What's the best book to learn Access?

[Nocturnal]

I already took a beginners class at my community college but I still don't
know the fundementals of creating a db. What book would be good to read? I
have one by Kroenke. Is he any good?

 

[Steve Schapel]

Nocturnal,

I am not familiar with Kroenke. I recommend 'Building Microsoft Access
Applications' by John Viescas.

 

[Craig Alexander Morrison]

John V's book is not targetted at relational database design (I would expect
in view of the title, no doubt there will be a chapter that deals with RDB
to some extent).

David M Kroenke - Database Processing Fundamentals, Design and
Implementation is a good starter for anyone wanting to learn Relational
Database Design as opposed to developing applications. It uses Microsoft
Access in some of the implementation chapters, John V's book may well be a
good followup once RDB concepts are understood.

I believe it was a standard book in some degree courses at universities in
US and UK, still it is quite good and fairly practical.

I do understand that most people just get a Product specific book but the
concepts are important and may kill the autonumber for good (vbg) and reduce
the indiscriminate use of ID for a key.

 

[Craig Alexander Morrison]

If you mean Database Processing Fundamentals, Design and Implementation then
this was a good starter for Relational Database Design, My copy is the 5th
edition which is 10 years old. Even that edition would still stand as a good
starter.

Before going to product specific books you may wish to study that first the
John V book is probably pretty good for building applications but one must
also be relatively skilled at designing the database first as this will the
application development with a tool like Access so much easier.

Two other books worth considering are (note: both use examples in Access)

Mark Whitehorn and Bill Marklyn - Inside Relational Databases (Good for a
more informal discussion and introduction of R.)

Steven Roman - Access Database Design and Programming (A sort of half-way
house with the latter sections dealing with non-set based programming as
opposed to Design and SQL.)

These are simpler than Kroenke and perhaps more practical; I would suggest
Whitehorn before/above Roman.

If you have the principles and concepts of RDB down then perhaps the book by
John V would be a good way to learn application development. I have not read
it but I have heard others speak highly of it. The approach it takes seems
absurdly simple, yet this is probably the first, I believe it takes you
through the development of real applications step by step.

 

[Douglas J. Steele]

Another good book for learning relational design is Rebecca Riordan's
Designing Effective Database Systems (ISBN 0321290933)

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/t...103-3120679-2281460?v=glance&s=books&n=507846

 

[Arvin Meyer [MVP]]

These are simpler than Kroenke and perhaps more practical; I would suggest
Whitehorn before/above Roman.

If you have the principles and concepts of RDB down then perhaps the book by
John V would be a good way to learn application development. I have not read
it but I have heard others speak highly of it. The approach it takes seems
absurdly simple, yet this is probably the first, I believe it takes you
through the development of real applications step by step.

Without an understanding of relational set theory from calculus, I'm afraid
that the Kroenke and Whitehorn's books may be above the average reader who
would be more interested in building a good can-opener than worrying about
strength of alloy. That said, I believe there are 3 books which are simple,
to the point, and contain all the essential requisites for designing good
relational databases:

Access Database Design & Programming
Steven Roman

Database Design For Mere Mortals
Michael J. Hernandez

Designing Effective Database Systems
Rebecca Riordan

All 3 are excellent. If I could choose only, it would be Designing Effective
Database Systems. You are correct in your view that John Viescas's book is
better suited to actual database development than design, but many folks
learn better by example than by theory.
--
Arvin Meyer, MCP, MVP
Microsoft Access
Free Access downloads:
http://www.datastrat.com
http://www.mvps.org/access

 

[Craig Alexander Morrison]

Without an understanding of relational set theory from calculus, I'm

afraid
that the Kroenke and Whitehorn's books may be above the average reader...

Maybe, however the original poster already owns Kroenke, mind you that may
be why he is looking for another book. (g)

 

[Craig Alexander Morrison]

Is that a re-write of her earlier book Designing Relational Database
Systems?

The absence of the word Relational makes me a bit wary that it may have
wandered to the dark side along with the bastardised SQLS2005.