[AccessD] normalization question

Until recently, I liked to use Visio to design the schema.  When I
created a relationship between to tables, it would automagically insert
the foreign keys.  I actually liked version 5 better because it forced
you to use unique field names in the schema and ONLY allowed foreign
keys to use the same name when you created them by creating a
relationship.  Unfortunately, I lost the old, old disk 1 and can no
longer install Visio 2002 on my machine because I can't give it a CD it
recognizes as qualifying. Beside, MS took some of my favorite
functionality (forward engineering) out of the Pro version and put it in
Enterprise only :o{

Charlotte Foust

-----Original Message-----
From: Susan Harkins [mailto:harkins at iglou.com] 
Sent: Monday, March 10, 2003 11:59 AM
To: accessd at databaseadvisors.com
Subject: Re: [AccessD] normalization question


I agree with your Charles. It's the smart developer that can jump right
in and create those tables with little or no thought to design before
starting. I wouldn't attempt it.

I'm just curious about the foreign keys though at this point -- more so
than the actual design process.

For whatever reason, I seem to remove fields until all my tables are
set. Then, I go back and relate the tables by inserting foreign keys,
and I'm just curious what others do.

Susan H.


> Susan,
>
> Whether you do it on paper or on the PC, it usually is an iterative 
> process, at least in my experience.  By that I mean as you go along 
> you will discover that one or more of the tables you have already 
> designed needs to be split since some of the data fields apply only to

> the subject of the table while other data fields does not.  And you 
> will notice that some data fields split over several tables should be 
> combined into one table.
>
> It would be a very simple application, or a very astute individual, 
> where all the relationships are obvious from the beginning.
>
> Charles Wortz
> Software Development Division
> Texas Education Agency
> 1701 N. Congress Ave
> Austin, TX 78701-1494
> 512-463-9493
> CWortz at tea.state.tx.us
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Susan Harkins [mailto:harkins at iglou.com]
> Sent: Monday 2003 Mar 10 12:50
> To: accessd at databaseadvisors.com
> Subject: Re: [AccessD] normalization question
>
> Yes, I agree...
>
> but in the process of making your paper lists -- when?
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: <Mwp.Reid at Queens-Belfast.AC.UK>
> To: <accessd at databaseadvisors.com>
> Sent: Monday, March 10, 2003 1:34 PM
> Subject: RE: [AccessD] normalization question
>
>
> >
> > you do it before turning the PC on when your designing the 
> > structures.
>
> > The theory is that the data is normalised before you actually create

> > the
> tables
> > physically.
> >
> > Martin
> >
> > (<:
> >
> >
> >
> > Quoting Charlotte Foust <cfoust at infostatsystems.com>:
> >
> > > I tend to do it at the time so I don't forget.  Of course, as we 
> > > get
>
> > > older our memory ... Uh, what was I saying?  <vbg>
> > >
> > > Charlotte Foust
> > >
> > > -----Original Message-----
> > > From: Susan Harkins [mailto:harkins at iglou.com]
> > > Sent: Sunday, March 09, 2003 3:36 PM
> > > To: AccessD at databaseadvisors.com
> > > Subject: [AccessD] normalization question
> > >
> > >
> > > When you remove a field to another table (for whatever reason), do

> > > you immediately create the foreign key in the original table, or 
> > > do you wait until you've completely normalized each table and then

> > > return to the tables and insert all the foreign keys then?
> > >
> > > I tend to do it later because the nature of a single field can 
> > > change.
> > >
> > > Does anyone know if the relational model requires a particular 
> > > routine?
> > >
> > > Just curious.
> > >
> > > Susan H.
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>

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