| Creating
an Access Database: A Primer for Resource Center Managers by
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Helpful HintsTable of ContentsIntroductionExisting Databases Help Files Books Help from Your Friends The World Wide Web Commercial Training Backing Up Your Data For More Information IntroductionRussian Language Version in zipped format.
If you've use Microsoft products before, you'll know that there's always
more than one way to do something. This is both positive and negative.
This section will provide hints as to how to get help if you're a newcomer
to Access.
Existing DatabasesBe sure to look at all the existing Access databases you can get your hands on. Play with them. Enter data into the database through Dataview form and Forms view (if there isn't some already in the database). Try out the queries, and reports features.By looking at how other programmers have created a database, you can
learn how to structure one for yourself.
Help FilesYou cannot survive without the Access Help file. Spend some time reading the file, first in an orderly way, and then after you've gotten started, by using Index. Please keep in mind that if you are not a trained software engineer or programmer, that you will likely not know all the proper terminology. Because of that, finding the exact piece of information in the help file can sometimes be a problem. Use the Find feature, too.BooksMany books exist on creating Microsoft Access databases. Most of them cost around $30 US. Some are fairly simple, others are very complex and are intended for those who program Access for a living.If you can afford it, it doesn't hurt to own your own copy, but you
shouldn't feel shy about borrowing a book from a friend before you buy
it.
Help from Your FriendsMake use of nearby programmers, IS folks and just about anyone who understands relational databases. Keep in mind that each of the people you talk to will likely tell you that your database is awful and that you should hire them to complete it for you. Actually, that isn't such a bad idea. Get your database planned, throw some data into the database, see where it's not working and ask for help. That way you'll learn something about the process of building a database, without sending hours gnashing your teeth over the picky details that you have to attend to to have a workable database.Don't be afraid to ask questions. Spouses are sometimes a big help.
If they love you enough they will rarely murder you when you yell at them
because you're so frustrated with the process of creating entity relationship
diagrams.
The World Wide WebLook in the References and Resources section of this handout for more information and lots of Websites. Use your favorite search engine to find more. I recommend HotBot and AltavistaCommercial TrainingUse HotBot and Altavista to check the Web for seminars and workshops in your city and for distance learning classes now available on the Web in several locations.Backing Up Your DataNo matter how many times an individual is told, it takes at least one major data loss to remind him or her of just how vulnerable each of us is to losing important database information.Keep in mind that creating a database is very expensive in terms of
labor. It is even more expensive if you have to recreate not only the database
structure, but also rekey all the data. Losing a database because
you've failed to back up the data could be grounds for dismissal.
How Often Should I Back Up?So, back up your data after each major input of data. If it means backing up the database before you go to lunch and before you go home in the evening, do it! At the very minimum, you should back up your database each Friday afternoon.The backup rule should be:
How to Back UpHere's how. Back up onto a floppy drive as long as your database is small. Use several floppies (four is a good number) and rotate them. Keep in mind that floppies are very easily corrupted. After three or four backups, do a full reformat, to reset the file allocation table.When your database gets large, back it up onto whatever backup medium you use, whether it be a tape drive, multiple floppies, onto a Zip or Jaz cartridge (or equivalent), or onto a free-standing disk drive. Do not keep the backups in the same room as the
original. Think about what would happen if you had a fire or a flood in
your library or resource center. It does happen as we have seen recently
in several libraries in the United States which over the past year have
been destroyed through floods. I keep copies in my car, my home and on
my laptop of some of my most important work. I also back up some files
to some storage space located on my university's mainframe . If you
don't have access to mainframe storage space, ask a friend if you can backup
to his/her computer via FTP (File Transfer Protocol).
Paper Manuals (and Data)As you create the database, keep a paper copy of the manual you've created. In it you should keep a copy of all of the documentation you've created on the database. You will definitely want to print out the database table structure, queries and report formats on paper and store them in your manual. As long as your database is small, you could print out all the records in Dataview format. Having paper copies enables you to recreate the database if you lose everything, including your backups.In short, back up your database. For More InformationI can't think of where else you could get information, but I'm sure there are places. |
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