I am sure I know what a 'flat-file' database is; principally "fields and records" which I would call rows (records) and columns (fields). If there are more than two dimensions to the database, does that make it relational by definition??
2006-06-20 16:04:39 · 4 answers · asked by Anonymous in Computers & Internet ➔ Programming & Design
a flat file is a simple list - a relational database is 2 or more lists which are linked to each other - for example, if i have a list of customers and a list of the orders they have placed the link is the fact that each customer placed each order - so, the order will have a field saying which customer placed the order so that the order can be tied back to the customer
this is much more efficient than trying to have a single list with every customer and every order each customer placed.
2006-06-20 16:12:33 · answer #1 · answered by Ivanhoe Fats 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I've got a record of all my dogs in a table. The first column is the count, the order in which the dogs came to me. The second column is the name I gave the dog. The third column is the type of dog. The fourth column tells me when the dog died. The fifth column tells me which vet I took the dog to.
The first order of relationship is the dog number, the dog name, the dog type, the dog death date, and the dog vet--for each individual dog. Now, suppose I'm just interested in when the dogs died. If I only wanted to see a list of dates it may not mean anything, so I have to relate dates to dogs. Do I related it to dog number, as if that would say anything to me, or to dog name, or what? A relational database has the equivalent of connecting each field to an identifier that connects to the rest of the data. If I plug in a date that matches one on the list, I will be able to connect with the rest of the information because of the identifying key. However I vew the information, list it, sort it, I can always rearrange it because each field is connected to the records' identifying number. If I had a separate file with transactions paid to care for the dogs and see a veternarian's name, I can make a connection to a dog or dogs that I've taken to that veternarian. If I had two dogs that went to one vet, and the transaction is after a certain date when one dog died, then the relation of data will give me the inforation that only one dog would be associated with that particular vet's bill. What this means is that I can make all kinds of complex connections, conclusions, and assumptions because of how one type or record of information relates to another, which relates to still another.
2006-06-20 16:25:42 · answer #2 · answered by Rabbit 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Relational database means you have more than one table in a database and that they are somehow related.
Imagine a database with a customers table and an invoice table.
Customers Table with TVA number field, Customer's name, Address, etc.
Invoice Table with Invoice Nr field, TVA number field, Date, Qty, Description, Price, etc.
You relate the 2 tables by setting a one-to-many relationship using TVA number field. In Customers table you set the TVA number field as unique (meaning each record can only have one number and one number only!). In Invoice table, you set the TVA number field as allowing duplications.
Than, create a query with the 2 tables, using TVA number field from Invoice table and the other fields of the other tables.
Now you've created a single dynaset of data using 2 tables.
2006-06-21 05:02:15 · answer #3 · answered by Makiavel 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A relational database means that you can have multiple tables that interact with each other. They are all connected.
A flat file database is simply, one file usually a plain-text delimited (seperated by comma, tab, semicolon, etc) file.
2006-06-20 16:12:50 · answer #4 · answered by jugglaman 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋