Hello! -)

I'm a bit of a newbie when it comes to databases and am in need of a good book!!! I'm OK on things like design and scripting but what I REALLY need is a good explanation of how relationships work and I'd like to know what things need to be considered when planning a database. I have played with a FM4 demo and to be honest I got a bit stuck! I made a working database (albeit very simple!) but I'm eager to learn the PROPER ways of doing things before I do anything irrational!!!

Any help will be greatly appreciated as I've no idea what books are worth looking at and which ones aren't!

Thanks in advance,

Juerg

You might want to check out Database Design for Mere Mortals. It's easy to understand and gives a lot of basic ideas for developing a database.

I would also recomment Using FileMaker Pro 5, which has an extensive introduction to relationship theory in the beginning of the book, and ties everything it says into FileMaker specifics.

Chuck

quote:

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Originally posted by Juergen May:

[QB]Hello!

-)

I'm a bit of a newbie when it comes to databases and am in need of a good book!!! I'm OK on things like design and scripting but what I REALLY need is a good explanation of how relationships work and I'd like to know what things need to be considered when planning a database. I have played with a FM4 demo and to be honest I got a bit stuck! I made a working database (albeit very simple!) but I'm eager to learn the PROPER ways of doing things before I do anything irrational!!!/QB]

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I have said this before and I might just add it to my signature:

Relational database design is an old and well documented discipline. There are probably more books on it, than there are programmers. Do a search on Amazon.com or check you local bookstore/library. You could also check the bookstore at a local college and see what books are being used to teach this stuff.

Once you learn relational database design, doing it in Filemaker is easy. Just remember file = table, and field = column.

Thanks guys! Seems like I've got a few good starting points to work from. Sorry to have to ask such simple questions! Maybe as I progress I'll be able to submit some more interesting requests -)

Thanks again

Juerg