I have a love/hate relationship with Access. I do a lot of database work in the course of my job so, on the one hand, I *get* Access. On the other hand, I use MSSQL much more often and know it better and find Access really rather limited and trying to use and Access's error messages are singularly unhelpful.
Where Access (or any database software, for that matter) is good is when you've got (for example) the inventory of a shop. You have products, you have product categories, you may well have sub product categories (eg Clothes would be the main category, Ladies Underwear would be the sub category) and a database (or a properly designed one) lets you maintain that sort of information very easily - say you want to alter a sub category from Ladies Underwear to Knickers, in a spreadsheet, you'd probably have to find all the records first, then update them; with a database, you just rename the sub category in the sub category table and the next time you check your data all the product records for that sub category will give the new name, not the old one.
(Hi, my name is Rach and I'm a database programmer...)
The reason I hate access is it's not as good as the software I use at work.
Ah, now that makes sense. The only thing I've ever used it for is my book collection, which can be stored just as easily on Excel (plus, you can get Excel for Palm...I haven't come across Access for Palm. Most handy when raiding SHBS!)
I *love* your IrishDancing!Darth icon...it's excellent *snicker*
*grin* Thanks for the offer, but it's OK. I actually do know quite a bit about how to use it (at least in the basics) - I was just frustrated at remembering the limitations of what I can and can't do.
I use MSSQL at work and the two programs are similar, up to a point, but MSSQL is much, much easier to maniuplate - I don't have to go to a special query window, for example, if I want to organise the data in a specific sequence that relies on three different fields. Twenty minutes it took me to remember that detail! *headdesk*
Can someone please explain to me why someone designed a database program that requires serious programming skill just to search a bunch of records without having to actually go into the programming section? I mean, come on!
We're using Excel for our stock list. Because Windows sucks.
You shouldn't need serious programming skill to do that...otoh, I'm the worst person to ask, seeing as I *DO* have said skills - given that's my dayjob!
The design mode is what I was thinking - it's supposed to handle what you're talking about. (I prefer SQL mode m'self and tend not to consider writing a quick query in that heavy programming - but as I said; I do get paid to write SQL queries so I'm not the right person.)
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(no subject)
Date: 2006-02-04 10:23 am (UTC)It's the only MS program I've never got on with :-(
(no subject)
Date: 2006-02-04 12:48 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-02-04 10:43 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-02-04 12:55 pm (UTC)(Hi, my name is Rach and I'm a database programmer...)
The reason I hate access is it's not as good as the software I use at work.
(no subject)
Date: 2006-02-04 12:58 pm (UTC)I *love* your IrishDancing!Darth icon...it's excellent *snicker*
(no subject)
Date: 2006-02-04 11:37 am (UTC)Are you using it to run a website?
(no subject)
Date: 2006-02-04 12:44 pm (UTC)I use MSSQL at work and the two programs are similar, up to a point, but MSSQL is much, much easier to maniuplate - I don't have to go to a special query window, for example, if I want to organise the data in a specific sequence that relies on three different fields. Twenty minutes it took me to remember that detail! *headdesk*
Me too
Date: 2006-02-04 02:04 pm (UTC)We're using Excel for our stock list. Because Windows sucks.
*huggles*
Re: Me too
Date: 2006-02-04 05:29 pm (UTC)Re: Me too
Date: 2006-02-04 06:41 pm (UTC)You can do it on Appleworks, but no-o, my boss has to insist on PCs.
Re: Me too
Date: 2006-02-04 06:44 pm (UTC)Re: Me too
Date: 2006-02-05 12:56 am (UTC)Of course, it's Microsoft, so what do I expect?
(no subject)
Date: 2006-02-05 05:44 am (UTC)