Database Concepts & Application
Not publishedof exam
Tables & Design
Not publishedof exam
Queries & Retrieval
Not publishedof exam
Forms & Reports
Not publishedof exam
Quick Facts
- Module
- ICDL Using Databases
- Questions
- Not published for current test
- Time
- Not published for current test
- Pass mark
- 75%
- Level
- ICDL Professional
- Software
- Vendor-neutral (any DB app)
- Validity
- No expiry -- lifetime certification
- Syllabus
- Version 6.0 (5.0 also valid)
Core Objects
Tables store, Queries ask, Forms enter, Reports present
Table: storeQuery: askForm: enterReport: present
Primary Key vs Foreign Key
Primary key
- Uniquely IDs each record
- One per table
- No duplicates or blanks
Foreign key
- Links to another table's primary key
- Can repeat
- Enforces the relationship
Identify vs connect
Which Object Do I Need?
- Need to store raw data long-term→Table(Foundation of the database)
- Need to answer a data question→Query(Extract + filter across tables)
- Need a friendly data-entry screen→Form(Add, edit, delete records)
- Need to summarise and present findings→Report(Print or export ready output)
- Need to link two related tables→Relationship(Match primary key to foreign key)
- Need an instant, one-off record view→Filter(Temporary, not saved as an object)
Key Concepts
- Database
- Organised, structured collection of related data
- Information
- Processed data with meaning
- Data
- Raw, unprocessed facts before processing
- Table
- Grid holding one subject's records
- Record
- One row -- one subject instance
- Field
- One column -- one data element
- Auto-save
- Saves automatically; no Save needed
Database Organisation
- Single-subject table
- One subject type per table
- Single-subject record
- One subject instance per record
- One-element field
- One data element per field
- Data type
- Text, number, date-time, or yes-no
- Field properties
- Field size, format, default value
- Primary key
- Uniquely identifies each record
- Index
- Speeds up search queries
Relationships & Integrity
- Relationship purpose
- Minimise duplication of data
- Matching fields
- Unique field links two tables
- Foreign key
- Matches another table's primary key
- One-to-many
- One parent links many children
- Referential integrity
- Maintains valid, non-orphaned linked records
- Delete relationship
- Removes link between two tables
Using the Application
- Open/close app
- Start or exit the database application
- Open/close database
- Load or shut a database
- Create & save database
- New database saved to a drive
- Toolbars & ribbon
- Show, hide, restore, or minimise
- Help resources
- Use built-in application help
- Open/save/close object
- Table, query, form, or report
- Switch view modes
- Toggle Design vs Datasheet/Layout view
- Delete object
- Removes table, query, form, or report
- Navigate records/pages
- Move between records or report pages
- Sort records
- Sorts records ascending or descending
Data Types
T-N-D-Y: Text, Number, Date/Time, Yes/No
T: TextN: NumberD: Date/TimeY: Yes/No
Table vs Query
Table
- Stores raw data
- Physical structure
- Source of truth
Query
- Extracts + filters data
- Virtual result set
- Built from table(s)
Store vs retrieve
Which Data Type?
- Storing names, addresses, free text→Text(Non-calculated characters)
- Storing values used in calculations→Number(Supports arithmetic)
- Storing calendar dates or times→Date/Time(Enables date sorting and filtering)
- Storing a true/false condition→Yes/No(Boolean field)
- Storing monetary amounts→Currency(Application-specific formatted number)
- Needing a guaranteed unique row ID→AutoNumber(Application-generated, auto-incrementing)
Records & Field Edits
- Add/delete record
- Insert or remove a table row
- Modify field data
- Edit a value inside a record
- Field vs record
- Field = column; record = row
- Add field
- Insert a new table column
- Column width
- Adjusts a field's display width
Field vs Record
Field
- One column
- One data element
- Has a data type
Record
- One row
- One subject instance
- Made of many fields
Column vs row
Data Types
- Text
- Letters and words, non-calculated
- Number
- Numeric values used in calculations
- Date/Time
- Calendar date or clock time
- Yes/No
- Boolean true/false field
- Currency
- Formatted monetary valuesApp
- AutoNumber
- Application-generated, auto-incrementing IDApp
- OLE/Attachment
- Embedded file or objectApp
Sort vs Index
Sort
- Changes display order
- Ascending or descending
- Temporary view choice
Index
- Speeds up searches
- Table-level property
- Works behind the scenes
Display order vs search speed
Field Properties
- Field size
- Maximum length or precision
- Number format
- Display style for a numeric field
- Date/time format
- Display style for date/time field
- Default value
- Value auto-filled for new records
- Validation rule
- Simple rule limiting numeric entries
- Index (duplicates OK)
- Speeds up search, allows repeated values
- Index (no duplicates)
- Speeds up search, enforces unique values
- Required field
- Must not be left blankApp
Logical Operators
AND narrows, OR widens, NOT excludes
AND: narrowsOR: widensNOT: excludes
Filter vs Query
Filter
- Temporary view
- Applied to an open table/form
- Not saved as an object
Query
- Named, saved object
- Reusable criteria
- Can join multiple tables
Quick look vs saved tool
Query Criteria Picker
- Need an exact match→= operator(Equal to)
- Need to exclude one value→<> operator(Not equal to)
- Need a numeric or date boundary→< <= > >=(Comparison operators)
- Both conditions must be true→AND(Narrows results)
- Either condition can be true→OR(Widens results)
- Need to exclude matching rows→NOT(Negates a condition)
- Know only part of text→Wildcard * or %(Matches multiple characters)
- Know all but one character→Wildcard ? or _(Matches a single character)
Search & Filters
- Search: word
- Finds a specific word
- Search: number/date
- Finds a number or date
- Apply filter
- Temporarily shows matching records
- Remove filter
- Restore the full, unfiltered record view
Wildcards
* or % = many chars, ? or _ = one char
* or %: many characters? or _: one character
Query Basics
- Query purpose
- Extract and analyse data
- Single-table query
- Named query on one table
- Two-table query
- Named query joining two tables
- Run query
- Executes a query for results
Query Criteria & Operators
- =
- Equal to
- <>
- Not equal to
- <
- Less than
- <=
- Less than or equal to
- >
- Greater than
- >=
- Greater than or equal to
- AND
- Both conditions true; narrows results
- OR
- Either condition true; widens results
- NOT
- Excludes rows matching the condition
- Wildcard * or %
- Matches any number of characters
- Wildcard ? or _
- Matches exactly one character
Query Sort & Edit
- Sort ascending (query)
- Low-high or A-Z order
- Sort descending (query)
- High-low or Z-A order
- Modify criteria
- Change an existing query condition
- Remove criteria
- Delete a query condition
- Add/remove/move field
- Change which fields appear, order
- Hide/unhide field
- Toggle a field's visibility in results
Form vs Report
Form
- Data entry + editing
- Interactive
- On-screen input
Report
- Presentation only
- Read-only output
- Print/export ready
Input vs output
Forms
- Form purpose
- Display, add, and edit records
- Create form
- Build and name a simple form
- Insert record (form)
- Adds a new record via form
- Delete record (form)
- Remove a record using a form
- Modify field data (form)
- Edit record content using a form
- Header/footer text (form)
- Edits form header/footer text
Reports & Export
- Report purpose
- Present selected table/query information
- Simple report
- Based on one table/query
- Grouped report
- Sorted groups with summary calculations
- Summary calculations
- Sum, minimum, maximum, average
- Edit report layout
- Rearrange data fields and headings
- Header/footer text (report)
- Edits report header/footer text
- Export table/query
- Spreadsheet, text, CSV, or XML format
- Export report
- PDF format only
Printing
- Orientation
- Portrait or landscape layout
- Paper size
- Change the printed page size
- Print table
- Prints page, selection, or full table
- Print form
- Prints records via form layout
- Print query
- Print the result of a query
- Print report
- Prints specific or complete report
Common Traps
Deleting a record != deleting a field
Deleting a record removes one row ≠ Deleting a field removes a column
Sort != Filter
Sort reorders all visible records ≠ Filter temporarily hides non-matching records
Primary key != Index
Primary key uniquely identifies each record ≠ Index only speeds search; duplicates OK
Query != Filter
Query is a saved, reusable object ≠ Filter is a temporary, unsaved view
Form != Report
Form is for entering/editing records ≠ Report is read-only, for print/export
Relationship != Referential integrity
Relationship links two tables via fields ≠ Referential integrity blocks invalid/orphaned links
AND != OR
AND: every condition true; narrows ≠ OR: one condition true; widens
Last Minute
- 1.Pass mark: 75% on all modules
- 2.Table→store; Query→ask; Form→enter; Report→present
- 3.PK=unique ID; Index=search speed
- 4.4 types: text, number, date-time, yes-no
- 5.1-to-many links a unique field
- 6.Referential integrity blocks orphaned records
- 7.Comparison + AND/OR/NOT operators
- 8.* / % = many; ? / _ = one
- 9.Filter=temporary view; Query=saved object
- 10.Grouped reports show sum-min-max-avg
- 11.Tables→CSV/XML; reports→PDF only
- 12.Confirm count-time-syllabus with centre
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