How to properly record attendance?

[default105]

Access 2k3

I need to record when a student attends class. Date attended, time they
logged in, etc. I started to set up this db years ago but the person
requesting it decided they did not want it, now they do. Even though I know
a hundred fold more than I did then, I still have much to learn. I remember
before I posted here and I was creating a record for the student each time
they logged in(which will only ever be once per day) in the tblAttendance
table. I was told then that this is not the correct way for access to do
this. However, for the life of me, I can not figure out how to set it up to
follow 3nf without using a table for attendance and a record for each
individual student attendance login. Thanks for the help.

 

[KARL DEWEY]

I was creating a record for the student each time they logged in(which will
only ever be once per day) in the tblAttendance table.
I do not know who said it was wrong but that is how relational databases
work - not like a spreadsheet where you may have a record per student and
columns for each days attendance like marking X's on a calendar.

How are you going to collect the data? Does each student have an ID with
bar code and 'login' uses a bar code reader to enter DateTime?

You could use a table of class dates and collect absences as you scroll down
the class roster ticking then off.

How do you play to use the data?

 

[default105]

There is one computer that all students use to login when they arrive. They
use a form to login with a number and password assigned for that
student.This is a database to collect information for a martial arts school.
The attendance is used to make sure they have to required time for testing
and track tardiness. I thought that using a table with a foreign key was
correct but I just figured that there was something I was missing. No card
reader or bar code. Thanks for the prompt reply.
--
Pete Blackburn - words to live by:
"Don''t ever let somebody tell you. You can''t do something.You got a
dream,You gotta protect it." Edited Quote from the Pursuit Of Happiness

 

[KARL DEWEY]

I thought that using a table with a foreign key was correct
Yep, you are right. One table for all information on the student with a
one-to-many relationship the your attendance table. Use StudentID field as
Autonumber for primary key. The Attendance would have a primary key field
and a foreign key, number - long integer - to match the primary of student
table. Create the relationship select options for Referential Integerity
and Cascade Update.