 field to 3 other forms.
Your task should you decided to accept is to carry out the upgrade. No rush... This afternoon will do.

May be a few more forms initially but life maintenance costs need also to be considered.

What if you were not the person who created the application. What would you say when confronted with an application where the field display was controlled by VB and essentially the same form used in six different scenarios.

So once again I think it is a situation dependant decision but suggest that perhaps the points above should be considered.

Must admit I favour the multiple forms option.

Good question.

Len B