Recommendations for books to learn database design

[Graham Wickens]

As some of you know that although I have been using ALPHA since version 3 back in 1993, my design skills are still very poor.
Can anyone recommend a book that will help me with design?
I have most of the methods and functions learnt, just unsure as to put them all together to create code in an efficient way.
Having to use trial-and-error for everything is both very slow and VERY frustrating.
I have lots of scripts that work but look a real mess and others that are OK.
As I say any suggestions welcomed.
G
P.S.
I don't make a living at this stuff, alpha is the platform I use for my hobby (aviation research)

[madtowng]

Hi Graham,

I'm not much of a book reader, but after many years of having to revisit code I wrote years ago, I decided
having a standard way of doing things just makes sense.
With this in mind I designed a simple page that helps you create scripts and functions, designed to work
with sql . It is designed to have the ability to call and be called from other scripts and functions, as well
as creates the structure for error handling.

Even though it's a bit slow right to load right now, it is available at https://a5.youshould-seethis.com/aadesigner/functionDesigner.a5w .

Hope this helps.

Gregg

[johnkoh]

Gregg,

The Link page is " Your connection is not private " . Is it an error?

[madtowng]

It's a self-signed certificate that browsers don't recognize.
I expect this will change when I transition my stuff to Zebrahost.

[Ted Giles]

Visual Paradigm - Community Edition.

Graham, I was fortunate enough to be trained by IBM etc on both relational and heirarchical database design.
At several Local Authorities, I was involved with some good, some bad designs and had to slug it out redesigning, so, I opted for the UML2 approach.
VP allows you to build a logical design which you can then put into practice.
It helps make the right connections in a diagram so you can visualise the bigger picture. (2600 tables all Normalised in a worse case).

The free community software will help a lot. UML2 is really the interface between users and techies.

You will have no trouble picking up VP as it is logical and intuitive, I found.

[madtowng]

johnkoh try https://z5.youshould-seethis.com/aad...onDesigner.a5w

I just got the site up a short while ago.

[johnkoh]

Hi Gregg,

Thanks for updated.
I tried the application but not sure how to use it.

[madtowng]

Hi John,

It is meant to provide a consistent design structure to the code you create for scripts, functions (UDF), dialog(UX) events, and grid events.
In the past some of my code failed because I used the same variable names that Alpha used, so I stopped that practice.

I'm hoping the image below demonstrates my intent. My thinking is that all variables are defined at the beginning. This makes it much easier
for you or anyone else to track things down. I use the itsOpen and itWorked in place of flag, because it easily identifies the result you're expecting.
If you want, we can certainly do a quick assist session to hopefully clear things up.

Gregg

Capture.png

[Ted Giles]

Nice Gregg.
I think this would fit well with my Data Dictionary Table builder.
It was built primarily for DT but I see no reason why it wouldn't work with a Webb app.
Essentially it helps design clean databases and records contraints, field rules, processing oddities etc.
It sits in the DT Alpha panel as a design module so you click to create the tables, so not on line but records lots of info.

[madtowng]

Thanks Ted.
Is your Data Dictionary Table builder something you can share with everyone ?

[Ted Giles]

Yep. Tomorrow

[Ted Giles]

Data Dict. for DT.
DataDictionery_22.1.zip