Author: Larry LinsonLarry Linson
Date: Oct 7, 2007 14:52
"Eric IsWhoIAm" postnewsmessage.com> wrote
> Currently, if I manually select the course from the
> drop-down box, the Course Number, and the same
> with the Instructor fields, then I can save the record.
> If the Course Number doesn't match the Course Name,
> though, I'm out of luck.
Hunh? Sounds to me as if you have a bit of a normalization problem... your
Course table should be the only "authoritative source" for linking course
number and name. You shouldn't be storing the name, separately, elsewhere.
Store the Course Number, and then join that with Course Number in the Course
table to obtain the Course Name.
You have encountered one of the primary reasons for adhering to relational
database guidelines and normalizing your data. It's not just that redundant
data costs storage; it is that you encounter "anomalies" of this kind
(usually your own fault, BTW) that cost you time, effort, and stress.
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