queries between multiple tables

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  • alex.williams56@gmail.com

    queries between multiple tables

    I'm relatively new when it comes to access but I think I have a grasp
    on the basics. I have a very specific problem that requires a little
    help from someone more experienced.

    I'm trying to help someone in the field of consulting create a more
    comprehensive database for their data they collected from surveys.
    Here's the background:

    Three surveys are sent a year, each with similar questions, but the
    surveys are continually revised (new questions are added, and old
    questions that haven't been helpful are taken out)

    I have a table that holds all the questions (an ID #, the question,
    the 5 multiple choice answers, the number (1-5) of the correct answer,
    and a 'section' column that marks the topic the question aims at
    asking)

    My friend would also like to store the test statistics that he
    generates for each survey he hands out. So I'm planning to set up one
    table for every survey he sent out (which amounts to about 20 tables
    so far). The leftmost column holds the question's ID number, and the
    other columns hold several significant statistics - the percentage of
    respondents who got the question right, e.g. Note: I don't understand
    all the statistics behind this, I'm just trying to set up the database
    so it will be easier for him while he expands it.

    So I have two questions at this point:

    1) is there a more efficient way to store the data of each survey,
    rather than just making a new table? The reason I did that is because
    each survey is slightly different, and i can't conceive of making one
    table that can efficiently store all of it. However, if anybody has a
    better way, I would be willing to hear it.

    2) when i run a query, I want to be able to track each question's
    statistics over time. So, when i run the query i use the criteria row
    to zero in on one question (by typing in the question's ID). Now my
    problem is that since I have 20 tables for each survey, there is no
    easy way I know of doing this. What I want is this:

    I want to plug in a specific question's ID number and have access pull
    up a table that looks something like this:

    Survey / P value / R value ....

    (date) (double) (double)
    1/1/02 .82 .31
    6/1/02 .59 .29
    1/1/03 .73 .25
    ....



    Sorry if this is all confusing. The basis of the problem is that there
    are 3 variables (question ID #, date of the survey, and the statistics
    of the question) while there is only a 2 variables that can be
    represented in a table (to my knowledge).

    Thanks
  • purpleflash

    #2
    Re: queries between multiple tables

    On 3 Jul, 20:49, alex.william... @gmail.com wrote:
    I'm relatively new when it comes to access but I think I have a grasp
    on the basics. I have a very specific problem that requires a little
    help from someone more experienced.
    >
    I'm trying to help someone in the field of consulting create a more
    comprehensive database for their data they collected from surveys.
    Here's the background:
    >
    Three surveys are sent a year, each with similar questions, but the
    surveys are continually revised (new questions are added, and old
    questions that haven't been helpful are taken out)
    >
    I have a table that holds all the questions (an ID #, the question,
    the 5 multiple choice answers, the number (1-5) of the correct answer,
    and a 'section' column that marks the topic the question aims at
    asking)
    >
    My friend would also like to store the test statistics that he
    generates for each survey he hands out. So I'm planning to set up one
    table for every survey he sent out (which amounts to about 20 tables
    so far). The leftmost column holds the question's ID number, and the
    other columns hold several significant statistics - the percentage of
    respondents who got the question right, e.g. Note: I don't understand
    all the statistics behind this, I'm just trying to set up the database
    so it will be easier for him while he expands it.
    >
    So I have two questions at this point:
    >
    1) is there a more efficient way to store the data of each survey,
    rather than just making a new table? The reason I did that is because
    each survey is slightly different, and i can't conceive of making one
    table that can efficiently store all of it. However, if anybody has a
    better way, I would be willing to hear it.
    >
    2) when i run a query, I want to be able to track each question's
    statistics over time. So, when i run the query i use the criteria row
    to zero in on one question (by typing in the question's ID). Now my
    problem is that since I have 20 tables for each survey, there is no
    easy way I know of doing this. What I want is this:
    >
    I want to plug in a specific question's ID number and have access pull
    up a table that looks something like this:
    >
    Survey     /    P value   /   R value ....
    >
    (date)         (double)         (double)
    1/1/02         .82                 .31
    6/1/02         .59                 .29
    1/1/03         .73                 .25
    ...
    >
    Sorry if this is all confusing. The basis of the problem is that there
    are 3 variables (question ID #, date of the survey, and the statistics
    of the question) while there is only a 2 variables that can be
    represented in a table (to my knowledge).
    >
    Thanks
    For the first part try three tables!

    table 1 = tblSurvey (surveyID(Prima ryKey), SurveyDate, Survey_details
    etc)

    table 2 = tblQuestions (QuestionID(Pri maryKey), SurveyID(Foreig nKey),
    Question, AnswerGiven, AnswerExpected etc)

    table 3 = tblStats (StatID(PK), QuestionID(FK), StatisticType,
    StatisticValue) - each row has ony 1 statistic in it


    This way you can store all questions associated with Surveys
    efficiently

    Comment

    • alex.williams56@gmail.com

      #3
      Re: queries between multiple tables

      On Jul 3, 8:15 pm, purpleflash <k...@bgs.ac.uk wrote:
      On 3 Jul, 20:49, alex.william... @gmail.com wrote:
      >
      >
      >
      I'm relatively new when it comes to access but I think I have a grasp
      on the basics. I have a very specific problem that requires a little
      help from someone more experienced.
      >
      I'm trying to help someone in the field of consulting create a more
      comprehensive database for their data they collected from surveys.
      Here's the background:
      >
      Three surveys are sent a year, each with similar questions, but the
      surveys are continually revised (new questions are added, and old
      questions that haven't been helpful are taken out)
      >
      I have a table that holds all the questions (an ID #, the question,
      the 5 multiple choice answers, the number (1-5) of the correct answer,
      and a 'section' column that marks the topic the question aims at
      asking)
      >
      My friend would also like to store the test statistics that he
      generates for each survey he hands out. So I'm planning to set up one
      table for every survey he sent out (which amounts to about 20 tables
      so far). The leftmost column holds the question's ID number, and the
      other columns hold several significant statistics - the percentage of
      respondents who got the question right, e.g. Note: I don't understand
      all the statistics behind this, I'm just trying to set up the database
      so it will be easier for him while he expands it.
      >
      So I have two questions at this point:
      >
      1) is there a more efficient way to store the data of each survey,
      rather than just making a new table? The reason I did that is because
      each survey is slightly different, and i can't conceive of making one
      table that can efficiently store all of it. However, if anybody has a
      better way, I would be willing to hear it.
      >
      2) when i run a query, I want to be able to track each question's
      statistics over time. So, when i run the query i use the criteria row
      to zero in on one question (by typing in the question's ID). Now my
      problem is that since I have 20 tables for each survey, there is no
      easy way I know of doing this. What I want is this:
      >
      I want to plug in a specific question's ID number and have access pull
      up a table that looks something like this:
      >
      Survey     /    P value   /   R value ....
      >
      (date)         (double)         (double)
      1/1/02         .82                 .31
      6/1/02         .59                 .29
      1/1/03         .73                 .25
      ...
      >
      Sorry if this is all confusing. The basis of the problem is that there
      are 3 variables (question ID #, date of the survey, and the statistics
      of the question) while there is only a 2 variables that can be
      represented in a table (to my knowledge).
      >
      Thanks
      >
      For the first part try three tables!
      >
      table 1 = tblSurvey (surveyID(Prima ryKey), SurveyDate, Survey_details
      etc)
      >
      table 2 = tblQuestions (QuestionID(Pri maryKey), SurveyID(Foreig nKey),
      Question, AnswerGiven, AnswerExpected etc)
      >
      table 3 = tblStats (StatID(PK), QuestionID(FK), StatisticType,
      StatisticValue) - each row has ony 1 statistic in it
      >
      This way you can store all questions associated with Surveys
      efficiently

      Thank you thats a very good way to do it!

      Comment

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