[Year 12 IT Apps] Data tables?

[Alex Hopkins]

A late reply, but thanks to Kevork and to Allan for their responses. It
does seem to me that the discussion bears out the need for greater clarity
in the VCAA documentation.

Alex Hopkins
Bayside Christian Collge
Baxter

> Hi Alex,
>
>  Yes, but not the way a data table normally presents a database table
> design.  A data dictionary can be much more.
> See http://www.edulists.com.au/pipermail/sofdev/2008-September/001269.html
> for an archived message defining a data dictionary.
>
>
>  Kind Regards
>
>
>
> Kevork Krozian
> IT Manager , Forest Hill College
> k.krozian at fhc.vic.edu.au
> http://www.fhc.vic.edu.au
> Mobile: 0419 356 034
>
>>>> Alex Hopkins <a.hopkins at bcc.vic.edu.au> 2/03/2009 1:11 pm >>>
> Thanks Allan. So, isn't this the same as a data dictionary?
>
> -Alex Hopkins
> Bayside Christian College
>
>> When I was at Uni doing software design, a data table was a table which
>> described the data types that are in a database, etc.
>>
>>
>>
>> For example:
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> Item
>>
>> Data type
>>
>> Length
>>
>> Comments
>>
>>
>> ID Code
>>
>> Number
>>
>> 4
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> Name
>>
>> Text
>>
>> Unlimited
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> Post code
>>
>> Number
>>
>> 4
>>
>> Must start with a '3' if in Victoria
>>
>>
>> Phone number
>>
>> Text
>>
>> 8
>>
>> Must start with a '9'
>>
>>
>> Suburb
>>
>> Text
>>
>> Unlimited
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> Gender
>>
>> Text
>>
>> 1
>>
>> 'M' for male or 'F' for female
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> Hope this helps.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> Kind regards
>>
>>
>>
>> Allan Barnes, CEO
>>
>> Australian Institute of Education and Training
>>
>> P.O. Box 171
>>
>> Brunswick West 3055
>>
>> Ph: (03) 9387 2051
>>
>> FAX: (03) 9387 3470
>>
>> Mobile: 0409 428 221
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: itapps-bounces at edulists.com.au
>> [mailto:itapps-bounces at edulists.com.au]
>> On Behalf Of Kevork Krozian
>> Sent: Friday, 27 February 2009 1:09 PM
>> To: Year 12 IT Applications Teachers' Mailing List
>> Subject: Re: [Year 12 IT Apps] Data tables?
>>
>>
>>
>> Hi Mark,
>>
>>
>>
>> I did a search for "data table" in the whole study design 1 - 4 and here
>> are
>> the hits  :
>>
>>
>>
>> IT Apps -    SAC 31 KK : design tools including Input-Process-Output
>> charts,
>> data tables, structure charts, annotated diagrams/
>>
>> mock-ups, layout diagrams;
>>
>>
>>
>> SD --     SAC 32 KK:  methods of expressing software design using data
>> tables and algorithms, including an overview
>>
>> of flow charts, pseudocode, Nassi-Shneiderman diagrams, object
>> descriptions
>> and a detailed
>>
>> understanding of one of them;
>>
>>
>>
>> SD --     SAC 32 KSkills :  interpret the design specifications by
>> representing processes in the form of algorithms and data
>>
>> structures in the form of a data table;
>>
>>
>>
>> SD --     SAC 41 KSkills :  represent specifications in the form of
>> algorithms and data tables;
>>
>>
>>
>>   Based on this I think the meaning is the design of a database file of
>> which there may be one or more tables ( eg. relational database ). .
>> Note,
>> "
>> ...  representing processes in the form of algorithms and data
>> structures
>> in
>> the form of a data table;"
>>
>>
>>
>>  I think the meaning is of a design tool in which a calculated field
>> would
>> not be shown as it is considered to be one that can be done by the
>> processor
>> in a query rather than stored in a table. While calculated fields can be
>> stored, the conventional wisdom is that they are not efficient when used
>> in
>> a field, but ok in a query or view.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>   Not sure if this helped or confused more.
>>
>>
>>
>> Kind Regards
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> Kevork Krozian
>>
>> IT Manager , Forest Hill College
>>
>> k.krozian at fhc.vic.edu.au
>>
>> http://www.fhc.vic.edu.au
>>
>> Mobile: 0419 356 034
>>
>>
>>
>>>>> Mark Kelly <kel at mckinnonsc.vic.edu.au> 27/02/2009 11:46 am >>>
>>
>> But Filemaker has calculated fields, which are formula-based and created
>>
>> and stored with other normal fields in a table.  You can nominate
>>
>> whether you want the calculated field data to be stored or recalculated
>>
>> as needed.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> Matt Trathen wrote:
>>
>>> I think it means that "database tables *should not* hold
>>
>>> formulas" as data that can be calculated from other fields would be
>>
>>> redundant.
>>
>>>
>>
>>>
>>
>>>
>>
>>>
>>
>>> /*Mr Matt Trathen*/
>>
>>> //Maths and ICT Teacher
>>
>>>
>>
>>> *St Leonard's College*
>>
>>> *Brighton Campus
>>
>>> *163 South Road Brighton East  VIC  3187
>>
>>> *t* (+61 3) 99099316
>>
>>> *f* (+61 3) 95923439
>>
>>>
>>
>>> *www.stleonards.vic.edu.au <http://www.stleonards.vic.edu.au/>*
>>
>>>
>>
>>>
>>
>>>
>>
>>>
>>
>>>  >>> Mark Kelly <kel at mckinnonsc.vic.edu.au> 27/02/2009 10:49 >>>
>>
>>> You notice something new every day...
>>
>>>
>>
>>> The ITA study design refers to "KK3.1.12 - design tools including ...
>>
>>> data tables, structure charts..."
>>
>>>
>>
>>> Now, I can find data structure tables and data structure charts in the
>>
>>> texts - but surely 'data tables' are just tables - with data in them.
>>
>>> Those are not design tools.
>>
>>>
>>
>>> The Potts text's discussion seems to equate 'data structure diagrams'
>>
>>> with Entity Relation Diagrams, showing the relationships between tables
>>
>>> in a database.  Fair enough as a design tool.
>>
>>>
>>
>>> It describes 'data structure tables' like data dictionaries - defining
>>> a
>>
>>> table's field names, types, validation rules etc.  Also fair enough.
>>
>>>
>>
>>> It also somewhat worryingly says (p43) that "database tables cannot
>>> hold
>>
>>> formulas. Calculations can only be performed in objects such as
>>> queries,
>>
>>> forms and reports" - tell that to a Filemaker Pro database developer!
>>
>>> Very Access-centric!
>>
>>>
>>
>>> In brief, do you clever folk reckon the study design really means data
>>
>>> tables, or is it VCAA secret code for 'data structure tables'?  There's
>>
>>> a pretty big difference.
>>
>>>
>>
>>> Perhaps Paula can elucidate...
>>
>>>
>>
>>> --
>>
>>> Mark Kelly
>>
>>> Manager - Information Systems
>>
>>> McKinnon Secondary College
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> --
>>
>> Mark Kelly
>>
>> Manager - Information Systems
>>
>> McKinnon Secondary College
>>
>> McKinnon Rd McKinnon 3204, Victoria, Australia
>>
>> Direct line / Voicemail: 8520 9085
>>
>> School Phone +613 8520 9000
>>
>> School Fax +613 9578 9253
>>
>> kel at mckinnonsc.vic.edu.au
>>
>>
>>
>> Webmaster - http://www.mckinnonsc.vic.edu.au
>>
>> IT Lecture notes: http://vceit.com
>>
>> Moderator: IT Applications Mailing List
>>
>>
>>
>> RealMenDon'tNeedSpacebars.
>>
>>
>>
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