[AccessD] On DB Bloat, Bad DB Design, and various

Now Gustav, that is a VERY valid point.  And one that is constantly glossed
over whenever we debate 'bad practice' issues.

Something is really only bad practice when done by someone that doesn't
realize what they are doing.  Just like tossing matches into a bucket of
gasoline is bad practice, if the person is a fire marshal, and they are
doing it for a very specific reason, then it should be done.  

Same with almost every other topic that has come up with 'bad practice'
implications.  You are a good developer, so I honestly don't think I would
every have to worry about field size limits in a database built by you.
However, in the beginning of this thread, I was mentioning that a college
course was having their students set field size limits on all of their
fields. (10 characters for a first name, etc.)  So my point was that the
'established' education system out there is teaching bad habits (along with
spaces in the table names, etc).

Drew

-----Original Message-----
From: accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com
[mailto:accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com]On Behalf Of Gustav Brock
Sent: Thursday, May 27, 2004 4:56 AM
To: Access Developers discussion and problem solving
Subject: Re: [AccessD] On DB Bloat, Bad DB Design, and various


Hi Drew

> Just out of curiousity, how many times have you been called, because
someone
> set a field size limit to 255, and the users couldn't enter their data?
Not
> theory, how many actual times.

I don't recall ever to have had to adjust this limit. That's because
I'm so good to anticipate the client's need.

> In the past 3 months, I have had 3 incidents were a db built by a previous
> developer had field size limits, which I had to increase, because the
users
> were entering more data into the field.  On top of that, most of what I
had
> done was either new data entry screens, or reporting screens, and both of
> those worked just fine with the new 'length' of the data, it was just the
db
> that couldn't store what they wanted.

Well, those previous developers were bad developers.

> Now, assuming (cause it's a pretty safe assumption) that you have never
had
> a user complain they couldn't put what they needed into a 255 character
> field, how do you think the previous developer looked, when I come in, and
> say, 'Yep, whoever built this set the maximum field length to 35
> characters.', which I then get replied 'Why did he/she do that?', and what
> do I answer? 'Got me, guess they figured that's all you needed'.  What do
> you think those clients think of their original developers?

It all sums up, that to limit a text field length you must be a good
programmer; if you are not, just don't. (No reverse conclusions should
be made.)

/gustav

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