| Author |
Message |
    
Just The Aunt
Supporter
Username: Auntof13
Post Number: 4599
Registered: 1-2004
| | Posted on Monday, April 3, 2006 - 4:09 pm: | 
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How easy is it to create a simple database? We want to be able to have ten sub categories. Thanks! (do not want to use a spread sheet.) |
Joan
Supporter
Username: Joancrystal
Post Number: 7205
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Monday, April 3, 2006 - 4:55 pm: |
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How many fields do you want to include (and what types of fields)? How many records are you thinking of entering? Will you be updating the data on a regular basis? Will you be linking data to other programs? What kinds of queries do you wnat to be able to make and how many variables do you want to include in your queries?
Databases can range from relatively simple to very complex and some of them can take quite a while to set up if there is a lot of data involved. |
Eponymous
Citizen
Username: Eponymous
Post Number: 164
Registered: 6-2004
| | Posted on Monday, April 3, 2006 - 8:31 pm: |
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You could use Excel (or your favorite spreadsheet app), if that would work.
I prefer FilemakerPro for my serious database work. |
Rick B
Citizen
Username: Ruck1977
Post Number: 1050
Registered: 8-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, April 4, 2006 - 8:33 am: |
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JTA,
If you have MS Access, its fairly simple to create a database. You can go through the wizard in there to setup a new database. There are some basic fundamentals to database design, but the wizard will give you a feel for how to get started. Just think about your data, what is static, what is changing. What can be stored in a seperate table, and linked back to an original table.
Good Luck. |
Rastro
Citizen
Username: Rastro
Post Number: 2762
Registered: 5-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, April 4, 2006 - 1:06 pm: |
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Rather than going into how easy or hard it is to set up a database, why don't you tell us what you want to do with this database? Then maybe we can recommend the appropriate path to take. |
Albatross
Citizen
Username: Albatross
Post Number: 831
Registered: 9-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, April 4, 2006 - 7:00 pm: |
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Actually, as long as this thread is here (I can't believe I didn't think of posting here) I also need database software for Windows.
I need to create a library catalogue of sorts, mostly pieces of music and instruction books. Fields will probably include Author, Composer, Title, Age Level, Skill Level, Edition... At some point, it'll also need a (searchable, I hope) web interface.
(I have a server available, but with limited support... if I want anything in the way of support I'll have to ask and might not get it... on the other hand, it's free.) |
Joan
Supporter
Username: Joancrystal
Post Number: 7211
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, April 4, 2006 - 8:45 pm: |
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Albatross:
Access should work well for what you want to do. It would enable you to search on any field or combination of fields once you learn how to do a query. |
Eponymous
Citizen
Username: Eponymous
Post Number: 168
Registered: 6-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 5, 2006 - 1:59 am: |
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I know a number of people who wouldn't touch Access with a 10' pole. It's free though, if you have Windows, which is its biggest advantage...some would say only. 
FMP is easy to use and has a (limited) web interface built-in. |
Rick B
Citizen
Username: Ruck1977
Post Number: 1052
Registered: 8-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 5, 2006 - 8:06 am: |
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I don't believe Access is free if you have Windows. Its part of the Microsoft Office application suite. I always found Access easy (coming from Oracle) to use and it has a lot of those wizard things that can help a beginner set up a database.
I haven't used FMP, nor have I heard of it.
There is probably also a database package with the OpenOffice.org suite too. I haven't touched that in a year or so though.
Albatross...I agree with Joan. You will definitely be able to store and search with Access. |
LazyDog
Citizen
Username: Lazydog
Post Number: 226
Registered: 6-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 5, 2006 - 5:39 pm: |
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Access isn't free and I believe you only get it with Office Pro, not standard. |
Eponymous
Citizen
Username: Eponymous
Post Number: 170
Registered: 6-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 5, 2006 - 8:43 pm: |
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My bad. I should have said that it's part of the Office suite, so effectively free, because virtually everyone has the suite and so there's no added cost.
FMP = FilemakerPro, far and away better that Access.
In any case, it still seems to me like it may be easier to use a spreadsheet, unless you want a relational database. What you describe seems easily done with one. |
Albatross
Citizen
Username: Albatross
Post Number: 832
Registered: 9-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, April 6, 2006 - 12:06 am: |
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If OpenOffice.org suite has a database function in its Spreadsheet tool, but I don't know how applicable it is as far as web-interface searching / browsing. (The more we plan the project, the more we want it to behave like an OPAC system.) Thanks for all the help and suggestions. |
Rastro
Citizen
Username: Rastro
Post Number: 2796
Registered: 5-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, April 6, 2006 - 10:11 am: |
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Albatross, if the people creating the catalog are relatively fluent with databases, try something like MySQL. There are free windows and web-based interfaces to design and build the databases, and it works well with just about any web-based scripting language.
Oh, and if you really want it to work like an OPAC system, try one of the free OPAC packages (check out http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OPAC for a few. Note hte ones that say open source) |
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