Arthur Fuller
artful at rogers.com
Mon Mar 29 21:41:53 CST 2004
I am one of those asinine developers that defines as much as possible at the table level, including lookups. In an MDB, for example, I might define the CustomerID column as a combo-box whose source is a query called Customers_SelectByCompanyName, with a hidden column 0 and a visible column 1. Even if it does cost me a couple of milliseconds at run-time (which is arguable), I'll still do it, because of the tremendous development-time gains. Given the absence of "domains" in Access (a domain in this sense is a meta-field, i.e. a thoroughly defined field which is not tied to a table, which can then be copied to any given table in the app), what I typically do is create a pseudo-table containing all these thoroughly-defined field definitions. Then as I create the actual tables, I copy the fields of interest from the pseudo-table to the given actual table, thus "inheriting" the complete fieldspec, including format, mask, prompt, combo-box etc. Why do I invest so much time at the table level? Very simple. Once that is done, even if I do nothing more than create an autoForm or query or report, I inherit all these field specifications. I do it this way in MDBs because most of the data-architecture tools don't provide full support for file-level databases. Given a job in SQL Server, though, I invest this effort in the definition of domains etc., and then manufacture all the tables from the domains, postponing this step until I am satisfied with the domain specs. The great thing about such (admittedly pricey) tools is that you can revise the domain definitions and they automatically propagate to all instances of the domains in all the tables. That's what I love about such tools! Arthur -----Original Message----- From: accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com [mailto:accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com] On Behalf Of DWUTKA at marlow.com Sent: Monday, March 29, 2004 7:49 AM To: accessd at databaseadvisors.com Subject: RE: [AccessD] Lookup Fields in Table Design Doesn't intimidate me. I have the utmost respect for the moderators though, because they have to be impartial. Kind of like being a cop. Sometimes you have to be forceful, when you can absolutely sympathize with the people you are trying to help. I just hope that people starting out in Access read the thread, and realize that not everything that is 'recommended' about Access is based on fact. That their goal in their development career should be to learn everything that they can with the development tool of their choice, and not just take things at face value. Drew -----Original Message----- From: accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com [mailto:accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com]On Behalf Of Susan Harkins Sent: Sunday, March 28, 2004 12:58 PM To: 'Access Developers discussion and problem solving' Subject: RE: [AccessD] Lookup Fields in Table Design Why do men get so grouchy in their old age? Andy and William -- if you don't want to read the thread, can you not ignore it? Are you trying to tell us that because you find no value in the discussion, that the discussion is therefore valueless? I'm sure that's not really what you mean to say. Ignore the discussion if you're not getting anything out of it. We all ignore threads all the time. Let them hash it out. I'm pretty much done with the thread myself, but this is the one thing that some of you do that really annoys me. Leave the thread be. If it's gets off topic, then kill it. FWIW, you probably have pretty much killed it with your caustic remarks -- I wish you guys wouldn't do that. It intimidates people. Susan H. ...ah ...welcome to Florida Andy ...we may not be able to count votes but, just like the butterfly ballot, we sure as hell know when something has been beat to death a hundred times over! :)))))) -- _______________________________________________ AccessD mailing list AccessD at databaseadvisors.com http://databaseadvisors.com/mailman/listinfo/accessd Website: http://www.databaseadvisors.com -- _______________________________________________ AccessD mailing list AccessD at databaseadvisors.com http://databaseadvisors.com/mailman/listinfo/accessd Website: http://www.databaseadvisors.com