Access Database Design and Programming (3rd Edition)

Features

• Cover Type: Paperback with 448 pages
• Published by: O'Reilly Media, Inc.
• Edition: 3rd Edition January 7, 2002
• Written in: English
• ISBN 10 Number: 0596002734
• ISBN 13 Number: 978-0596002732
• Book Dimensions: 9.1 x 7 x 1.1 inches
• Weighs: 1.6 pounds

Product 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.

Product Description
"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 looks at 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 looks at the VBA integrated development environment (IDE). It then goes on to provide an great 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 alsoserves 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.

Reader Reviews
True to its title, this book has an excellent section on database design, particularly as it pertains to Microsoft Access. However, I found it particularly frustrating when none of the code examples in the book worked with my databases. When I read Balter's "Mastering Microsoft Access 2000 Develoment", also available at Amazon, I found out why. DAO has been replaced by ADO. This book covers DAO first, and mentions only later. I spent five days trying to get DAO to work and failed. I am so glad I had my other Access book to steer me straight. The great introduction to relational databases is useful, but you could glean the same information from Hernandez's "Database Design for Mere Mortals" and it would apply to all DBMSes. I hate to give an O'Reilly book a bad review, but this one didn't meet my expectations. It is advertised to apply to Access versions 97-2002, but I don't think it is as up-to-date as some of the other books on the market.