Using access for our theatrical company's archives and history

[billfry]

Dear Galaxiom, On 25 October I finally sent you a stripped-down version of my database, which you had very kindly offered to improve for me. Naturally, this is bound to take some time, and I have no wish at all to appear impatient, but I should be very grateful to know if you got it all right. It would be too infuriating if I'd done it wrong and it had never reached you. Looking back, I realise that I failed to strip down some of the smaller tables, which was stupid of me. Sorry about that and thanks again, Bill

 

[billfry]

Dear Galaxiom, Over a week ago I finally sent you a zipped version of our database, which you had kindly said you would reorganise and improve for me. Naturally, that is bound to take time, and I have no wish to appear impatient, but it would be a comfort to know for certain that you had received it. If not, then I ought to try and send it again.

Incidentally, I foolishly forgot to zip some of the minor tables in the database, notably the list of venues that I had begun and abandoned on the assumption that it would be possible to do it by a relational process. There were also a number of tables of assorted printed matter under the titles Miscellaneous A,B, C etc, but none of those was very large.

Once again, thank you for your help and encouragement, Bill.

 

[Galaxiom]

I have had a look at it Bill.

There is quite a bit to be done. The first are some normalization issues to be sorted out. The front end that I send you will take your data and restructure it into another database with a normalized structure.

There definitely should be a table for venues. However your venues appear to all be recorded in the tables you have sent so I will be able to generate that table and the data for it. There will be many other relational tables generated from your existing structure.

My main question is why you have separated Miscellanelous into A, B, C and D. I can't see any difference in the type of data that is stored in them.

 

[billfry]

Good to hear from you, Galaxiom. You really are amazingly patient. In answer to your main question, Miscellaneous A, B, C & D are (roughly speaking) similar material, but I listed them like that for purely practical reasons: they are kept in 4 different boxes.

What I haven't yet tabled at all are programmes, scripts, study packs, practical details (our name for the instructions we sent with each booking), standard letters and contracts, accounts, photos, costumes, props… Oh dear, the list seems endless. However, we have now confirmed that Bristol University Theatre Collection want everything. We visited them last week, and I took down a printout of about 2,800 performances, covering 189 pages. It seems to me that the performances and the incidents are the vital tables. All the rest they will have in their hands and can catalogue if they feel up to it. Meanwhile, I'm banging on with those two tables. I only hope I shall be spared to finish them.

Thanks a bundle for all you are doing, Bill.