Creating a New Database

Core Training for Microsoft Access 2002

Creating a New Database Structure

1	To display the task pane and begin creating a new database, on the Standard toolbar, click the New button.
2	To select a predefined template, on the New File task pane, in the list below New from template, click General Templates.
3	To view the list of predefined database templates, in the Templates dialog box, click the Databases tab.
4	To create a new database structure from the Contact Management template, in the Databases display pane, double-click Contact Management.
5	To rename the new database, in the File New Database dialog box, in the File name box, type Contacts.
6	To specify a location to save the file, double-click the Garden Company folder, double-click the New subfolder, and then click Create.
7	Notice that the Contact : Database dialog box appears, rapidly followed by the Database Wizard dialog box. To create the database using the Database Wizard, click Next.
8	To view the list of fields available for the table, Call information, in the Tables in the database pane, click Call information, and then click Next.
9	To preview the screen display for Blueprint, in the Database Wizard, click Blueprint.
10	To select a display screen and continue creating the database, in the Database Wizard, click Blends, and then click Next.
11	To select a style for printed reports, in the Database Wizard, double-click Bold.
12	To assign a new title to the database, type Contacts, and then click Next.
13	To finish building your database, on the Database Wizard, dialog box, click Finish.
14	To close the Main Switchboard dialog box, in the upper-right corner of the dialog box, click the Close button.

Checking the Work of a Wizard

1	To maximize the Contacts database and begin checking the work of the wizard, on the titlebar of the minimized Contacts database, click the Maximize button (middle button).
2	To open the switchboard, double-click the word Switchboard.
3	To view the Forms Switchboard window, in the Main Switchboard window, click Enter/View Other Information.
4	To add a new record, click Enter/View Contact Types.
5	To type in a record, in the Contact Types form, in the Contact Type text box, type Supplier, and then press ENTER.
6	To view records, on the navigation bar, click the First Record button (left arrow with a vertical bar), click the Next Record button (right arrow), and then click the Next Record button again.
7	To close the Contact Types form, on the title bar of the form, click the Close button.
8	To return to Main Switchboard, on the Forms Switchboard, click the Return to Main Switchboard button.
9	To add data for each of the contact types, click Enter/View Contacts.
10	To enter the first name, in the Contacts form, in the First Name text box, type Scott, and then press TAB.
11	To enter the last name and move to the next page, in the Last Name text box, type Bishop, and then in the footer section of the form, click 2.
12	To select a contact type, click the Contact Type arrow, click Supplier, and then, to return to the previous page, click 1.
13	To type in a work phone number, click in the Work Phone text box and type 425-707-9790.
14	To dial the phone number you have just entered, in the lower-left corner of the Contacts form, click the Dial button.
15	To close the AutoDialer dialog box, click Cancel.
16	To add more information about communications that you have had with Scott Bishop, click the Calls button in the lower-left corner of the Contacts form.
17	The call date and time is automatically recorded in the Calls form. To enter the subject of the new record, click in the Subject cell, and then type Order information.
18	To enter a note for this record, click in the Call Notes text box, and then type Hundred rose plant saplings.
19	To close the forms, on the Calls form, click the Close button, and then, on the Contacts form, click the Close button.
20	To view the list of contacts, phone numbers, and call summaries, in Main Switchboard, click the Preview Reports button.
21	To view the list of contacts, in the Reports Switchboard, click the Preview the Alphabetical Contact Listing Report button.
22	To enlarge the contact name listed in the Alphabetical Contact Listing window, position the mouse on Contact Name, click the mouse button, and then, click the Close button.
23	To view the summary of calls made, click Preview the Weekly Call Summary Report, and then, in the Weekly Call Summary window, click Preview.
24	To enlarge the list of phone numbers dialed in the Weekly Call Summary window, position the mouse over Work Phone, click the mouse button, and then click the Close button.
25	To return to Main Switchboard, click the Return to Main Switchboard button.
26	To close the Main Switchboard window, in the upper-right corner of the window, click the Close button.

Creating Tables

1	To open the New File task pane and begin creating a new database, on the Standard toolbar, click the New button.
2	To create a new database, in the New File task pane, in the New section, click Blank Database.
3	To assign a name to the database, in the File name text box, type GardenCo.
4	To select a path for the new database, in the File Name Database dialog box, double-click New, and click Create.
5	To start building a table for your database, on the Database toolbar, click the New button.
6	To create the table using the Table Wizard, in the New Table dialog box, double-click Table Wizard.
7	To view the Sample Tables and Sample Fields of the Personal table type, click Personal.
8	To make the table a Business table, click Business, and then, in the Sample Tables: list, click Customers.
9	To copy all the fields from the Sample Fields: list to the Fields in my new table: list, click the >> button, and then click Next.
10	To select a Primary Key for the table, click No, I'll set the primary key, and then click Next.
11	The default primary key field, CustomerID, is appropriate. To assign data for the primary key, click Numbers I enter when I add new records, and then click Next.
12	To enter data after your table has been created, and accept the default selection Enter data directly into the table, and then click Finish.
13	To close the table after viewing the horizontally aligned fields, click the lower of the two Close buttons in the upper-right corner of the Access window.
14	The new Customers table appears in the Tables pane of the GardenCo database window. To create another table using the wizard, double-click Create table by using wizard.
15	To select a table style and add fields from it to your new table, in Sample Tables: list, click Employees, in the Sample Fields: list, click EmployeeID, and then click the > button.
16	To add another field to the table, in Sample Fields: list, click EmployeeNumber, and then click the > button.
17	To remove the field EmployeeNumber from the table, click the < button.
18	To rename a field, in the Fields in my new table: list, click the StateOrProvince field name, click Rename Field, and in the Rename Field dialog box, type State.
19	To accept this new name, click OK, and then click Next.
20	The name Employees is appropriate for the table. To allow Access to set a primary key, accept the default selection Yes, set a primary key for me, and click Finish.
21	To close the table after viewing the horizontally aligned fields, click the lower of the two Close buttons in the upper-right corner of the Access window.

Refining How Data Is Displayed

1	To open and edit the Employees table in the GardenCo database, in the Tables pane, double-click Employees.
2	To view the Employees : Table in Design view, on the Standard toolbar, click View, and then click Design View.
3	Notice the Primary Key icon to the left of EmployeeID field. To assign a data type to the EmployeeID field, in the Data Type column, click on the AutoNumber cell.
4	To view a list of all the data types without changing the data type, click on the arrow that appears beside the AutoNumber cell, and then press ESC.
5	To view the properties of EmployeeID field, in the Field Properties section, under the General tab, click the Field Size box.
6	Notice that the description of the Field Size property is displayed in the right pane. To view the Field Size property options without changing them, click the arrow next to the Field Size box.
7	To close the list, in the right pane, click a blank area.
8	To change the EmployeeID properties to a three digit number, click the Format box and type 000 (three zeros).
9	To read the description of the remaining field properties, click New Values, click Caption, and then click Indexed.
10	To edit another data type, click the Data Type cell next to the Photograph field, click the arrow that appears, and select Text.
11	To view another data type, click the Data Type cell next to the HomePhone field, click the arrow that appears, and then press the ESC key.
12	To view the field properties for the Date/Time data type, in the Field Name column, click the DateHired field, and then in the Field Properties section, click the Format box.
13	To ensure that the entered date is less than or equal to the current date, click the Validation Rule box, type <Now(), then click in the Validation Text box, and type "Date entered must be today or earlier".
14	To view the Employees : Table in Datasheet view, on the Standard toolbar, click the View button, and then in the message box that appears, click Yes.
15	To verify the field properties that you set, click once to the right of the scroll box on the horizontal scroll bar, click the Birthdate cell, and type 091862, click the Date Hired cell and type 092103, then press ENTER.
16	Notice that Date Hired field does not accept a future date beyond the present date. To close the alert box, click OK.
17	To type in a new date, press BACKSPACE 6 times, type 091503, and then press ENTER.
18	To close Employees : Table, on the upper-right corner of the window, click the lower of the two Close buttons.
19	To open and edit the Suppliers table in Design view, in the Tables pane, click Suppliers, and then on the database toolbar, click the Design button.
20	To change the StateOrProvince field name, double-click the word StateOrProvince, and type State.
21	To change the Caption property, in the Field Properties section, position the mouse pointer to the right of the existing text in the Caption box, press and hold down the mouse button, move the mouse pointer to the left until all the text is selected, release the mouse button, and type State.
22	To delete the Country/Region field, click the row selector to the left of the Country/Region field, and then press DELETE.
23	To delete the EmailAddress field, click the row selector to the left of the EmailAddress field, press DELETE, and in the message box that appears, click Yes.
24	To change the field size property of SupplierName field, in the Field Properties section of the table, click in the Field Size text box, and then type 60.
25	To save the changes and close the table, in the upper-right corner of the window, click the lower of the two Close buttons, and in the dialog box that appears, click Yes.

Formatting Tables

1	To open and format the Customers table in Datasheet view, on the Objects bar, click Tables, and then double-click Customers.
2	To increase the width of the Address field to display the longest entry, point to the vertical bar between the Address and City column headers until the mouse pointer changes to a resize handle, and then double-click the vertical bar.
3	To increase the height of all rows, on the left side of the datasheet, position the mouse pointer on the horizontal bar between the first and second records so the pointer changes to a resize handle, click and hold down the mouse pointer, drag the bar down to the middle of the second record, and release the button.
4	To restore the height of all rows to the default setting, click the Format menu, and click Row Height.
5	In the Row Height dialog box, click the Standard Height checkbox, and then click OK.
6	To select and hide a column, click the First Name column header, click the Format menu, and then click Hide Columns.
7	To restore the hidden column, click the Format menu, and then click Unhide Columns.
8	In the Unhide Columns dialog box, click the First Name checkbox, and then click Close.
9	To select the columns that you want to freeze, position the mouse pointer over the Customer ID column header, click and hold down the mouse button, drag to the right to select the First Name and Last Name column headers, and then release the mouse button.
10	To freeze the selected columns, click the Format menu, and then click Freeze Columns.
11	To view the columns to the right, click once to the right of the scroll box on the horizontal scroll bar.
12	Notice that the columns that have been frozen, do not scroll. To restore the columns to their normal condition, click the Format menu, and click Unfreeze All Columns.