COMU114 - Introduction to Database Development



Announcements:

Announcements for this module will be posted on Blackboard.

Note that  resit information is now available on Blackboard.

Module Descriptor:

COMU114 Module Descriptor

This module provides an introduction to Database technologies. These technologies include basic Relational Data Modelling concepts and practice, and simple data querying. Students will develop and query a simple database which provides a specific functional element of an information system.

database people

Lecture Notes:

Click on a title to see the list of topics in that chapter. Use the download links to get full notes or lecture slides in PDF format.

1. Databases and database design

Download - notes | slides

Contents
What is a database?
Databases vs. Database Management Systems
Relational and other database systems
Databases and enterprise information systems
The language of relational databases – SQL
Popular relational database systems
Designing a database
The  data model
From data model to relational database

2. Creating a database

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Contents
Designing the database schema
Representing Classes and Attributes
Data types
Additional constraints
Choosing the right fields
Implementing a table in SQL
Inserting data into a table
Primary keys
Representing relationships
Altering a table

3. Getting data out: database queries

Download - notes | slides | gcutours.mdb available on Blackboard under Course Documents

Contents
Querying
Queries and use cases
The GCUTours database tables
Queries in Access
Project operations
Select operations
Aggregates
Grouping
Subqueries

4. Improving the database design

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Contents
Database normalisation
Problems with un-normalised data
Functional dependencies
Normalisation and normal forms
First normal form (or 1NF)
Second Normal Form (2NF)
Third normal form (3NF)
Summing up the first three normal forms
Higher normal forms
When to use normalisation

5. Doing more with queries

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Contents
Improving query performance with indexes
Joining tables
Different kinds of join
Joining tables with the Access query builder
Data definition queries
Insert queries
Update queries
Delete queries
Parameter queries

6. Database applications

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Contents
Databases and applications
Types of application
Forms
Master-detail forms
User interaction in forms
Reports
Connecting to a database

Some notes are in PDF format - you may need Adobe Reader to view and print them. You can download it using the link below:

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Tutorials:

Tutorial 1 | solution
Tutorial 2 | solution
Tutorial 3 | solution
Tutorial 4 | solution
Tutorial 5 | solution

Labs:

Lab 1

Lab 2 |  Access SQL datatypes quick reference  
solution to tasks 1 to 4 is now available on Blackboard under Course Documents as an Access database

Lab 3  |  solutions
database gcutours.mdb available on Blackboard under Course Documents

Lab 4  |  solutions
database gcutours_app.mdb and Java files available on Blackboard under Course Documents

Lab 5  |  solutions
databases gcutours.mdb, gcucars.mdb and  normalisation_demo.mdb available on Blackboard under Course Documents
solution to task 2 (gcucars_solution.mdb) is now available on Blackboard under Course Documents as an Access database

Assessment:

Resit details are available on Blackboard.

Reading List:

There is no set text for this module, but you may find the following books useful:
Beginning Database Design: From Novice to Professional  (Clare Churcher, Apress, ISBN 1-59059-769-9)
Head First SQL (Lynn Beighley, O'Reilly, ISBN 0-596-52684-9)
Inside Relational Databases with Examples in Access (Mark Whitehorn & Bill Marklyn, Springer-Verlag, ISBN 1846283949

Staff:
Jim Paterson, Room M628, 0141 331 3028, James.Paterson-at-gcal.ac.uk
Dimitrios Korentzelos, Room M714, 0141 331 8569, D.Korentzelos-at-gcal.ac.uk

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