ACCESS CHAPTER 1

OBJECTIVES

• Tables• Queries• Forms• Reports• Primary and Foreign Keys• Relationship

EXAMPLE

• Download Books.accdb file.• Access database system files

have .accdb as filename extension.

DATABASE WINDOW

• In the Object Bar on the left

• Tables – Where the data is stored• Queries – Questions asked about the data• Forms – Provide an interface to view & maintain

records• Reports – Display information in a nicely formatted

way

OPENING A TABLE

• In the Tables area, double click Authors• You should see 7 records showing in

Datasheet view• Datasheet view – Allows us to see the records

that have been entered into a table.• Number of records is shown at the bottom

bar.

DATASHEET VIEW

• Datasheet view shows a table’s contents in rows and columns like a spreadsheet would

• Each Field Name is inside a clickable “Field Selector” that will highlight that column

• Each row has a clickable “Record Selector” to its left…

Navigating a Datasheet

TABLE VIEWS

• Datasheet View :Allows the user to add, edit, and delete records within a table.

• Design View :Allows the user to create tables, add and delete fields, and modify field properties.

• Fields can be assigned data types, such as text (the default), number, currency, etc.

• Field properties show the characteristics of the fields in more detail.

PRIMARY AND FOREIGN KEYS

• Primary Key: To uniquely identify records in a table.

• Foreign Key: The primary key of other table present in it. i.e., a borrowed Primary Key.

• E.g. Author ID is primary key of Author table. AuthorCode(which is Author ID) in Books table is Foreign key.

ADDING RECORDS

• Click the “New Record” button at the bottom

• Enter 18 for the Author ID• Enter “C.S.” for a Author’s Last Name.• Enter “Lewis” for a Author’s First Name.• Save the table and close it.

SAVE AND CLOSE

• Do remember to Save and Close each object before moving to the other one!

• Work systematically.• Always name the objects etc., with

appropriate names as per context.

EDITING A RECORD

• Edit record 7 in Author table with your first and last names.

• Press Enter or Tab• The record has been saved when the

pencil sign to the left disappears

DELETING A RECORD

• Deleting a record is permanent once it’s deleted, it’s gone. You can’t get it back.

• Delete Author ID 12 record..• Select the record by clicking on the left

“Record Selector” next to 12• Right Click• Delete Record – Confirm that It’s GONE

FORMS

• They are used to add, maintain, and view records in a database

• Easier to use if you are not so familiar with the database interface– Make it easy for anyone to work with

information in a table in a simple interface

USING A EXISTING FORM

• Close the Table• Under “Forms” in the object bar,

Double click Maintain Authors

Click the last record button to see your entries added and edited.

ADDING RECORDS WITH FORMS

• Use the controls to return to the first record

• You should see 8 records.• Create a new record:

Author ID as 19, First Name as Morris and Last Name as Mano.

REPORTS

• A report is an output of data arranged in the order you specify. 

• Reports can perform calculations and display the results. 

• Reports can be used to print data.

USING AN EXISTING REPORT

• Close the form • In Reports object bar area Double click

Publishers, Books and Authors Report• Find your two entries under the

appropriate publishers

QUERIES

• A Query is a question one asks about the data stored in a database

• Access responds by displaying specific records that answer the question

• In creating a query, we tell access which fields are needed and what criteria needs to be met

AN EXISTING QUERY

• Close the report• In the Queries area of the objects bar,

Double-click Publishers, Books, and Authors Query

• You should see your 15 records

UNDERSTANDING TABLE RELATIONSHIPS

• Efficiently combine data from related tables

• To create queries, forms, and reports• Primary and foreign keys play an

important role in creating relationships.• Tables may be joined based on a

common field.

TYPES OF RELATIONSHIPS

• One-to-one relationship• One-to-many relationship• Many-to-many relationship• Access will take care of it for us!

REFERENTIAL INTEGRITY

• To establish tighter relationship!• It prohibits the user from deleting a record

from one table when there are related records in other tables.

• It allows you to enter a foreign key value only after entering it as primary key value in the primary table.

ESTABLISHING REFERENTIAL INTEGRITY

• Edit Relationships dialog box

• Select Enforce Referential Integrity checkbox

CASCADE OPTIONS

• To establish dependencies between joined tables.• Cascade Update Related Fields: When the

primary key is modified in a primary table, Access will automatically update all foreign key values in a related table.

• Cascade Delete Related Records: When the primary key is deleted in a primary table, Access will automatically delete all records in related tables that reference the primary key(Deletions….Be cautious!)

SET CASCADE OPTIONS