[Year 12 IT Apps] Qu A 15

[jslynn at optusnet.com.au]

Keith.

I agree with you here regarding use of text where no calculations are required. 

However, for Australian Postcodes, a range check may be a useful technique, therefore number might be better. For phone numbers, I taught my students that they could use either number or text, but that text was better as it allows spaces, brackets for area codes, and generally allows easier reading of the database field items. They could also apply an input mask for the phone number to force users to comply with their conventions.

Postcodes are a knottier problem, because many organisations now sell products and services over the Internet, therefore allowance should probably be made for overseas postcodes too - five digits for US zip codes, letters and numbers for UK postcodes, etc. The case study must specify if only Australian postcodes are to be allowed.

Jeff Lynn,
Yeshivah and Beth Rivkah Colleges,
St Kilda East.



> Keith Richardson <keithcr at fastmail.fm> wrote:
> 
> I have a beef about this topic.
> Some years ago I attended an advanced Access three day course to get my
> head around this database program.
> We were told in no uncertain way, that one should NOT use number as a
> data type for phone numbers or postcodes etc. In fact it should only be
> used when you intend doing mathematical calculations with it's contained
> data further down the track.
> Therefore, I choose A for Qu 15 (Part A), but in doing so remember one
> or more of the VITTA practice ITA exams that indicated it should be
> number.
> What do others think?
> Keith
> Keith Richardson
> ITA List Moderator
> Head of ICT, Leibler Yavneh College
> Elsternwick
> Ph: 03.9528.4911
> k.richardson at yavneh.vic.edu.au
> 
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