Database Management System: Key Concepts and Features

Why do you have a primary key?

A primary key ensures UNIQUE DATA.

Form Design Views

In Form View, you cannot make any design changes to a form.

Checking Field Lengths

Martha is concerned that her form data may be longer in length than the size of the field control. To check this, she should use Print View.

Handling Primary Key Changes

If you choose the Cascade Update Related Fields Option, Access permits the change in value to the primary key and changes the appropriate foreign key values in the related table, thereby eliminating the possibility of inconsistent data in Yuka's database.

Resizing Columns

You can resize columns easily in Layout View.

Activating the Find Command

You can activate the Find command from the button on the Home tab.

Saving Database Objects

It is best to save a database object—query, form, or report—only if you anticipate using the object frequently or if it is time-consuming to create because all objects use storage space on your disk.

Default Zero Value

Under field properties, the default value of zero means False or No.

Defining a Query

A Query is a question you ask about data stored in a database.

One-to-Many Form Creation

When you create a form containing data from two tables that have a one-to-many relationship, you create a Main Form for data from the primary table.

Navigating Forms

You can move from field to field within a form by using the Tab Key.

Datasheet View Record Selector

In Datasheet view, the star symbol that appears in the record selector area always identifies the Next Available Row for a New Record in the database.

Range Selection Criteria

A range of values may be specified as selection criteria by using the Between...And operator.

Multi-Value Selection

Martha would like to create a list of all the aerobics classes being held in the Red room and in the Blue room. Which of the following comparison operators would work? In ("Red", "Blue").

The IN Operator

The IN ( ) operator is a comparison operator that allows you to check whether or not a particular field value is part of a list of values.

Database Design Importance

You should carefully design your database to meet the needs of those who will use it.

Entity Integrity Defined

If a table is defined with a primary key, Access will require you to enter a value for the key when adding a record in a process known as Entity Integrity.

Columnar Layout

A form that shows only one record at a time has a Columnar layout.

Field Characteristics

The characteristics of a field, such as name, size, and type, are called the field Properties.

Sortable Fields

Sort fields can be unique or non-unique.

Data Type for Currency

For a field in Tom's database that holds dollar amounts, what is the most appropriate data type? Currency.

Wildcard Pattern Indicator

To indicate a pattern that includes wildcards, use Like "617*".

Form Preview

To see a sample of your form before it is printed, you can click the Print Preview button.

Detail Records

The items marked 2 (signing date, contract num) in the accompanying figure are Detail records.

Decimal Property Precision

The Decimal property setting for Number fields stores positive and negative numbers to precisely 28 decimal places and uses 12 bytes.