Task - construct and use a relational database

The task will be released as four parts, one a day, as we practice Access components

  1. the specs for tables
  2. the relationships specs
  3. the forms specs and the first set of queries will be released as a practice exercise for you to do
  4. finally, the second set of queries and the reports specs will also be released as a practice exercise for you to do

Everything in this task is something we will have demonstrated and/or tried in class.

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Condition

You are to create a book database for a private client, not too unlike Mr. Pitt on Seinfeld. The client has his own library and needs you to organize his holdings and be able to order new books for his library when he wants them. This will require you to create a relational database that will include:

  • a number of related tables to capture the data about the books and the orders
  • a set of queries to pull data from the tables in response to questions about the book holdings
  • some forms to use for adding data to the database
  • some reports to use for presenting the client with a paper copy of results in response to his questions

You will work in three or four person teams on this task. When you team has completed the task, one member of the team will store it in that person's password protected directory. Each of the members of the team will place a hyperlink to it on their respective web sites (the individual storing it will have a relative link to it, the others will have absolute links to the finished task). When it's ready for me to download and grade, send me a note telling me to retrieve it from your websites.

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Standard

Though there are several different commercial relational database software applications, we need to use Microsoft Access for this purpose because it will provide an appreciation for relational databases. Additionally, other database classes in SILS assume a working knowledge of Access as a baseline skill.

We will build this database step by step in class

  • the exercises you will have after each class will be part of the task
  • you would be wise to do each exercise as it is presented so you won't be bogged down trying to finish the database
  • it can be a huge time sink if you don't watch out.

It should meet the standards laid out on the task 05 gradesheet. Tasks 03, 04, 05, and 06 should have standard file names that follow this structure:

  • yyyymmdd.LastnameFirstname.TaskNN.file_extension
  • as in, for example, 20080101.JohnsonPat.Task05.accdb

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