Let me tell you a story … In 2002, I was interviewing for a database support position and feeling pretty good about my chances. I’d been working with Microsoft Access for a few years, everyone at the last job knew me as the expert and general tech guru and I was hoping things panned out…
Search Results for: Microsoft Access
“How do I become a computer programmer?”
Spend much time in beginner programming forums and you’ll see many of the same questions again and again from people trying to break into coding. For some of us who just sort of gravitated to the field, it’s a reminder that it doesn’t come as easily for everyone. Sometimes, I feel the urge to send…
Software that works for you …
Comeau Software Solutions can help you find the right database and technology solutions for your business needs. Software is a tool like any other and you need the right tools to get the job done. Comeau Software Solutions can research and recommend the technologies that will work reliably for you over the long-term, including database…
New Video – Learning SQL with SQLite
An essential skill … If there is one programming language that I would recommend for everyone, it’s Structured Query Language (SQL). SQL (often pronounced “sequel”) is the main language used to communicate with databases including Oracle, SQL Server and Microsoft Access. It’s the set of commands used to write and retrieve data. If you work…
New Video Series – Discovering C#
My latest online course on Teachable.com is about getting started with C# programming. Most of my previous video work has centered around Microsoft Access but I’ve produced a couple of other C# videos and, based on the reaction, I decided it was time to do some more with it. I learned how to program many…
How to Get Started Writing Your Own Book
It Seems Like I’ve Been Here Before … People seem fairly impressed when I mention that I’ve written a couple of books on databases and software. I try not to make a big deal of it, just mentioning it in passing as appropriate, because I actually don’t consider it to be a big deal. I’m…
What is Referential Integrity?
One of the fundamental differences between an Excel spreadsheet and a Microsoft Access or SQL Server database is the database’s ability to group data by subject into tables and create links between that information. This type of organization enables the user to store large amounts of data and retrieve specific information quickly by writing queries that…
How to Create Lookup Fields in C#
I started my (more or less) serious database development training many years ago in Microsoft Access. One of my favorite controls was the Combo Box, a nice little drop-down field that enabled the user to select one of many values but collapsed down onto a single line. The Combo Box control in Access was very…
A Couple of Notes on Cloud Computing
Years ago, when I was making do with the limited computer equipment that I could afford, I never dreamed that I would one day be able to login to a website, plug in a few specs about the machine I wanted and then, a few minutes later, log into that machine remotely and run whatever…
Using Visual Studio to Manage Your Data
(This article was updated in August 2018 for use with Visual Studio 2017.) Moving Beyond Microsoft Access I’ve written a lot about Microsoft Access over the years and still believe it’s a great training ground for people who want to learn to design database applications. Its user-friendly interface provides an easy learning curve and introduction…