[Year 12 IT Apps] Normalisation

[Mark]

Hi Laurie.

Yes, Filemaker is a funny old beast. It has grown organically from
primitive flat-file origins and - while it is now fully relational - it has
some vestigial tonsils and appendices that perplex purists.

- Filemaker gets a slap on the wrist for retaining its atavistic (albeit
*very* tempting) repeating fields (an array-like field) which - if used -
automatically disqualify it from 1NF!

I used repeating fields over a decade ago in Rupert (my student report
database) as a quick-and-dirty kludge as I hurriedly threw the first
version together. Thirteen years later the repeating fields were still
embedded in Rupert since their removal required a complete rebuild of the
schema. While I appreciate Filemaker bravely maintaining support for
repeating fields for the sake of backward compatibility, I sometimes wish
it had removed them and forced me to go cold turkey, redesign the table
structures and get that particular naughty monkey off my back.

- As you said, FMP does not use queries as Access does. Calculated fields
are defined as fields, appear as fields, and can be used like any other
field (which makes much more sense to me, AAMOF.) Unfortunately the purists
see "calculated fields" and immediately brandish their garlic and
crucifixes and start burning databases at the stake. But as Filemaker fans
know, it does *not* store the results of calculations in fields so it does
*not* violate normalisation rules. That's why I complained to the
examinations unit about Question A20.

But in spite of its charming eccentricities, Filemaker is a lovely way to
learn databases. Access took many years to copy Filemaker's powerful and
simple drag-and-drop script writing technique. It allows instant web and
LAN database publishing. There is a passionate fanbase keen to help newbies.

It's only a shame that Filemaker Corp changed their licensing for schools.
I haven't checked recently, but I believe the golden days of cheap
concurrent licences are gone, and they charge quite a lot for per-seat
licences.

Cheers
Mark

On 17 February 2015 at 10:38, Savage, John L <
savage.john.l at edumail.vic.gov.au> wrote:

>  I have moved to Filemaker Pro because I think it provides a smooth
> introduction to database development while being astonishingly powerful.
> Unfortunately it *appears* to break the normalisation rules and doesn’t
> really follow the standard query process at the user level. I say “Appears”
> because of course its calculated fields are created on the fly and are not
> stored so in fact it is executing queries during standard browsing as well
> as during the search mode.  The tricky thing is convincing students that
> the calculated fields that are integral to FM design are really the outcome
> of a query performed on the fly and created during the design stage. I
> think mine would have all answered D even though I’m sure B is the answer.
>
>
>
> Laurie Savage
>
>
>
> *From:* itapps-bounces at edulists.com.au [mailto:
> itapps-bounces at edulists.com.au] *On Behalf Of *Mark
> *Sent:* Monday, 16 February 2015 11:38 AM
> *To:* Year 12 IT Applications Teachers' Mailing List
> *Subject:* Re: [Year 12 IT Apps] Normalisation
>
>
>
> I sent a protest about the question to the examinations unit.
>
> I have not heard back from them yet.
>
>
>
>
>
> On 16 February 2015 at 10:26, Cooper, Michael J <
> cooper.michael.j at edumail.vic.gov.au> wrote:
>
> Hi all,
>
>
>
> Short time reader, first time writer!
>
>
>
> Great to hear the exam report is not far away.
>
>
>
> Like Mark mentioned in his post-moterm I am very interested in the answer
> to MC Q20, regarding calculated fields in a database.
>
>
>
> We use FIleMaker Pro, only 5% of the class got correct answer (1 out of
> 21). I thought it was D as well.
>
>
>
> Really like the normalisation descriptions being offered!
>
>
> Michael Cooper
>
> ICT Co-ordinator
>
>
>
> www.braybrooksc.vic.edu.au
>
>
>
>
>
> <snip>
>
>
>
>
>
>   Mark Kelly
>
>
> --

*"**Love is a snowmobile racing across the tundra and then suddenly, it
flips over, pinning you underneath. At night, the ice weasels come."  Matt
Groening*

Mark Kelly
mark AT vceit DOT com
http://vceit.com
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