MS-Access

Microsoft Access is a Relational Database Management System (RDBMS), designed primarily for home or small business usage. Access is known as a desktop database system because it's functions are intended to be run from a single computer. This is in contrast to a server database application (such as SQL Server), where it is intended to be installed on a server, then accessed remotely from multiple client machines. Microsoft (or MS) Access is a software package that you install just like any other software package, and is bundled as part of the Microsoft Office suite.

3/5/2013

Bhumika S.

Access Versus Excel

Excel may be fine if you've only got a small amount of data, and if you don't have many attributes against each piece of data. It may be fine if you don't have much in the way of relational data across multiple worksheets. Once you start storing many attributes against each piece of data, and perhaps you find yourself repeating information across multiple worksheets, then it's time to start using Access (or another database system if you prefer). Another important reason for using Access over Excel is, if you need to generate a lot of queries and reports. Access is much better suited for doing this compared to Excel.
3/5/2013 Bhumika S. 2

Database
Microsoft defines a database as "a collection of interrelated tables, records, fields, forms, queries, reports, pages, macros, and modules." Create a Database Create Tables Create Columns Insert Data View Data Different ways of Creating a Table
3/5/2013 Bhumika S. 3

 Tables
Tables are used to store all of the information you might want to hold in a database.

Records and Fields

All of the information you stuff into a table doesn't just land haphazardly all over the place for you to sort through later. That wouldn't be good. Instead, the table carefully organizes any information you feed it into orderly columns and rows. One row of information in a table is known as a record and one column of information is known as a field.

To summarize, a database is made up, at least in part, of tables. In turn, a table is made up of a number of individual records. And each record is madeS. of fields. 3/5/2013 Bhumika up

 Forms
Forms are used to simplify and enhance the data entry experience. Unlike tables, forms provide you with a delightful data entry environment. A data entry form can be asked to display all of your table fields on one screen, totally eliminating the need to scroll. Most forms will also display only one record at a time, reducing the risk that you'll inadvertently make changes to the wrong record.

Queries
Queries are used to extract or rearrange information in your tables.
3/5/2013 Bhumika S. 5

 Reports
In general, reports contain the same information you'd find in your tables and queries. However, while tables and queries are generally optimized for display on a screen, reports are made to be printed on paper. Any time you need a summary of table or query data custom formatted for your printer, you'll want to create a report. Most reports also come with mathematical capabilities, which gives you the opportunity to include subtotals, totals, and other calculations on your hard copy.
3/5/2013 Bhumika S. 6

Creating A Database
Now let us create a Database and then one simple table of Employee within that database.

3/5/2013

Bhumika S.

Table
We will create a Table Emp with the following fields:
Empno EName Address Phone_no Salary

And, now let us understand what do we mean by DataTypes

3/5/2013 Bhumika S. 8

Data Types
Text. The field can contain any characters. The Field Size property defines the maximum number of characters. The maximum cannot be above 255 characters. Number. The field can contain a number. The Field Size property defines what kind of number:
3/5/2013 Bhumika S. 9

 Integer. A small integer. It must be in the range 32,768 to +32,767 (a 16-bit integer).

Long Integer. It must be in the range from around

-2,140 million to +2,140 million (a 32-bit integer).

Single. A decimal number in the range from

-3.4*1038 to +3.4*1038 with an accuracy of 6 or 7 significant digits (a 32-bit floating point number).

Double. A decimal number in the range from -1.8*10308 to +1.8*10308 with 14 significant digits (a 64-bit floating point number). Decimal. A very long integer with a decimal point placed somewhere. Intended for monetary calculations where rounding must be strictly controlled.

3/5/2013

Bhumika S.

10

 Date/Time. The field gives a point in time. In the computer it is stored as the number of days since 30/121899 at 0:00. Usually we don't show a date field as a number, but as a date and/or a time. The format property specifies this. Yes/No. The field contains a Boolean value shown either as Yes/No, True/False, or On/Off. The format property specifies this. AutoNumber. The field is a long integer (32 bits) that Access generates itself as a unique number in the table. Access numbers the records 1, 2, . . . as you enter the records. However, you cannot trust that the sequence is unbroken. For instance when you add a record and undo the addition before having completed it, Access uses the next number in the sequence anyway.
3/5/2013 Bhumika S. 11

DataTypes
Memo fields can hold up to 65,535 characters. That's over 60 pages of text! A text field can only hold a maximum of 255 characters. You cannot sort or search through Memo fields. Queries will not work on any field that has been designated as a Memo field.

3/5/2013

Bhumika S.

12

 Now that, we have understood, How to create table and what are fields, lets take one simple Quiz.
QUIZ

3/5/2013

Bhumika S.

13

Queries
Queries are those objects in a database that allow us to view, change, and arrange data stored in tables. We can also use them as the source of records for forms and reports.

3/5/2013

Bhumika S.

14