Problems on how to create a database

[Old_Trafford]

Hello everyone,

i want to create a MS Access database to log all the books/theses/brochures at a university laboratory. I am a beginner at access so i am going to post what i thought of doing:

--I want a main table that has everything: title,type, location, tags. When i make a report on that table i want to see everything that exists in the laboratory.

--I want a form that i can add a new entry to this table:

http :// imageshack.us/photo/my-images/577/form1t.png/

Except from the title,the rest(type,location and tags) should be chosen from a dropdown menu. I dont want someone to write a new tag arbitrarily, but only choose from the available. If he wants to add a new available tag, it should be added by pressing a button. The choices in these dropdown menus should be drawn from separate tables.

My questions are:

--1) How would a professional build this database?

--2) I have created a beginner database, with 1 main table that will be the database and 3 small tables that the content is added. When someone wants to add a new location that is not already stored in the small table, he should add something to the small table, so that it becomes available to the dropdown. Is that scenario feasible?

--3) How can i add a button that adds a new location to the small table and then adds it instantly to the dropdown menu?

I hope i am understood, because everything seems a little bit confusing.

Thank you for your time

 

[plog]

1. From the ground up. The table structure is the most important part. Don't worry about forms or reports or anything else until you've set up your tables correctly. I'm getting the sense your's might not be.

2. From a general perspective that is the correct way to do things. However, I'm afraid what you are storing in your main table might not be the correct piece of data. When you link tables like this it should usually be based on a numeric id in the small table and not text. My gut is telling me you are storing text in your main table.

3. You create a form that opens when the user clicks that button, allows them to add their new location then when they return to the form that initial button is on, the form refreshes the drop down using VBA.

Again though, forms are a little ways down the road for you. I'd concentrate on your table structure. Can you post a screenshot of your tables?

 

[Old_Trafford]

dl.dropbox.com/u/4450410/%CE%92%CE%AC%CF%83%CE%B7%20%CE%B4%CE%B5%CE%B4%CE%BF%CE%BC%CE%AD%CE%BD%CF%89%CE%BD21.accdb

You can have the file instead. Would that be useful?

I hope Greek wont be a terrible problem. I could translate that if you want to.

Thank you for your interest and the very quick reply

 

[plog]

A file would work, and Greek should be fine, but that urls not working for me. I think something went screwy when you pasted it.

 

[Old_Trafford]

Greek was a problem on the filename

http :// dl.dropbox.com/u/4450410/Laboratory.accdb

 

[plog]

I'm behind a firewall at work and can't get to that site. I wouldn't be able to respond back to you until Monday. Could you try another site or are you able to upload it here?

 

[Old_Trafford]

Tell me which site suits you. I can also email

 

[Pat Hartman]

MS provides Access database templates for various common application. You will probably find one that will give you a head start.

Personally, I don't use the templates because they violate professional naming standards and don't always provide correct table schemas but for someone without experience, they are a place to start (which is the entire point). Go to the MS templates download site and have a look. You can use any example that is for your Access version or earlier. MS doesn't always rewrite the templates for new versions unless there is some new feature they want to incorporate so examples for a2003 will work fine in A2013.

 

[amethyst]

Hello everyone,

i want to create a MS Access database to log all the books/theses/brochures at a university laboratory. I am a beginner at access so i am going to post what i thought of doing:

--I want a main table that has everything: title,type, location, tags. When i make a report on that table i want to see everything that exists in the laboratory.

--I want a form that i can add a new entry to this table:

http :// imageshack.us/photo/my-images/577/form1t.png/

Except from the title,the rest(type,location and tags) should be chosen from a dropdown menu. I dont want someone to write a new tag arbitrarily, but only choose from the available. If he wants to add a new available tag, it should be added by pressing a button. The choices in these dropdown menus should be drawn from separate tables.

My questions are:

--1) How would a professional build this database?

--2) I have created a beginner database, with 1 main table that will be the database and 3 small tables that the content is added. When someone wants to add a new location that is not already stored in the small table, he should add something to the small table, so that it becomes available to the dropdown. Is that scenario feasible?

--3) How can i add a button that adds a new location to the small table and then adds it instantly to the dropdown menu?

I hope i am understood, because everything seems a little bit confusing.

Thank you for your time

Can you give me some information about what is the history of data base and does it make.? I am really interested this certain matter and I want to learn more.

 

[Old_Trafford]

sorry amethyst, but i didnt quite understand what do you mean by history...