Common Sense Approach to Databases

Read More About Databases

Have you ever wanted to make a database, but are not sure how to approach it? What are your information needs? Are you happy with just using a flatfile type database which spreadsheet programs offer, or are you looking for keeping a relational database which data duplication can be almost eliminated. Can other programs be used to help manipulate your information and also keep reports that you generate? Here is some insight of what is possible when you can emply Common Sense with this type of programming.

For any type of data that you require to keep in a database, you should plan on its design. What information are you needing to keep, what kind of reporting is to be done, will you be expanding the database to include other information over time? What database program, or platform, can you program with, MS Access, FileAmigo, FoxPro, OpenOffice.Org Base, etc. Are you needing the database to be web-based so that you can serve the data to other people, or independent on your own personal computer? Depending on the bells and whistles you desire and how complicated you require the program to be, will depend on the platform you use.

Database pattern is to be well thought-out. Once you start the database to be active and have data stored, it is hard to change its design. In the plan, you must think about how much data you are to store, how quick you want the data to flow, how much other information you will require to add later. Try to remember that the more data you store, whether it's records or fields, the slower the database will run.

I like to program the one-to-many relationship type databases because I can increase the database as time goes. My information needs do change over time. For me, this is the best approach. This type of database allows you to define a main table, which contains data that doesn't change, and sub-tables where you can put data that relates to the primary data. For example, I have a database of music that is played each Sunday in Church. The primary table record consists of the song title, artist, copyright date, etc. I track the dates I play the music and where in the program this occurs. This is a sub-table record because I am adding information to each primary table record. So when I want to find out when a song has been played and where in the service this occurred, I bring together the main table and the sub table of dates. Then I display the data.

Once I'm done with the planning of the database, I look it over to find data that may be duplicate. If its data that I can do without, I eliminate it. The term Normalizing is the process of organizing the data so that redundant data is eliminated. This would mean having the same data stored in more than one table. We also need to be aware of the related data being stored. Does this accurately refer to the main data record? When the database is Normalized properly, you will reduce the amount of space the database consumes and that all data is stored in a logical manner.

Article Source: http://depositarticles.com/

InfoDome is a powerful online database that makes it easy to share data. Need site popularity? Let us handle your Article Marketing needs.

Please Rate this Article

Not yet Rated

Click the XML Icon Above to Receive Databases Articles Via RSS!

Additional Articles From - Home | Computers | Databases

Our other websites
All about SEO
Beauty Tips Forum

	Print This Article
	Post Comment
	Add To Favorites
	Email to Friends
	Ezine Ready

Submit Articles
Member Login
Link Us
Submission Guidelines
Ezine Notifications
Article RSS Feeds
Sitemap

New Stuff
About Us
Developer
Good shopping portal
Link to Us
Contact Us
Privacy Policy
Terms of Service