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Question 3a in Section B asks us to identify one data field that has Boolean data type....<BR>
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None do. <BR>
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The closest thing is the M and F for gender. This is a true/false relationship. So, basically we would be saying the data in the field is "is of male gender". Then we can say True or False. But then we would need a further calculation (branching) to output male or female. (SELECT * for gender=true) IF gender = true, display "male" else display "female".<BR>
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So why the Boolean for gender?<BR>
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In this database, one can simply store 'M' or 'F' as char or text (depending on the software). Then one can use a query to filter records for the M or F.<BR>
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2. Microslop Access does not have a Boolean datatype. It uses Yes/No as the closest thing to that. But, then, we are proprietary software free, yeah? Just like in the textbook.<BR>
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3. Curiously, when you look at the fields in this yacht database, why would the yacht people want to store gender anyway? In the health database, it makes sense. Of course, down the track they may need to use the gender field somewhere, perhaps for statistics.<BR>
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It seems to me that if the yacht owners of this database, designed as it is, wanted to send cough-up slips to its members (say, they haven't paid their storage fees), then an additional field of 'salutation' might be simpler. Ms Sue Trowsdale or Mr Harry Wilson.<BR>
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4. The total fees due can be a calculated field. Not necessary to store it here in this table. Why not use a query which calculates the Total Fees due and thereby guarantee some kind of accuracy?<BR>
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Question 3b asks for a suitable naming convention for the data fields. 2 marks<BR>
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Besides the practice of separating firstname and surname (so change the Name field) and of separating address and suburb (change the Address_Suburb field), what should we be teaching here? Meaningful field names - yes. Perhaps the convention of the underscore is good (Boat_Name) is good. But certainly not txtState or intSomething or curFees, whatever.<BR>
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Another good practice is to use field names which indicate which table the data belongs to. EMP_NO and EMP_DEPT are part of the Employees table.<BR>
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I'm sort of lost here. How should we answer these questions?<BR>
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Maggie<BR>
(ICT at St Leonard's College)<BR>
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