Massachusetts Institute of Technology Department of Urban Studies and Planning 11.204: Planning, Communication, and Digital Media Fall 2004 Recitation 6: Using Access to Query Multiple Data Sets 1. What is database?z Remember stack cards in libraries? z Management of students, or employees... z Gift registry for wedding z My literature database Various definitions of a database (http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&oi=defmore&q=define:database): z an organized body of related information z A collection of data: part numbers, product codes, customer information, etc. It usually refers to data organized and stored on a computer that can be searched and retrieved by a computer program. z A collection of information organized and presented to serve a specific purpose. (A telephone book is a common database.) A computerized database is an updated, organized file of machine readable information that is rapidly searched and retrieved by computer. z A collection of related information about a subject organized in a useful manner that provides a base or foundation for procedures such as retrieving information, drawing conclusions, and making decisions. z A shared collection of logically related data, designed to meet the information needs of multiple users in an organization. The term database is often erroneously referred to as a synonym for a “database management system (DBMS)”. They are not equivalent. A database is a store of data that describe entities and the relationships between the entities. A database management system is the software mechanism for managing that data. z A collection of related types of data in a single file or set of files for sorting, analysing, and reporting. 2. What are the advantages of computer-based database? Imagine what you did (or would have done) in the libraries before computer-based systems (like OPAC) were introduced. z Less work (searching for data/matching two different sets of data) z Cross-referencing z Accessibility/Portability 3. Why do we need Access?z In lab 4, from where is the population density field? (Look in ArcMap) { Area--ESRI shape file { Population--Census 2000 z How do we use Census 2000? { Free from the Census Bureau: Method 1 or Method 2 { Private vendors (like Geolytics) sell Census CDs, but they are expensive. 3.1 What's the difference between MS Excel and MS Access? z Excel--non-structured or free structured; flat file z Access--strictly structured based on a general standard4. Input -- System (Core Function) -- Output --User Control Core Function of Access z Data collection, manipulation, integration--generate new datasets with more information or more specific information User Control Interface z MS Access Interface and Elements Data come from different resources in different formats. z Excel, Text, Lotus, dBase, Oracle, StarOffice... z Population (Census Bureau), Crime Record (Police Department), Zoning and Parcels (BRA), Traffic Flow (Transportation Statistics Bureau), Fire Loss (Fire Department), Tax Data (Internal Revenue Service) Data can be used for different purpose and further analysis. z Regression or Cluster analysis (SPSS), Make graphs and charts (Excel), Create Maps (ArcView, ArcGIS), Web Publish (HTML)... 5. MS Access Operation 5.1. Framework of MS-Access databasez Table: database part. operates like Excel. { Design View: Definition of columns  Primary Key: ID# for each record (e.g. call number at the library) { Datasheet View: Real data { Composed of records (rows), columns (fields), and cells. z Query: tool (1) to select specific data under criteria, and (2) to integrate multiple database. z Form: tool/interface to view the contents of the database z Report: tool to print out the contents of the database 5.2 Creating Our Own Database by Importing Data (Input) Several ways to create a database--importing and designing the structure, then inputting data Create a new empty database. Save the database. Import Tables z Which worksheet to use z First row contains column headings z Store the data in a new table or an existing table z Field Name, Type, Index or not, Setup a primary key { Type: 1. Text Use for text or combinations of text and numbers, such as addresses, or for numbers that do not require calculations, such as phone numbers, part numbers, or postal codes. Stores up to 255 characters. The FieldSize property controls the maximum number of characters that can be entered. 2. Memo Use for lengthy text and numbers, such as notes or descriptions. Stores up to 65,536 characters. 3. Number Use for data to be included in mathematical calculations, except calculations involving money (use Currency type). Stores 1, 2, 4, or 8 bytes; stores 16 bytes for Replication ID (GUID). The FieldSize property defines the specific Number type. 4. Date/Time Use for dates and times. Stores 8 bytes. 5. Currency Use for currency values and to prevent rounding off during calculations. Stores 8 bytes.6. AutoNumber Use for unique sequential (incrementing by 1) or random numbers that are automatically inserted when a record is added. Stores 4 bytes; stores 16 bytes for Replication ID (GUID). 7. Yes/No Use for data that can be only one of two possible values, such as Yes/No, True/False, On/Off. Null values are not allowed. Stores 1 bit. 8. OLE (Object Linking and Embedding) Object Use for OLE objects (such as Microsoft Word documents, Microsoft Excel spreadsheets, pictures, sounds, or other binary data) that were created in other programs using the OLE protocol. Stores up to 1 gigabyte (limited by disk space). 9. Hyperlink Use for hyperlinks. A hyperlink can be a UNC path or a URL. Stores up to 64,000 characters. { Index An index helps Microsoft Access find and sort records faster. Access uses indexes in a table as you use an index in a book: to find data, it looks up the location of the data in the index. You can create indexes based on a single field or on multiple fields. Multiple-field indexes enable you to distinguish between records in which the first field may have the same value. You should consider indexing a field if all the following apply:  The field's data type is Text, Number, Currency, or Date/Time.  You anticipate searching for values stored in the field.  You anticipate sorting values in the field.  You anticipate storing many different values in the field. If many of the values in the field are the same, the index may not significantly speed up queries. { Primary Key Each table should