Copyright 2007, Paradigm Publishing Inc. BACKNEXTEND 1-1 LINKS TO OBJECTIVES Design Tables and Fields Design Tables and Fields Data Types Field Size Property

Copyright 2007, Paradigm Publishing Inc.

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1-1

LINKS TOOBJECTIVES• Design Tables and

Fields• Data Types• Field Size Property• Field Properties• Custom Formats• Input Masks• Memo Field Rich

Text Format• History of Memo

Field Changes• Attachment Data

Type• Attaching Files to

Records• Features Summary

ACCESS 2007Chapter 1

DESIGNING THE STRUCTURE OF TABLES

Microsoft Access 2007 – Level 2Microsoft Access 2007 – Level 2

Chapter 1Chapter 1


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ACCESS 2007Chapter 1 Performance Objectives

• Design the structure of tables to optimize efficiency and accuracy of data

• Select the appropriate field data type based on analysis of data

• Add captions to fields for descriptive purposes• Disallow blank field values• Allow or disallow zero-length strings in a field• Create a custom format for text, number, and date

fields• Create a custom input mask• Define rich text formatting for a memo field• Store history of changes to a memo field• Define and use an attachment field with multiple

attachments


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ACCESS 2007Chapter 1 Designing Tables and Fields

1. Determine data needed from existing or future reports, forms, or queries

2. Compile a data dictionary from that data3. Map out the tables and fields for each table

– Each table (entity) should describe a person, place, object, event, or other subject only

– Segment data to its smallest unit for maximum flexibility (Example: first name, last name should be two fields)

– Do not include fields that can be calculated– Identify Yes/No or True/False fields– Identify which field will contain unique data; it

becomes the primary key field – Determine table relationships and common fields– Avoid data redundancy

Plan!

Plan!

Plan!


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ACCESS 2007Chapter 1 Diagramming a Database

To have a visual representation of the structure

Recommend ---easier to type

into expressions

Common fields in tables

Abbreviate field namesNo spaces in field names

Primary key fields indicated


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ACCESS 2007Chapter 1 Assigning Data Types

• The Data Type restricts the data that can be entered into a field– Only numbers can be entered into Number,

Currency, or Date/Time fields– Only alphanumeric text can be entered into Text

or Memo fields (if numbers are entered, they are stored as text)

• Select the appropriate Data Type for each field– Changing the data type after data has been

entered can cause some loss of data

In Table Design View, click on the desired field to view its Data Type property


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ACCESS 2007Chapter 1 Assigning Data Types…/2

Data Type Description

Text Length limit up to 255 characters; alphanumeric

Memo Length limit up to 65,535 characters; alphanumeric; supports rich text formatting

Number Positive or negative value that can be used in calculations

Date/Time Accepts only valid dates or times

Currency Monetary value; does not round off during calculations

AutoNumber Value assigned by Access automatically when a new record is added

Yes/No Restricts entry to Yes/No, True/False. Or On/Off

OLE object Stores an embedded or linked object created in other Microsoft Office applications

Hyperlink Links to a URL

Attachment Attach a file to the record, such as a picture, Word document or Excel worksheet


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Using the Field Size Propertyto Restrict Field Length

• Restrict data entry in a field to no more characters than the number in the Field Size property

• Default field size varies depending on the data type– Text: default field size is 255 characters– Number: default field size is Long Integer

• Access stores only the number of characters entered, even when Field Size is greater

• Field Size can be reset in the properties for each field (Be careful not to lose data!)

The Field Size Property


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ACCESS 2007Chapter 1 Using Field Properties

List of Field Properties is based on the Data Type

Partial list of Text field properties

Hint: Define properties before creating queries, forms, and reports

Type a descriptive title for headings in

datasheets, queries, forms, reports

Set to Yes to require an entry in this field

To store a zero-length field instead of a null value for an empty

field


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Creating a Custom Format for a Text Field

Does not affect how data is stored

Partial list of Text field properties Enter Format codes

Code Description

@ Placeholder for each character; character is required

! Fill left to right instead of right to left

> Convert to uppercase

< Convert to lowercase

[color] Show text in specified font color (black, blue, red, green, cyan, magenta, yellow, white)

To customize how text is displayed in a datasheet, query, form, or report


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ACCESS 2007Chapter 1 Text Field Format Examples

Entry Format Result

123 @@@@@ Two spaces, followed by 123, all left-aligned

123 !@@@@@ 123, followed by two spaces, all left-aligned

>@@@@@ abc12 ABC12

< SMITHSONIAN smithsonian

111223333 [blue]@@@-@@-@@@@ 111-22-3333

abcde >@@ ABCDE, the first two characters are required and capitalized


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Creating a Custom Format for a Numeric Field

Does not affect how data is stored

Partial list of Number field properties Enter Format codes

Code Description

# Placeholder for each digit; does not restrict the number of digits entered

0 Placeholder for each digit; shows a zero for digits not entered

% Multiplies the value by 100 and adds a percent symbol

To customize how a number is displayed in a datasheet, query, form, or report

More codes available – see Help


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ACCESS 2007Chapter 1 Number Field Format Examples

Entry Format Result

123456.70 #.## 123456.70

12 0.00 12.00

123456.7 #,###.#0 123,456.70

0 00.00 00.00

-500 #,###;(#,###)[red] (500)

ab123 >@@### AB123

Number formats may have up to 4 parts:

#,###.00;-#,###.00[red];0.00;’Unknown’

Positive values

Negative values

Zero values

Null value

s


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Creating a Custom Format for a Date/Time Field

Date and Time are stored as a number;

a field can display Date only, Time only, or both

List of Date/Time field properties

Enter Format codes

To customize how a Date and/or Time is displayed in a datasheet, query, form, or report


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ACCESS 2007Chapter 1 Date/Time Built-in Formats

FormatFormat DescriptionDescription

General Date

Example: 3/31/2009 5:34:23If a date only is entered, no time is displayed; if a time only is entered, no date is displayed

Long Date Example: Friday, March 31, 2009

Medium Date Example: 31-Mar-09

Short Date Example: 3/31/2009

Long Time Example: 7:34:33 PM

Medium Time Example: 7:34 PM

Short Time Example: 19:34


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ACCESS 2007Chapter 1 Date/Time Custom Format Codes

Code Description

d dd

ddddddd

Displays the day of the month; d shows as one digit or two, dd always shows two digits,ddd spells out three characters of the day,dddd spells out the day

mmm

mmmmmmm

Displays the month; m shows as one digit or two, mm always shows two digits,mmm spells out three characters of the month,mmmm spells out the month

yy or yyyy Displays the year as two or four digits

h or hh Displays the hour as one or two digits

n or nn Displays the minutes as one or two digits

s or ss Displays the seconds as one or two digits

AM/PM Displays the 12-hour clock value followed by AM or PM



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ACCESS 2007Chapter 1 Propagating Field Properties

Access displays the Property Update Options button whenever changes are made to an existing field

Click to display theUpdate Propertiesdialog box; then

choose the dependentobject(s)

(queries, forms, reports)to which this same change should be

applied


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ACCESS 2007Chapter 1 Using Input Masks

To set a pattern for how data is to be enteredinto a desired field

Avoid conflict with the Format property

Partial list of Text field properties Enter input mask

OR

Click … to invoke the Input Mask Wizard

(only for Text or Date/Time fields)


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ACCESS 2007Chapter 1 Commonly Used Input Mask Codes

Code Description

0 Required digit

9 Optional digit

# Digit, space, plus or minus symbol; if no data typed

L Required letter

? Optional letter

A Required letter or digit

a Optional letter or digit

& Required character or space

C Optional character or space

! Fill left to right, rather than right to left

\ Access is to display the character immediately following the \



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ACCESS 2007Chapter 1 Input Mask Examples

Input mask Entry Result

(000) 000-0000 2065550248 (206) 555-0248

(999) 999-9999 2065550248 (206) 555-0248

(000) AAA-AAAA 206555TELE (206) 555-TELE

#999-20 –20

2000 2000

>L????L?000L0greengr339m3 GREENGR339M3

may r 452b7 MAY R 452B7

>L0L 0L0 t2f8m4 T2F 8M4

00000-999998115 98115-

981153007 98115-3007

>L<??????????????maria Maria

brendan Brendan

SSN 000-00-0000 5555555555 SSN 555-55-5555

>LL00000-0000 db513920493 DB51392-0493


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!\(999") "000\-0000;0;#

Creating an Input Mask…/2

Desired format\ displays next symbol

as a literal symbolEnclose spaces and other

text in quotation marks

0 - to store addedcharacters

1 or blank – do not store them

Placeholdercharacter

Sections of an Input Mask

Separate sections with semicolons


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ACCESS 2007Chapter 1 Working with Memo Fields

Apply Rich Text Formatting * New in Access 2007- not available in earlier versions

Partial list of Memo field properties

Change to Rich Text and encodes all the field as HTML text

Change to Yes to allow only new data in the fieldWhen Yes, Access

maintains a history of added data


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ACCESS 2007Chapter 1 Working with Memo Fields…/2

Rich Text Formatting Options

Available formatting options for data selected in a Memo

fieldFont Font

sizeDirectionL->R, R-

>L

Numbering &

Bullets

Unindent, Indent

Bold

Italic

UnderlineFont color

AlignmentHighlighte

r


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Displaying History of Changes to a Memo Field

A Memo field’s Append Only property has been set to Yes; the field has been updated in a given record

Right-click the column entry in the desired record

Click Show column history…

History is removed when Append Only is reset to No

Review history and

click OK


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ACCESS 2007Chapter 1 Creating an Attachment Field

New Data Type in Access 2007 - not available in earlier versions

Set Data Type to Attachment

Can store several files in a single field in a record

Each file may not be larger than 256

MB

Total size of all files may not exceed

2GB

Cannot change the data type

for an Attachment

field


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ACCESS 2007Chapter 1 Attaching Files to Records

Double-click the paperclip

to open the Attachments dialog

box

Click Add, then navigate to desired files

and click Open

Datasheet View


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ACCESS 2007Chapter 1 Editing an Attached File

Double-click the paperclip

to open the Attachments dialog

box

Double-click the desired file,

then edit and save it in its

source program

Datasheet View

Click OK when finished

Select a file, then click to

remove it as an attachment


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How can you restrict the number of characters entered into a Text field?

Features Summary

In Table Design view, set the Field Size property

for the Text field


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How do you change the column heading for a field in Datasheet view?

In Table Design view, set theCaption property

Features Summary


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How do you disallow blank field values when entering data into a field?

Features Summary

In Table Design view, set theRequired property to Yes


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How do you set up a field so that data entered is always capitalized?

Features Summary

In Table Design view, enter > in theInput mask property


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How do you change the display of a Date field?

Features Summary

In Table Design view, set the

Format property to the desired format


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How do you set placeholders for entering a Date field?

Features Summary


Input Mask property to the desired format


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How do you define Rich Text Formatting for a Memo field?

Features Summary


Text Format property to Rich Text


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What must you do to save a history of the changes to a Memo field?

Features Summary


Append Only property to Yes


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How can you display the history of the changes to a Memo field?

Features Summary

Right-click the column entry in the desired record in Datasheet

view

Click Show column history…

Review history and

click OK


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How can you attach a file to a record?

Features Summary

1. In Table Design view, create an Attachment field, then

2. In Datasheet view, double-click the paperclip in the record to open the Attachments dialog box


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ACCESS 2007Chapter 1 Coming Next

DESIGNING AND BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS AND

LOOKUP FIELDS

Chapter 2Chapter 2

Documents

Copyright 2007, Paradigm Publishing Inc. BACKNEXTEND 1-1 LINKS TO OBJECTIVES Design Tables and Fields Design Tables and Fields Data Types Field Size Property