Re: Is this a Sound Database Design? -- Document Table Structure - Relationship Diagram

Hi Curtis,

in order to comment on your design, it would be much more helpful to see a screen shot of your relationships window.

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steps to Document Table Structure using Relationship Diagram
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to make it easier to see your tables and relationships

1. enforce referential integrity on all relationships (unless you have a good reason not to)

2. put the table for the "1" side of the relationship on the left and the "many" side on the right
Because we read from left-to-right, it is more appropriate to visualize creation of data from left to right.

.... data diagrams should FLOW, just as data does -- in the same direction so it is easier to visualize (very important to get the best ideas)

a trick if you have a fieldlist longer than your screen (to get all fields to show) is to put it on the relationship diagram twice. Place the copy next to the first one (I usually place it to the right and line it up with the bottom). Adjust the height of the copy and the scrollbar position to show the fields at the end -- then take a screen shot

To print it out, this is the method I like:

3. stretch all your fieldlists to show all fields and put all tables on even if they don't have relationships to anything

4. press PrintScreen to copy screen to Windows clipboard

5. open Paint (Start, Accessories, Paint)

6. paste

7. Save As...
--> file type = JPG
--> filename = "Rel_dbname.jpg" -- unless you have a reason to save old diagrams, just keep overwriting it
--> location --> put it into the directory with your database

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to comment on your form...

personally, I do not use the tab control, I use command buttons to switch the SourceObject in the subform control -- this makes the form load faster too, since only one subform is ever loaded.

the overall appearance of your form is nice

I also like to base each form/subform on just one table -- don't know if you have done this or not in your queries

Warm Regards,
Crystal
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Curtis Stevens wrote:
I have a very complex set of forms, tables, etc. Is this the best way to handle this? This is how I have it setup.

You can see a screen shot here, as a visible aid: http://www.gotmerchant.com/dbdesign.jpg

ONE main table, holds all my customer's records, info, etc. Called Customers

One main form called Customer Management. This form only has one tab control box, nothing else. On each Tab, I have a subform. Like Tab 1, is called Potential Customers, tab 2 is Current Customers. Each tab has its own respective subform, which each subform is pointed to its own respective query. I have a status field where if I say record one has status of potential, it will only show up in the form under Potential tab. Only current customers will show up in Current, etc. I have other tabs as well with other forms as sub too, like All customers, trouble tickets, etc. That is the reason for all the different forms, only want certain records to show up in each respectively.

Now inside the Potential subform, for example, I have a bunch of text boxes and another tab control box. This one contains all sorts of tabs that holds all sorts of info, like general info, personal info, services they are signed up for, etc. This is the exact same thing for all other subforms like Current Customers, etc. Each of these tabs (like General, Personal, etc.) has its own info, but it is fields, not subforms in them like the main ones mentioned above, except for a few tabs, like trouble tickets, as that is pointed to another form - linked to another table with a relationship to the main.

This allows me to view everything within one form, box or window. I can click on potential and look at everything I need under that one tab, same thing for current customers, etc.

Am I making this way too complicated, should just put all the tables & fields inside only a few queries and point to them that way? With all my forms & subforms, get the feeling it is a lot slower in performance than it should be....

Thanks
Curtis

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