Creatinig a database to update in alphabetical order

[Guest]

Is there a way to use Access, or Excel, to create a database, that I can use
a command to update it in alphabetical order?

 

[Randy Harris]

Is there a way to use Access, or Excel, to create a database, that I can use
a command to update it in alphabetical order?

Access and Excel will both sort by alphabetical order.

 

[John Vinson]

Is there a way to use Access, or Excel, to create a database, that I can use
a command to update it in alphabetical order?

A Database, in Access, is a *container* for multiple Tables, Forms,
Reports, Queries and other objects. Your question is a bit like asking
how to sort a house; it simply is meaningless as phrased.

A Table is the basic data storage entity in Access. It's maybe more
familiar, because it *looks* like a spreadsheet. However it is NOT A
SPREADSHEET! An Access Table is purely a data storage repository; it
has no useable "order".

If you wish to see the data in a Table in alphabetical order, create a
Query based on the table, and use the "sort" row in the query design
grid to specify Alphabetical.

Then, base a Form on this query; table (or query) datasheets have very
limited capabilities, and should generally not be used for data
interaction. Use a Form instead, it's a lot more powerful, more
controllable, and safer.

John W. Vinson[MVP]

 

[Douglas J. Steele]

Where the data is in a table is irrelevant in Access. Use a query with the
appropriate ORDER BY clause to display the data, and it doesn't matter how
it was updated.

 

[Mike Revis]

But watch out for punctuation.
Punctuation will sort first.

Example
Acetic Acid Solution will appear before Acetic Acid, Glacial.

 

[Guest]

Hello MVP John Vinson,

Well out of all the replies, yours, was most instructive, & I do understand
the part about sorting a house..lol...However, I'm 100% new to Microsoft
Office(except for Outlook & Powerpoint)
I just purchased Office XP Pro W Publisher, to get the full benefits, from
my Microsoft OS.

I wanted to thank you, for your information, (as well as Mike Revis, for the
little tidbit about punctuation.) Anything else you gentlemen might be able
to think of to help me, a "Newb" in Access Usage, would be most appreciative.

Here is my situation!

My friends, know I am a movie fanatic. I get close to 60 a year from them,
and want to be able to read, what I have, since I have over 1000 DVD tiltles,
& close to double that, including my VHS & CD collection.

Here is my plan:
To create, an alphabetical list, that I can add on to, as they are bought,
or given to me, as presents, without having to constantly worry about losing
the alphabetical table order. This should work well, since I keep them
stored on a wall shelf in my Den's walk-in closet, off the same room, where
my Home Entertainment Center /Computer are located. Since I use my 36"
wide-screen HDTV, for my PC anyway, I figured, I could just read the list
stored, on my PC(in an Access table, from what I've learned so far) when I
want to watch something from my collection.

I have to constantly look at each DVD, VHS Tape or CD case, to know what It
is I feel like seeing, or listen to.
So, I want to create an Access Table for each, so that I can just add the
new titles
as they come in, thus keeping my list as orderly, as my collection.

Kind Regards,

RagghiantiGirl

 

[Jeff Boyce]

Actually, to get the benefits and power of Access, you do NOT want to
"create an Access table for each". I suspect what you will do, just as you
would if you were keeping a list on index cards, is add a new item (i.e.,
index card) to an existing list.

As for sorting, Access tables can easily be sorted via queries, based on the
fields in the table.

Good luck

Jeff Boyce
<Access MVP>

 

[John Vinson]

I wanted to thank you, for your information, (as well as Mike Revis, for the
little tidbit about punctuation.) Anything else you gentlemen might be able
to think of to help me, a "Newb" in Access Usage, would be most appreciative.

You're welcome! We'll see if we can help.

Here is my situation!

My friends, know I am a movie fanatic. I get close to 60 a year from them,
and want to be able to read, what I have, since I have over 1000 DVD tiltles,
& close to double that, including my VHS & CD collection.

Here is my plan:
To create, an alphabetical list, that I can add on to, as they are bought,
or given to me, as presents, without having to constantly worry about losing
the alphabetical table order.

That's not how databases work.

A Table is JUST A HEAP OF DATA. When you get a new DVD, just add it to
the table (or, see below, tables).

You can then create a Query which takes all of the records in the
table and sorts them alphabetically; this sorted list can then be
displayed on a Form, or printed on a Report, or even (though this
should not be routine) displayed as a query datasheet.

Tomorrow you might want to satisfy your curiosity about the history of
purchases - you could simply change the query so that the DVD's are
sorted in order of date purchased, and display that chronological
list. The table doesn't change - just the Query and the presentation.

This should work well, since I keep them
stored on a wall shelf in my Den's walk-in closet, off the same room, where
my Home Entertainment Center /Computer are located. Since I use my 36"
wide-screen HDTV, for my PC anyway, I figured, I could just read the list
stored, on my PC(in an Access table, from what I've learned so far) when I
want to watch something from my collection.

I have to constantly look at each DVD, VHS Tape or CD case, to know what It
is I feel like seeing, or listen to.
So, I want to create an Access Table for each, so that I can just add the
new titles
as they come in, thus keeping my list as orderly, as my collection.

You need ONE table of DVD's - not one table for each.

The logic of relational database design is a rather deep subject, but
the basics are very simple. Identify the "Entities" - real-life
persons, things, or events - of importance. Each type of Entity gets
one table. Then identify the important "Attributes" of each entity.
Some attributes of a movie would be the Title (of course), the studio,
the date issued, running time, etc. If an attribute has multiple
values (Actors, say) then you need *another table*.

I'd see eventually having at least the following tables:

Movies
MovieID Autonumber Primary Key ' links tables together
Title
Medium <DVD, VHS, CD, Super-8 film, 8-track tape...>
Studio
Rating <G, PG, ...>
IssueDate
PurchaseDate
...

Actors
ActorID Autonumber PrimaryKey
LastName
FirstName
<any other desired bio information>

Cast
MovieID ' what movie does this actor play in
ActorID ' who's in the cast
Role ' what part did they play

Keywords
Keyword <e.g. Adventure, Comedy, etc.>

MovieKeywords
MovieID
Keyword


John W. Vinson[MVP]

 

[Guest]

Hi All


Thanks again, for the help!

John M. it is like you are reading my mind, so to speak!

I want all of that information(more or less) to be included, in my Database,
so it appears I will be creating a different "Table" for each area, i.e.
Movies, Medium, Actors, Cast, Keywords, Comments, Etc...

Gentlemen, is there a tutorial, that one of you could link me to, that I
might get the information, and/or an idea of how to get my project started?

Or,

Do I just open up a new table, for each area of INFO & start entering it?

Thanks So Much!


Kind Regards,


RagghiantiGirl
So would I then create subsetions for each table