Creating a database from scratch 1

[wisch]

I'm a college student doing an internship in computers. My assignment is to create a newsletter website with a database of subscribers and a database of articles. The site should allow people to subscribe to receive articles and allow someone to send out articles on a regular basis to the subscribers. I don't know where to start. I know the basics of working with Access and programming in C++ and VB. What should I start working on? How do I program this? I could really use some help.
Thanks!
Rachel Wisch

 

[Tim1]

Hiya Rachel,

It sounds like a classic application for a database (Access would be a useful choice).

Basically, what you need to do is design some tables, along the lines of:

tblsubscribers
ID Number
Name
AddressLine1
AddressLine2
etc. etc. etc

tblsubscriberarticles
ID Number (Then you can get information from tblsubscribers)
ArticleType

You can then have one row in this table for each type of article that the subscriber wants.

tblarticles
articleid
articlename
articletype (to join into tblsubscriberarticles).

Hope this gives you some help, let me know if you need more details,

Tim

 

[thumbelina]

I think you are going to need do some serious resarch into database design concepts. Might help you make the database run more effiently. Most text books that teach how to use a specific application covers the basics in database design.

 

[pivan]

There is a classic book, about 116 pages by a fellow named Schneider on Data Modelling. It has examples of many of the various systems.

Also many of the books on JSP's , Cold Fusion, Distributted Computing have one or two intro chapters on how to model data In not now, when?
If not here, where?
If not us, who?

Just do it!!

 

[wisch]

Thanks for the help. What language should I write my program in to be able to work with the databases? Do I need to write the code with Java? (I don't know Java). Would I create the basics in HTML with JavaScripts, or could I write a regular VB program that will access the databases?
Also, in creating the databases, what do I have to do once I've created the fields?
I appreciate all the advice I can get.

 

[pivan]

Hi Wisch:

Lets see...to create a database and manipulate its data you will need to know basic SQL. Its a simple ( scripting language and since its monitored by ANSI, you can use it with Access, Oracle etc.

However, the hardest part is making the calls to the database from a web page. On simple projects such as this, I would use an Access database, and Java servlets to make the calls using an ODBC bridge. I have to imagine that concurrency and persistance are not you major concerns right now.

Or...buy Cold Fusion, install it and you should be able to have this up and running in a weekend.

Hope this helps,
pivan In not now, when?
If not here, where?
If not us, who?

Just do it!!

 

[wisch]

I'll be doing the database in Access. I hate to show my ignorance, but what is an ODBC Bridge? Also, is it possible to get ready-made Java or other scripts or servlets or whatever I need to go between the program and the database?
Thank you for helping me out.