JML Institute Online: BSC
Business School Center
Instructor: Professor S. Lopin
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Ok!, stop a minute.!
now you may be getting a little confused because the spreadsheets you just finished studying looks like a database table, that is at first glance,  thats where the similarity ends.  A TABLE is just a simple area in memory where data is stored in rows and columns.  SPREADSHEET  data is also in rows & columns but they are mathematically connected; much more powerful than a simple table.  But, the program that uses tables is powerful, thats the database program, which takes table data and groups it with other table data in many various ways needed by supervisors on jobs.  This is called a QUERIE.  Each record from a table is shown on the CRT screen with whats called a FORM.  Records accessed by your querie may be used in your REPORT. That's all folks!! No not really!! Smile.
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Database is a container for a group of related files and the Database Management Program.   

A file is a group of related records.  

A record is a group of related fields or data items.   The actual data record goes into a row of your table.  
Those files in a database may be sequential or direct access files.  

Sequential files are like tapes which require you to pass over many other records to access the one you need.  
Direct Access files are like CDs.  You can go directly to your desired record position.  

Some files have records that are connected with pointers.   Hierarchical databases record have child and parent pointers that point both ways.  ISAM or Index Sequential access method is very popular in business since records groups may be accessed directly by the set of index pointers and records in a particulart group are accessed sequentially.

Other access methods include trees or linked lists .  Indexed Direct is another access method called IDAM

Database Administrators assign accounts to users assigning various levels of accessibilty.  Accessibility levels includes no-access, read-only, read-write, delete-add, total-access.  Some files are private and only accessible on the SUPERVISOR level.  Others may be PUBLIC.  

DMs also control the access to certain servers in an network and the mapping of drives to certain servers.  They also mantain documentation of changes to the configuration of the network hardware and the software.  On CLIENT-SERVER networks the network administrator and  database administrator may be the same person.
'Create a Database' Wizards 
Every simple database program comes with a new database wizard.  

Just click new > then click  > blank database  > create.

Table wizards 
Usually every simple database program has a table wizard that will make a table for you.  
(if using ACCESS database) Click the tables tab in the database windows, then  > new button > table wizard > OK.  Then you can select from one of the sample tables.   Select the desired fields of your database records.

The wizard ask you how many field  and rows to you table.  This table will inititally be empty.   Then it ask you what do you want the field names to be.   Then it ask you what do you want the key field to be.

Form wizards 
Usually every simple database program has a form wizard that will make a form for you. The wizard ask you how many input boxes  and labels you want in  your form.  This form will inititally be empty until it connects to the table.   Then it ask you what do you want the field names to be.  

(ACCESS) Once the wizard has created your database and table it offers you a choice to....
"Enter the data into the table using the form the wizard has created for me."
...the click finish and exit the form after it is displayed.  

Then you are ready to begin typing in record into the table by typing one record at a time into your form.  This is called DATA ENTRY.!

ASSIGNMENT:

Print this sheet out:

1.  Open your database program.   If you don't have one, download a free DATABASE program on page 1 or use 
	Go to tools one at you nearest library or community college.

a.	Open your table wizard
b.	Create a table
c.	Open your form wizard
d.	Create a form.
e.	Open querie wizard.
f.	created querie.
g.	Open report wizard.
i.	Create form an Index with primary key.