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Lecture 1 - What is a database?
It is a form of storing information in an organized way, and makes it easy to get information
in and out.
Access is the Microsoft database-management program, part of the
Microsoft Office suite, that enables you to maintain databases-collections of data
arranged according to a fixed structure
.
Create a New Database
Click the Blank Database icon. Then write the file name and click Create
button.
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The window for the Friends database should open:
Elements of databases
A database stores information in an organized way, and makes it easy to get
information in and out.
Tables store data within the database.
Forms make it easy to put data into tables.
Queries pull out specific data.
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Reports put data in an easily-read format.
1. Click the Create tab.
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2. Rest the mouse cursor on the Tables bar.
3. Rest the cursor on the Forms bar.
4.
Rest the cursor on the Reports bar.
5. Rest the cursor on the Other bar.
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Create tables
1. Click the Datasheet tab.
2. In the Ribbon, click View.
Name fields
1. Click in the second box beneath
Field Name
.
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2. Type:
First Name
3.
Press the
ENTER
key on your keyboard.
The table should look like this:
4. Click in the next box beneath First Name.
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5.
Type:
Last Name
Then press the ENTER key.
The table should look like this:
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6.
In the next box down, type:
City
then press ENTER.
7. In the next box down, type:
Zip
then press ENTER.
8.
In the next box down, type:
Phone Number
then press ENTER.
The table should now look like this:
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Notice the icon beside the ID field.
This means the ID field is the table's "key" field.
What is the key field?
A table's key field can't contain any duplicates.
Every table should have a key field.
For example, if a hospital keeps a database, each patient can have a unique
ID number in the key field.
That way, if it has more than one patient named John Baker, it can easily
distinguish John Baker, ID #326 in for a checkup, from John Baker, ID #298
who needs his gall bladder removed.
3. Click in the box under the First Name column header.
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4.
Type:
Elvis
5.
Press the TAB key on your keyboard.
The table should now look like this:
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6.
Type:
Presley
then press the TAB key.
7.
Type:
Baltimore
then press TAB.
7. Type:
21212
then press TAB.
8.
Type:
4105551212
then press TAB.
The table should now look like this: