design problem computer-user-database

R

rpfd

Hi!

I have a problem and I'm really curious if there is somebody
out there who had it before and solved it - if it is solvable
at all (...frustration!)

My goal is to create an Access database that holds information
on a bunch of computers with their users, login names and pass-
words (for now I'm not concerned about password protection, it's
just about tables and relationships...!)

I would highly appreciate every hint on the solution of that!

Let's say I have three computers and three users:

Comp_1 Login_A Password_X User_7

Comp_2 Login_B Password_Y User_8

Comp_3 Login_C Password_Z User_9

- Every user can have a login name on every computer
- It can be the same for every computer, or it can be different
- The password for every user can be the same for every login
name, or it can be different

- Theoretically it is possible that User_9 uses the same login
name for Comp_1 than User_7 or User_8 for Comp_2 or Comp_3
- In the same way it is possible that User_7 uses the same pass-
word for Login_B than User_8 or User_9 for Login_A or Login_C

- Of course a login name is unique on a computer, since the
computer then expects the right password and it doesn't care
which user sits behind the keyboard. So the restriction is
that two users can not have the same login name on the same
computer, even if their passwords are different.

I guess the multiple computers add another dimension to the
whole thing...!

Who can help me?

Thank you very much in advance!

Regards,
rpfd
 
J

John Vinson

I guess the multiple computers add another dimension to the
whole thing...!

That's the clue that unravels the knot, actually!

You have a perfectly normal many (users) to many (computers)
relationship. The clue is that the password is an attribute, not of
the user, nor the computer, but of the *relationship* between the two
- and individual user on a particular computer.

You need three tables: * marks the Primary Key.

Users
*UserID
LastName
FirstName
<other info about the person>

Computers
*ComputerID
<information about the computer box>

Accounts
*UserID
*ComputerID
UserName <what is this user's account name on this box>
Password <for this account>

One user will have multiple records in the Accounts table; so will
each computer - but they'll each have a record for the username or
password (either of which could be duplicated with another record).

John W. Vinson[MVP]
 

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