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You will notice, in the screen, in the
left border: Tables, Queries, Forms, Reports, Pages, Macros, and
Modules. You will notice at the top of the
screen: Open, Design and New. You may create multiple
Tables (Databases), as well as multiple other items associated
with the items in the left border. As you create them, they
will be shown in the "white" area. In other words, the PERSON
database can be made-up of many other databases (tables),
reports, queries, etc.
For now, we'll do
a basic database (table) creation. Later, you can try Table
Wizards when you have the "feel" for creating a table.
To begin designing the database,
please click-on the Design “button” at the top of the
person: Database menu screen (see
arrow above).
You should now see a Table1: Table design
screen similar to the one below. If the Table:
Table1 image does not “fill” the screen, click-on the
small square between the “minus and the X” in the
upper right hand corner of the screen (see arrow and
image on right).
Notice, under
the Blue Bar at the top of the design screen
that there are (3) things: Field name, Data Type, and
Description, and, in the lower half of the window Field
Properties.
Next you will be creating the fields
that make up a database. This is similar to creating a
blank personnel form (on paper) that will be "filled-in" for
each employee (Name, Address, Phone Number, etc.). These
"forms" are called records in a database. There will be a
record, or form, for each employee. All the forms, together,
make up a Table (database). So let’s create a personnel
database.
Significant Note:
When creating a database it is always best to “break
down” a field into its “smallest parts.” For
example – Name would break down into First Name, and Last Name
(you could also have Middle Initial, Title, etc.) Address would
break down into Street Address, City, State, and Zip (you could
also have Apartment Number, etc). Because we are working on a
computer it will be very simple to “put the fields back
together” with a few mouse clicks. Trust us. This will save
you a lot of time later on.
Look at the image
on the right. Click-in the area or
space under Field Name and type-in
Last Name.
Tap Enter or click-in the area to the right under
Data Type. The cursor now moves to the right
under Data Type. Notice that Text appears as the
default (and a box with a down-triangle appears
in the right side of the box). Click-on
the down triangle. Your design screen should look
like the one on the right. |