Flat database files...general question...

[mike777]

I often hear people referring to "flat databases" such as MS Access, Fox Pro, etc. My understanding is that MS Access is a relational database, and as such, as far as I know, it shouldn't be referred to as "flat". Do you think people use the term "flat" to refer to a database system that doesn't by default operate as client-server processing? If not, what do they mean? They always contrast MS Access with SQL Server or Oracle. This is what leads me to think that they may be simply talking about where the processing occurs.
Any help you can provide with this question is very much appreciated. Thanking you in advance,
Mike

 

[zambezibill]

Mike,

Tables are still 2-dimensional (i.e. flat).

Cheers, Bill

 

[mike777]

zambezibill,
Thanks for the response.
Yes, I understand. I think. This being the case, then, all databases are "flat", no?
Also, can I assume from your use of the word "still" that there will be a time with tables are 3-D? Do you forseee that time? Will it be soon, do you think?
-Mike

 

[JamieCz]

When we referred to a flat file database in uni it was always when taking about a non-relational database. i.e where all data was simply "dumped" into one large table - resulting in data duplication etc

 

[mike777]

JamieCz,
Molto grazi, eh?!!
This sounds right to me. So nice to have your ideas confirmed once in a while.
Still leaves open the question of why so many people refer to MS Access as "flat". Perhaps it is just a misconception on the part of the speaker, i.e. maybe they just assume that Access is not relational, since it is a desktop application, and therefore not sophisticated enough to have relational capabilities.
Thanks again.
-Mike

 

[zambezibill]

A Google search under database models will keep you in reading material for a while.

Cheers, Bill

 

[WildHare]

Mike - yes, you are correct - people who refer to Access as a "flat (file) database" are misinformed. Access supports many of the relational tests that Codd and Date codified many moons ago. That is not to say, however that you can't use Access as as "flat file" database, just as you can easily use Oracle or SQL Server as a flat file database.

Flatness or the lack thereof is a question of schema design, not necessarily system characteristics. However, there are obvious and quantifiable differences between our old friends like Q&A, and DBMSs which support relational linking in the SCHEMA, such as Access, Oracle, SQL Server, and the like.

I am not an expert in the dBase/FoxPro worlds, but my experience with them from back in the dark ages suggests that UNLESS the relational joins are represented in the SCHEMA, then they too are "flat" databases. If you have to PROGRAM the relationship in a PROCEDURE, it's not really relational. And if I recall, dBase is/was really a FLAT FILE data manager with procedural functionality, not strictly a relational database. But who cares anymore.. LOL

Jim

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http://www.forumco.com/jmhare

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