F
Fred Boer
Hello:
I'd like some advice! I am thinking about possibly using an unbound form for
data entry, and I don't know if it would be a good idea or not.
This is for a library database. Currently I have a bound data entry form
with 3 subforms. I use a tab control, with book information on the first
tab, an author information subform on the second tab, a subject heading
subform on a third tab, and a series subform on the fourth tab. (See below
for table structures.)
The current data entry process involves entering all "book" information into
the main form. After this record is saved, I can then enter Author, Subject
and Series information. This works well enough, I suppose, and the tab
control makes it nice and tidy. However, this data entry process is somewhat
cumbersome and non-intuitive. When cataloguing a book, one would naturally
expect to enter the title, then author, then subject, then series, then book
details. This sequence is not possible, however, because the record for book
information must be completed and saved before entering Author, Subject,
etc.
I was thinking that maybe if I had an unbound data entry form, I could enter
all the data in whatever sequence I liked, and then, on saving the record, I
could take the data, create the main record, save it, then insert the
related information. However, I have never used an unbound data entry form,
and don't know if this is a reasonable idea. Advice?
One particular issue might revolve around books with multiple authors. The
unbound form would have to permit the entry of more than one author name. I
suppose multiple author names might be stored in a temporary table?
Thanks!
Fred Boer
Tbl_Library
Book_ID
Title
Publisher
Format
Binding
Dewey #
etc...
Tbl_Author
Author_ID
AuthorFirstName
AuthorLastName
etc.
Tbl_BookAuthor
Book_ID
Author_ID
And similar junction tables for Subject and Series headings.
I'd like some advice! I am thinking about possibly using an unbound form for
data entry, and I don't know if it would be a good idea or not.
This is for a library database. Currently I have a bound data entry form
with 3 subforms. I use a tab control, with book information on the first
tab, an author information subform on the second tab, a subject heading
subform on a third tab, and a series subform on the fourth tab. (See below
for table structures.)
The current data entry process involves entering all "book" information into
the main form. After this record is saved, I can then enter Author, Subject
and Series information. This works well enough, I suppose, and the tab
control makes it nice and tidy. However, this data entry process is somewhat
cumbersome and non-intuitive. When cataloguing a book, one would naturally
expect to enter the title, then author, then subject, then series, then book
details. This sequence is not possible, however, because the record for book
information must be completed and saved before entering Author, Subject,
etc.
I was thinking that maybe if I had an unbound data entry form, I could enter
all the data in whatever sequence I liked, and then, on saving the record, I
could take the data, create the main record, save it, then insert the
related information. However, I have never used an unbound data entry form,
and don't know if this is a reasonable idea. Advice?
One particular issue might revolve around books with multiple authors. The
unbound form would have to permit the entry of more than one author name. I
suppose multiple author names might be stored in a temporary table?
Thanks!
Fred Boer
Tbl_Library
Book_ID
Title
Publisher
Format
Binding
Dewey #
etc...
Tbl_Author
Author_ID
AuthorFirstName
AuthorLastName
etc.
Tbl_BookAuthor
Book_ID
Author_ID
And similar junction tables for Subject and Series headings.