creating correct relationships, form entry

[Guest]

I am trying to create a simple database for our church cemetery with a fixed
number of plots. Created 3 tables, one for the plot and whether it is vacant
and free, reserved for future, or occupied. Table two is for those who
reserve their plots aking for basic contact info, ie: name and telphone. The
thrid table recrods those who have been interred int he plots. Depending on
the method, their may be up to 3 people in a given plot (ie: cremation). I
have created tables and a form for each table for entrying info. I created a
subform on the Plot section to enter those interred there or who reserved the
plot. I created a tabel with all the plot numbers as a drop down list and
the tables are linked through that method. trouble is each form seems to
have to have plot number added from drop down list before I can entrer info.
Is there a way to to only have to enter plot number once and all other items
linked automatically?

 

[Van T. Dinh]

Don't worry about data entry Forms as yet ...

I think you need to back-track a little bit and get the Table Structure
correctly set first (which is, IMHO, the most important step in the database
development).

I haven't looked carefully but I think the following database model should
help:

http://www.databaseanswers.org/data_models/cemetaries/index.htm

 

[Guest]

Thanks for the web site info. I know it is primarily a relationship issue
that I need to address and I will study the model shown and may even request
a copy. Our parameters are a little more simple than shown there, but it
also has a few extra caveats. I am going to look for info on Foriegn Keys
and try to understand that role in the database.

 

[BruceM]

Let me just mention that a primary key is established in table design view,
but a foreign key is not. A foreign key is established by a relationship
with a primary key. When you create a relationship between a primary key
field in one table and a field in another table, the field in the second
table becomes the foreign key field.