Database Reference
In-Depth Information
happens, identify the characteristics, use the appropriate techniques to transform
them into fields, and follow all the necessary steps to add them to the table.
When you've completed the interviews, you'll move to the next phase of the database
design process and establish field specifications for every field in the database.
Case Study
It's now time to establish keys for each table in the Mike's Bikes database. As you know,
your first order of business is to establish candidate keys for each table. Let's say you de-
cide to start with the CUSTOMERS table in Figure 8.9 .
Figure 8.9. The CUSTOMERS table structure in the Mike's Bikes database
As you review each field, you try to determine whether it conforms to the Elements of
a Candidate Key. You determine that S TATUS , C UST H OME P HONE , and the combination of
C UST F IRST N AME and C UST L AST N AME are potential candidate keys, but you're not quite
certain whether any of them will completely conform to all of the elements. So you decide
to test the keys by loading the table with sample data as shown in Figure 8.10 .
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