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Creating
Tables-Table Wizard
Once the database
is created, the table must be created next, since all other database
objects are dependent on the information in the table. The table
is created by clicking on the New button in the database window.
Users must create fields for the table. They must also decide what
sort of data can be entered in each of those fields. This information
is called the DATA TYPE.
Access offers
2 methods for creating a table: Table Wizards and Design View, where
the user enters the information. The Table Wizard, similar to the
Database Wizard, contains a series of pre-defined tables. These
tables have the fields and data types already created; the user
simply picks the fields to be used in their table. The Table Wizard
has 4 steps, shown below. (Click on the thumbnail image to see the
full size image.)
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Step
1 allows you to choose the type of table. When you choose a
table from the left column, you then double-click on your choice
of fields from the center column. Fields to be included in the
table will show up in the right column. |
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Step
2 will then ask the user to give the table a name. It will also
ask to set the PRIMARY KEY. The primary key is a field or set
of fields where no two records can have the same information.
A good example of this would be a person's Social Security Number
or driver's license number. You can either have the Wizard create
a new field that would contain the primary key, or you can set
the primary key yourself. NOTE: if you choose to set the primary
key yourself, an extra step in the Wizard will ask which field
you want to set as the primary key. |
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Step
3 will ask you if the new table can be linked in any way to
existing tables in the database. This will make it easier to
develop queries based on several tables. The default is no relationship
to any table |
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Step
4 is the final step, where you can open up the table to enter
data or make design changes to the table. |
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