Access Database Design & Programming (3rd Edition) [Paperback]

Steven Roman (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0596002734 | ISBN-13: 978-0596002732 | Publication Date: January 14, 2002 | Edition: 3rd

Access Database Design & Programming takes you behind the details of the Access interface, focusing on the general knowledge necessary for Access power users or developers to create effective database applications. When using software products with graphical interfaces, we frequently focus so much on the interface that we forget about the general concepts that allow us to understand and use the software effectively. In particular, this book focuses on three areas:

• Database design. The book provides an enjoyable, informative overview of database design that carefully shows you how to normalize tables to eliminate redundancy without losing data.
• Queries. The book examines multi-table queries (i.e.,various types of joins) and shows how to implement them indirectly by using the Access interface or directly by using Access SQL.
• Programming. The book examines the VBA integrated development environment (IDE). It then goes on to provide an excellent introduction to Data Access Objects (DAO), ActiveX Data Objects (ADO), and ADO Extensions for Data Definition and Security (ADOX). These sections serve as a handy introduction and primer for basic database operations,such as modifying a table under program control, dynamically adding and deleting a record, and repositioning a record pointer. The concluding chapter focuses on common programming problems, such as computing running sums and comparing two sets.

Unlike other Access books that take the long, detailed approach to every topic of concern to Access programmers, Access Database Design &Programming instead focuses on the core concepts, enabling programmers to develop solid, effective database applications. This book also serves as a 'second course' in Access that provides a relatively experienced Access user who is new to programming with the frequently overlooked techniques necessary to develop successfully in the Microsoft Access environment.

Anyone interested in learning Access in depth, rather than just scraping the surface, will enjoy and benefit immensely from reading this book.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Access Database Design and Programming covers a lot of ground quickly but lucidly. Steven Roman begins with a description of general principles of database design, then describes the "relational algebra" that defines the meaning of such operations as unions and joins, introduces SQL syntax, and finally dives into the details of using VBA (Visual Basic for Applications) to write Access code. The result is a single book that can teach you all the basics of building database applications in Access. Portions of the book are heavy with logical equations whose effects can be hard to visualize, but Roman's judicious use of sample data makes it much easier to follow the operations being described. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From the Publisher

When using software products with graphical interfaces, we frequently focus so much on the details of how to use the interface that we forget about the more general concepts that allow us to understand and put the software to effective use. This is particularly true of a powerful database product like Microsoft Access. Novice, and sometimes even experienced programmers, are so concerned with how something is done in Access that they often lose sight of the general principles that underlie their database applications. Access Database Design & Programming takes the reader behind the details of the Access interface, focusing on the general knowledge necessary for Access users or developers to create effective database applications. In particular, the book focuses on three areas: Database design. Access makes it so easy -- and so visually attractive -- to create databases that users are strongly tempted to create the tables of a database without designing them beforehand. This temptation is not solely due to the foibles of users; existing books and documentation focus on the details of using the interface, and neglect the general principles of database design. The consequences of this become painfully evident at a later date, when problems in database design result in a loss of information, or when the retrieval of information from the database becomes too slow to be worthwhile. This book provides an enjoyable, informative overview of database design that carefully shows the reader how to normalize tables to eliminate data redundancy without losing data. Queries. The attractive query design dialog that Access provides tends to obscure the fact that the Access interface can be used for some kinds of queries but does not support others. In particular, the book examines multi-table queries (i.e., various types of joins) and shows how to implement them indirectly by using the Access interface or directly by using Access SQL. Programming. The book provides an excellent introduction to the Data Access Object (DAO) and Microsoft Access object models, which allow a developer to place a database under program control. Rather than covering these object models in an encyclopedic fashion, the section serves as a handy introduction and primer for basic database operations, like: modifying a table under program control, dynamically adding and deleting a record, or repositioning a record pointer. Unlike other Access books that take the long, detailed approach to every topic of concern to Access programmers, this book focuses instead on the core concepts, enabling programmers to develop solid, effective database applications. As a result, important topics such as designing forms and reports, database security, database replication, and programming for multi-user applications are simply not discussed. This book is a kind of "second course" in Access that provides a relatively experienced Access user who is new to programming with the frequently overlooked techniques necessary to successfully develop in the Microsoft Access environment. Anyone interested in learning Access in-depth, rather than just scraping the surface, will enjoy and immensely benefit from reading this book. Although this book is really an introduction targeted at intermediate Microsoft Access users who are novice programmers, it should appeal to all levels of Access developers. For novice programmers, it focuses on a key body of knowledge that is typically neglected, but is nevertheless essential for developing effective database applications. For intermediate and advanced developers, its treatment of database design and queries provides a handy treatment that otherwise has to be gleaned from relatively uninteresting textbooks, while its programming chapters constitute a handy reference to some basic operations that can be performed using DAO or the Access object model. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 448 pages
• Publisher: O'Reilly Media; 3rd edition (January 14, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0596002734
• ISBN-13: 978-0596002732
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (46 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #221,818 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

59 of 60 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Access database for the mathematically minded, January 23, 2001

By 

"cmjreview" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Access Database Design and Programming (Nutshell Handbooks) (Paperback)

In Access Database Design & Programming, the author uses very mathematical and academic language. The database design part of the book is focused on the mathematical theory of relational databases. The programming part of the book is a reference work to programming with VBA.

All parts of the relational database in Access will be mathematically defined and proven. It will have a name you most probably will find confusing, and far from what you are used to from the Access interface. Apparently the author follows the naming standards established in the academic world to prove the algebra. After all, he is a professor of Mathematics !

In the programming part of the book you will be introduced to the DDL, DML and DCL components included in Access. Also, these components will probably be completely unknown to you, if you have no previous programming experience. Further, the book makes use of DAO as opposed to ADO.

The book is perfect for someone, who has completed courses in Computer Science, Programming and Algebra, or with the equivalent knowledge and a mathematical/academic way of thinking. They will be able to read through the book in a fast pace, and immediately make use of Access at a high level.

If your background is different, I would recommend another approach to database design and programming. For database design, I recommend "Inside Relational Databases" by Whitehorn and Marklyn (ISBN 354076092X). To learn programming I recommend "Learn to Program with VB 6" by John Smiley (ISBN1902745000).

This book is going to split its readers in two groups: The mathematically and academic minded who will love the book for its concise language. And the "grass roots" among the Access users/developers, who will be looking for database samples or VBA code snippets to learn from, and find none.

You will probably ask yourself if you need to know this much theory and detail. But remember, a relational database operates purely on mathematics. It is difficult and tiresome to learn, but your reward will be well worth the effort.

38 of 39 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Gem, February 13, 2000

By 

"kareninpgh" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Access Database Design and Programming (Nutshell Handbooks) (Paperback)

So you're familiar with the Access interface and are comfortable with tables, forms, reports and macros. So what's next?

Simply put, choose this book if you have little to no programming experience and you're ready to go to the next level with Access database development. This book is truly for the advanced Access user, but the novice VBA programmer. Having spent many frustrating hours with other books that claim to be for this audience, I can wholeheartedly recommend this one. I needed a "primer" in VBA before moving on to more advanced treatments, and this one fit the bill.

For me, a bonus was the section on normalization. Well written and clear, it solidified and enhanced my understanding of sound database design .

Steven Roman...thanks so very much!

23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good and to the point....., May 26, 2000

By 

Khalil Ahmad (NJ, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Access Database Design and Programming (Nutshell Handbooks) (Paperback)

This book provides good overview of the database design in the first four chapters. Good tips to avoid data redundancy without losing data. Chapter 5 and 6 throws light on SQL, DDL and DML components of Access SQL, not too much but some how enough. Chapter 7 gives a little bit idea about the Database Architecture.

Then Chapters 8-13 provide basic introductory and definitive approach of VBA in Access with different data types, functions, sub-routines, control statements, etc.

Chapter 14-16, here goes the real thing about DAO. With couple of examples, author explained in very good manner about different aspects of Data Access Objects and how to open, create and query database/tables from within code.

Chapter 17, explains breifly about ActiveX Data Objects incl. ADO and OLE DB.

So over all, this book is very good and to the point. I would definitely recommend to the beginners who wanna learn MS ACCESS or who has a little bit knowledge and wanna improve it without wasting time and going through huge books. As far as, MS Access professionals are concerned, they may not find it very informative but still if they go direct through chapters 14-17, they may find something useful.