Mod 5 Databases - Design - Covering OpenOffice and Microsoft access
Design View in OpenOffice 3.2 March 2010
As covered in the Tables Page - to edit the design on any Table click - click on the table in the left column - then RIGHT CLICK on the table itself to the right - the box opens - now click on EDIT - as below
The design can now be edited - as below
The picture above displays the control that you have over each field of the table - it is similar in the design view in Microsoft access. Of particular importance are the contols at the bottom covering: entry required, length, default value - below
End of OpenOffice Design
Microsoft Access Design
Microsoft Access - Design View 
>>>>>
To move to a field using the mouse · Move the mouse pointer over the required field and click. The pointer changes shape depending on the field type.Note: If you click in the leftmost position in the field, the whole field is selected.
To modify the contents of a field · Click within the field you wish to edit. The insertion point (I?beam) will now be displayed inside the field box.· Type the new data into the field box.· Press the Enter key
Design and plan a database.
Basic design rules
Make each record unique Each table should be allocated a primary key. A primary key is simply a field or a combination of fields that makes a record unique. Give your table a primary key to ensure you have no duplicate records.
Ensure each field is independent You should be able to alter any one field in a record without affecting any of the others.
Ensure fields don’t contain calculated or derived data As an example, you need only hold gross pay and deductions on a person's salary record. Net pay can be calculated when it is required, when printing the pay slip for instance.
Ensure data is in its smallest logical parts It might be useful, for instance, to keep customers' postcodes separate from the rest of their addresses so that you can analyze sales based on postal regions.
When you open a table, you see it in Datasheet view. When creating a new table you see it in design view. To modify a table you must first switch to design view.
Choose Design View from the View menuOR click on the Design View icon
on the toolbar
· Choose Datasheet View from the View menuOR click on the Datasheet
View icon on the toolbar 