Microsoft Access
CS 110
Fall 2005
Schema
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A description of the structure of a
database
• Objects in a database
• Relationships between objects
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A table is one way to organize
(model) a schema
Hierarchies is another
Relational DBs is a third
The importance of schema
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Schema “define” the database
The model used to implement the
schema should be complementary
In-class Project
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Form groups of three
Submit a solution with all group
members’ names
Your task is…
Develop a schema
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Customer name
Customer address
Item purchased
Credit card number
What issues were encountered?
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Repetition of information
• Same item bought more than once
• Same account used more than once
• Same address used more than once
• What if multiple credit cards?
• What if multiple addresses?
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What if number of items is fixed?
Operations (lookahead)
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Create relationships
Demonstrate referential integrity
View tables with relationships
Change contents of tables
Operations (test)
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Create database from data files