Access 2019 Bible

Michael Alexander, Richard Kusleika

• Publisher: Wiley
• Year: 2018
• ISBN:
  9781119514749
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Computer Science
• Subtopic: Programming in C
• Index: Computer Science

Master database creation and management

Access 2019 Bible is your, comprehensive reference to the world's most popular database management tool. With clear guidance toward everything from the basics to the advanced, this go-to reference helps you take advantage of everything Access 2019 has to offer. Whether you're new to Access or getting started with Access 2019, you'll find everything you need to know to create the database solution perfectly tailored to your needs, with expert guidance every step of the way. The companion website features all examples and databases used in the book, plus trial software and a special offer from Database Creations. Start from the beginning for a complete tutorial, or dip in and grab what you need when you need it.

Access enables database novices and programmers to store, organize, view, analyze, and share data, as well as build powerful, integrable, custom database solutions — but databases can be complex, and difficult to navigate. This book helps you harness the power of the database with a solid understanding of their purpose, construction, and application.

• Understand database objects and design systems objects
• Build forms, create tables, manipulate datasheets, and add data validation
• Use Visual Basic automation and XML Data Access Page design
• Exchange data with other Office applications, including Word, Excel, and more

From database fundamentals and terminology to XML and Web services, this book has everything you need to maximize Access 2019 and build the database you need.

Part I
Access Building Blocks

Each part of this book builds on previous parts, and the chapters in each part contain examples that draw on techniques explained in previous parts and chapters. As a developer, your applications will benefit from the skills you acquire by reading the chapters and practicing the examples contained in this book.

But everyone has to start somewhere when approaching a new discipline, and Part I of this book presents the essential skills necessary for anyone to succeed at database development with Access. The topics covered in this part explain the concepts and techniques that are necessary to successfully use database environments and give you the skills necessary to normalize data and plan and implement effective tables.

If you're already familiar with the concepts involved in database design, you may want to skim these chapters. If you're new to the world of databases, spend some time here gaining a thorough understanding of these important topics.

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IN THIS PART

• Chapter 1 An Introduction to Database Development
• Chapter 2 Getting Started with Access

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CHAPTER 1
An Introduction to Database Development

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IN THIS CHAPTER

• Examining the differences between databases, tables, records, fields, and values
• Discovering why multiple tables are used in a database
• Exploring Access database objects
• Designing a database system

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Database development is unlike most other ways you work with computers. Unlike Microsoft Word or Excel, where the approach to working with the application is relatively intuitive, good database development requires prior knowledge. You have to learn a handful of fundamentals, including database terminology, basic database concepts, and database best practices.

Throughout this chapter, we cover the fundamentals of database development.

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If your goal is to get right into Access, you might want to skip to Chapter 2.

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The Database Terminology of Access

Access follows most, but not all, traditional database terminology. The terms database, table, record, field, and value indicate a hierarchy from largest to smallest. These same terms are used with virtually all database systems.

Databases

Generally, the word database is a computer term for a collection of information concerning a certain topic or business application. Databases help you organize this related information in a logical fashion for easy access and retrieval.

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NOTE

Some older database systems used the term database to describe individual tables; the current use of database applies to all elements of a database system.

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Databases aren't only for computers. There are also manual databases; we sometimes refer to these as manual filing systems or manual database systems. These filing systems usually consist of people, papers, folders, and filing cabinets—paper is the key to a manual database system. In manual database systems, you typically have in and out baskets and some type of formal filing method. You access information manually by opening a file cabinet, taking out a file folder, and finding the correct piece of paper. Users fill out paper forms for input, perhaps by using a keyboard to input information that's printed on forms. You find information by manually sorting the papers or by copying information from many papers to another piece of paper (or even into an Excel spreadsheet). You may use a spreadsheet or calculator to analyze the data or display it in new and interesting ways.

An Access database is nothing more than an automated version of the filing and retrieval functions of a paper filing system. Access databases store information in a carefully defined structure. Access tables store a variety of different kinds of data, from simple lines of text (such as name and address) to complex data (such as pictures, sounds, or video images). Storing data in a precise format enables a database management system (DBMS) like Access to tur...