ITMA said:
Describing what you want to achieve, or what others are trying to explain,
just seems so clumsy and unfathonable in words.
ITMA,
Yes, I agree completely, ordinary english language discussions are
generally of the lowest order of usefulness in conveying ideas.
This is the world of relations database systems, and that language
is spoken in SQL and data.
The most useful things are well-formatted table descriptions (DDL is
best), well-formatted SQL code, well-formatted comma-delimited lists
of sample data, and well-formatted comma-delimited lists of desired
results.
These four things are the grand slam of providing the right
information to getting your questions answered.
As regards your other questions, you can post specifics in new
threads at will.
More on the above, below.
-------------------------------
Formatting:
Please use a monospace font (Courier New, etc.) when writing out
your examples (all descriptions, charts, SQL, etc.).
-------------------------------
Process Description:
Please only include the shortest possible narrative of what is going
on with the query. (Include all that is necessary, and nothing
more.)
When parts of your query make calculations, show the exact code or
nearest readable plain-text math formula you can create.
When you are done with this section, re-read it several times before
posting to assure yourself that you are accurately describing the
situation in a way you believe others will understand.
-------------------------------
Table Structures/Description:
Post a description of your table structures.
Although it can be a source of information, please do not copy and
paste information directly from MS Access' Documenter. It is
virtually unreadable. Please distill down and legibly format only
the relevant table information.
If reading the information in MS Access' Documenter is too
intimidating (I know what its output says, myself, and I still
dislike going over its output listings), open your table in Design
View, view the column names and data types in it, and then type out
the column names and data types *that are necessary* (do not include
columns that are not absolutely necessary for the query). Use the
Index dialog box (you can get at it by clicking on the "lightning
bolt and stacked lines" icon on the toolbar) to locate information
on primary and foreign keys and other indexes and type out that
information, as well.
Note: For table descriptions (or DDL) lining up the column names,
data type names, and key/index information in neat columns is quite
helpful.
Note: If you know how to write DDL SQL (CREATE TABLE), please post
that (including constraints) instead of text descriptions. (Please
post only the portion of the DDL that is relevant.)
Example (text description):
MyTableOne
MyTableOneID AUTOINCREMENT PK
ColTwo INTEGER NOT NULL
ColThree TEXT(10)
MyTableTwo
MyTableTwoID AUTOINCREMENT PK\
MyTableOneID INTEGER PK/-- Composite Primary Key
FK -- MyTableOne MyTableOneID
ColThree INTEGER
ColFour DATETIME
ColFive CURRENCY
ColSix BIT
ColSeven TEXT(1)
ColEight TEXT(1)
etc., etc., etc.
Example (DDL SQL/CREATE TABLE):
CREATE TABLE MyTableOne
(MyTableOneID AUTOINCREMENT
,ColTwo INTEGER NOT NULL
,ColThree TEXT(10)
,CONSTRAINT pk_MyTableOne
PRIMARY KEY (MyTableOneID)
)
CREATE TABLE MyTableTwo
(MyTableTwoID AUTOINCREMENT
,MyTableOneID INTEGER
,ColThree INTEGER
,ColFour DATETIME
,ColFive CURRENCY
,ColSix BIT
,ColSeven TEXT(1)
,ColEight TEXT(1)
,CONSTRAINT pk_MyTableTwo
PRIMARY KEY (MyTableTwoID)
,CONSTRAINT fk_MyTableTwo_MyTableOne_MyTableOneID
FOREIGN KEY (MyTableOneID)
REFERENCES MyTableOne (MyTableOneID)
)
The Primary Key and Foreign Key notes (or constraints in the DDL
SQL) are *critical*.
-------------------------------
Sample Data (using comma delimited lists):
Note: If your sample data is "wide" across the screen, and you can't
trim out any columns because they are needed, make *two* (or more)
charts, and then clearly note that the second chart is the
continuation of the first chart for the same table. It is far
easier to convert a comma delimited chart into a table in MS Word or
import it directly into MS Excel (where the data can be copied and
pasted into a new table in MS Access) or even MS Access than it is
to manually undo the line-break on *every* row of a line-wrapped
chart (in fact, manually undoing the line-breaks caused by newsgroup
posting is a huge pain in the neck).
Note: In a comma delimited list, it is not absolutely necessary
(although it is nice) to have the data in the columns lined straight
up and down, like I have in my examples below. When the data is
finally imported into MS Access, a quick glance at the table in
datasheet view will show things lined up straight. It is not
necessary to expend extra effort on your chart here. (The right
data does have to be in the right position of each row of the chart,
of course.)
Note: Use the real table and column names whenever possible. Use
invented table names and column names (like I use below in my
example) only when you absolutely have to.
Note: When naming the columns on this chart, use the same column
names as is the table structures above. Using shortened names (or
completely different names, for whatever reason) may save space and
prevent line-wraps, but it can be severely confusing. If the chart
gets too "wide", make two (or more) charts if you have to, as noted
above in Table Structures.
Note: Please include just enough rows of sample data so that
sufficient tests of the various possibilities ("test cases") can be
made.
Note: Please do not attempt to post endless rows of data. 3-5 rows
are probably the minimum, and 10-20 row are probably the normal
maximum. (Post only what is necessary, and no more.)
Note: Please try and use real data when possible. However, real
people's personal information, or private information (banking,
proprietary, etc.), should never be posted. When you have
information that cannot be posted, you will have to invent test data
that can produce results similar to what the real data would
produce.
MyTableOne
MyTableOneID, ColTwo, ColThree
1, 2, a
3, 4, b
5, 6, c
MyTableTwo (Part One)
MyTableTwoID, MyTableOneID, ColThree, ColFour, ColFive
1, 5, 1, 01/01/06, 1.01
MyTableTwo (Part Two)
ColSix, ColSeven, ColEight
-1, g, h
-------------------------------
Desired Results
.. . . <whatever it is you want your query to produce; "the right
stuff", if you will forgive the pun>
(Same chart style as found in the Sample Data section.)
-------------------------------
Query:
Your SQL query code attempts to date. (If "SQL code" throws you for
a loop, open your Query in Design View, and then use the menus, View
SQL View, to switch to a window that will show the SQL code. Copy
and paste that into your new post to the newsgroup.)
Note: There is a huge temptation to merely copy and past the SQL
code. Usually, this is completely unreadable, and whoever reads it
must re-align the code in order to make heads or tails of it (yes,
there are a few out there who can read endless unbroken streams of
code packed together, but I am not one of them). If you know how,
spend some time straightening out and aligning the SQL before
posting it.
Note: In some situations, of course, you will have no query or SQL
code at all.
-------------------------------
Current Results:
.. . . <the incorrect results the current query(s) is producing>
You may not have any current results if your query is not working or
if you have not been able to create a query so far.
(Same chart style as found in the Sample Data section.)
-------------------------------
Lots Of Work:
Does all this sound like a lot of work?
Remember, whatever work you haven't done will have to be done by
whoever tries to answer your question.
Any information that is not included may have to be asked for,
necessitating additional posts (sometimes many) before someone can
begin answering your question.
Time spent doing these things is time spent not answering your
question.
-------------------------------
I hope that the above can be of assistance in helping you receive an
answer to your various MS Access questions.
Sincerely,
Chris O.
