[Year 12 IT Apps] Qu A 15

[Peter Collingwood]

Using number for a phone number is still incorrect even if you set a
mask to exclude letters etc. Number will remove a leading 0 so
0398765432 will be stored as 398765432, meaning STD and mobile numbers
will be stored incorrectly.

That's my 2c

Peter Collingwood
St Peter's College
Cranbourne

-----Original Message-----
From: itapps-bounces at edulists.com.au
[mailto:itapps-bounces at edulists.com.au] On Behalf Of Adrian Janson
Sent: Wednesday, 14 November 2007 5:56 PM
To: 'Year 12 IT Applications Teachers' Mailing List'
Subject: RE: Re: [Year 12 IT Apps] Qu A 15

Hi everyone,

I think that the 'calculating' thing is all a bit literal.  Personally,
I
would store a postcode as a number which would then allow for range and
type
checks.  For example, 3000 >= x <= 3999 

Yes, range checks are possible for text data types, and the above data
type
would work.

However, 
'30' would also be valid
'3AAA' would also be a valid as would '39375734783'

I think the main point of this - is that if we cannot agree on a one
definitive type - then what we would hope our students would be able to
do
is to be able to pick a type and justify its use.  If they can do that,
then
they understand the concepts and the pros and cons.

BTW: The VITTA answer is not 'wrong' but not conclusive (in the future,
I
think we will avoid all questions like this - although it certainly has
generated some good debate!)

Cheers,
Adrian Janson
VITTA President


-----Original Message-----
From: itapps-bounces at edulists.com.au
[mailto:itapps-bounces at edulists.com.au]
On Behalf Of Geoff Moss
Sent: Wednesday, 14 November 2007 1:35 PM
To: Year 12 IT Applications Teachers' Mailing List
Subject: Re: Re: [Year 12 IT Apps] Qu A 15

Hi Jeff

Range checks are possible in text data types too.

Geoff Moss
RMIT




> jslynn at optusnet.com.au wrote:
> 
> 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
> > 
> > _______________________________________________
> > http://www.edulists.com.au - FAQ, resources, subscribe, unsubscribe
> > IT Applications Mailing List kindly supported by
> >
http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.auvce/studies/infotech/itapplications3-4.html 
> - 
> > Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority and
> > http://www.vitta.org.au  - VITTA Victorian Information Technology 
> > Teachers Association Inc
> _______________________________________________
> http://www.edulists.com.au - FAQ, resources, subscribe, unsubscribe
> IT Applications Mailing List kindly supported by
> http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.auvce/studies/infotech/itapplications3-4.html
- 
> Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority and
> http://www.vitta.org.au  - VITTA Victorian Information Technology 
> Teachers Association Inc
_______________________________________________
http://www.edulists.com.au - FAQ, resources, subscribe, unsubscribe
IT Applications Mailing List kindly supported by
http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.auvce/studies/infotech/itapplications3-4.html -
Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority and
http://www.vitta.org.au  - VITTA Victorian Information Technology
Teachers
Association Inc
_______________________________________________
http://www.edulists.com.au - FAQ, resources, subscribe, unsubscribe
IT Applications Mailing List kindly supported by
http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.auvce/studies/infotech/itapplications3-4.html -
Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority and
http://www.vitta.org.au  - VITTA Victorian Information Technology
Teachers Association Inc