Access Sub Fields in a Field -- HELP!!!

[Vem786]

Hi All:
I have a table that has a field named "Media". It has sub fields -- CD, Floppy, Hardware & Software. I have the data given to me in spreadsheet & the fields given like below.
----------------------------------
Media
----------------------------------
CD | Floppy | Hardware | Software
----------------------------------

How do I import this into an Access table with the EXACT STRUCTURE.?

Thanks in advance!!!

 

[KenReay]

Hi

I am not sure I understand your question, or the structure of your data

My interpretation of what you are saying is that you have one field or column (Media) which can have several possible VALUES (ie CD, Floppy, etc)

If this is so I would suggest you table structure should include a table of media types, this would be a single column table to hold the possibel values "CD", "Floppy" ..etc

Or are you sying that one row of you table can have more than one possibel media?. In this case DO NOT have sub fields as you call them, you need a a separate table of ItemMediaTypes structured something like:

lngItemId )Prime Key
strMediaType )

and a table of media types

strMediaType ) Prime Key

Regards

Ken Reay
Freelance Solutions Developer
Boldon Information Systems Ltd
Website needs upgrading, but for now -

http://www.kenneth.reay.btinternet.co.uk

UK

 

[Vem786]

Hi Ken:
Yeah exactly one row has more than several possibe media.

So as you said, I'll design a seperate table called media types with a single column right???

Thanks!!!

 

[lespaul]

Try this link (thanks JeremyNYC!) for more information about database design that every one who works on databases should read:

http://www.alphabetcitydataworks.com/Developers/FundamentalsOfRelationalDatabaseDesign.doc

Leslie

 

[BNPMike]

If you only have a maximum of one item in each of the four fields you could just declare a table with four data fields per key. Most likely however you will have eg CD as a single value (eg yes/no) and software as multi-valued. In this case put the CD in the PC table and software in a separate table with a foriegn key of the PC table key.