Access

click on blank database – in right column

click on Tables – under Objects in left column

use Design View – provides you with ability to identify key

KEY

· A group of one or more attributes identifying a unique row in a relation.

· Because relations may not have duplicate rows, every relation must have at lease one key which is the composite of all the attributes of the relation.

· A key is sometimes called a logical key.

· NOTE: with some relational DBMS products, an index on a column is used to improve access and sorting speed. It is sometimes called a physical key.

PRIMARY KEY

· A candidate key selected to be the key of a relation;

· The primary key is used as a foreign key for representing relationships

FOREIGN KEY

· An attribute that is a key of one or more relations other than the one in which it appears.

· Used to represent relationships.

create a table which will hold department data

type in DepartmentName – field text – size 50 is fine

enter remaining attributes (i.e. field names)

save table as DEPARTMENT

create another table which will hold employee data

enter desired attributes

save table as EMPLOYEE

click on Tools

choose relationships

put both tables on the surface by highlighting each and clicking on add

close Show Table

connect the DepartmentName fields in the two tables....

an edit relationships window will open – click on enforce referential integrity

click on create

REFERENTIAL INTEGRITY CONSTRAINT

· A relationship constrint on foreign key values.

· A referntial integrity constraint specifies that the values of a foreign key must be a subset of the primary key to which it refers.

open Form Wizard

add both tables to the wizard – an attribute at a time using > or all of the attributes at once using >>

notice the dotted notation

keep clicking on next until finish appears then click on finish

you can now enter data using the form

click on Reports