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Thread: Guidance regarding a data base project

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    Cute Member Hunain's Avatar
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    Guidance regarding a data base project

    Hey folks, I thought id ask you guys regarding a data base project, a friend of my dad's wanted to get a small database (300 entries approx) linked to a simple interface so that once data is entered, the user can simply open the simple interface and click on buttons which will then show the relevant data from the database, I wanted your opinions on how to go about it, I'm graduating in Law so I don't know jack about data bases but if I can learn a simple one it would be fun! Looking forward
    -H
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    Seething Cauldron of Hatred TheAnimus's Avatar
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    Re: Guidance regarding a data base project

    Sounds like a candidate for the dreaded 'Access Database'.

    This allows even the most technologically challenged persons to create a simple GUI application that allows quick and easy editing of files stored in a database (which is called Jet beceause it both sucks and blows at the same time).

    There is an open office copy called 'Base' which is quite frankly worse than access, (thats an achivement) but more importantly, your chances of finding anyone who's used it is a lot less.

    As much as it pains me to say it, Access might well be your best bet. The reason it gets such a bad name (and sends shivers down my spine) is because Access makes it very easy to make something which will work at first, but when you grow it by a factor of 10, or want multiple people playing with it, it starts to not work so well. The trick is to remeber you can always, easily migrate to the free version of MS Sql Server quite easily, and use the Access GUI thats been drawn to manage the data there too. Also please make sure you use:
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Third_normal_form
    for your database "schema" (the definition of tables etc).

    Failing that you can look at bespoke developement, this is normally customisation of a framework or toolkit. Thing is you REALLY get what you pay for (but of course i'd say that, i'm expensive), whilst its not a garente that someone whos demanding three figures per hour is going to be good, anyone who is good can get that for this sort of work. (because the project would only need little dev time by the sounds of it).
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    Re: Guidance regarding a data base project

    Quote Originally Posted by TheAnimus View Post
    Sounds like a candidate for the dreaded 'Access Database'.

    Also please make sure you use:
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Third_normal_form
    for your database "schema" (the definition of tables etc).
    I'd agree with this, especially the comment about 3rd normal form. Get it right to begin with and always ensure your 100% happy before you start populating with data.

    Quote Originally Posted by Hunain View Post
    linked to a simple interface so that once data is entered, the user can simply open the simple interface and click on buttons which will then show the relevant data from the database
    You can create with MS Access forms for data input, and reports to view the data held within the database. A menu system / front end can then be provided by what Access refers to as a Switchboard.
    Last edited by digit; 18-02-2009 at 11:48 AM.

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    Re: Guidance regarding a data base project

    Or PHP/Perl + MySql for a free, slightly more scalable option.

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    Seething Cauldron of Hatred TheAnimus's Avatar
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    Re: Guidance regarding a data base project

    Quote Originally Posted by TheAnimus View Post
    Failing that you can look at bespoke developement, this is normally customisation of a framework or toolkit. Thing is you REALLY get what you pay for (but of course i'd say that, i'm expensive), whilst its not a garente that someone whos demanding three figures per hour is going to be good, anyone who is good can get that for this sort of work. (because the project would only need little dev time by the sounds of it).
    Quote Originally Posted by b0redom View Post
    Or PHP/Perl + MySql for a free, slightly more scalable option.
    I owed a lot of my uni money to failed projects based on advice like this one!
    throw new ArgumentException (String, String, Exception)

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    Cute Member Hunain's Avatar
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    Re: Guidance regarding a data base project

    Thanks for the opinions guys, I will discuss the possibilities with the people wanting the database, also, to ask a noob question, i was playing around with access, im having a headache, cant even figure out how to add a simple arithmetic function, can someone spell it out for me?

    Two fields, Number, Ammount, multiply both and show result in a third field, Total, as far as I understand, the expression should be =[Number]*[Ammount], but I cant figure out how to setup the TOTAL field to show the result of the expression, where to add it? Im using office 2007, help would be appreciated, total noob here
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    Re: Guidance regarding a data base project

    Quote Originally Posted by Hunain View Post
    Thanks for the opinions guys, I will discuss the possibilities with the people wanting the database, also, to ask a noob question, i was playing around with access, im having a headache, cant even figure out how to add a simple arithmetic function, can someone spell it out for me?

    Two fields, Number, Ammount, multiply both and show result in a third field, Total, as far as I understand, the expression should be =[Number]*[Ammount], but I cant figure out how to setup the TOTAL field to show the result of the expression, where to add it? Im using office 2007, help would be appreciated, total noob here
    I'd do your calculations as part of a query, in the query design view add a new field using the below as example syntax:

    Field Name: [Element] operand [Element]

    eg

    Total: [Number] * [Amount]

    For each row within your table it will calculate the value of number * amount.

    Hope this helps! I think I read somewhere that calculated values should only be generated within a query, could be rubbish. Perhaps TheAnimus can eloborate on that?
    Last edited by digit; 18-02-2009 at 03:24 PM.

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