Table design

  • Thread starter Thread starter Glenn Dulmage
  • Start date Start date
G

Glenn Dulmage

I have two fields:

First Name
Last Name

I want to create a Field called FullName which will join First Name and Last
Name.

I have tried to do this in the Table Design by using this:

=[First Name]+" "+[Last Name]

I have also tried & instead of +

What string do I need and which place in the Table Design do I put it?

--

Glenn

Glenn T. Dulmage
207 Valley Road
Chestertown, MD 21620
410-778-5166
(e-mail address removed)
 
Do not do it in table at all.
Use this in query whenever you need full name --
FullName: [First Name] & " " & [Last Name]
 
Glenn

Why? What will having the two concatenated fields allow you to do?

I'm asking, not out of curiosity or prurient interest, but because knowing
what problem/business need you are trying to solve would help folks here
offer more specific suggestions.

For example, if you need "full name" for mailing labels, you can use a
query, as KARL points out, to concatenate the two fields for display (i.e.,
print) purposes without ever touching the underlying structure.

Regards

Jeff Boyce
Microsoft Office/Access MVP
 
I have two fields:

First Name
Last Name

I want to create a Field called FullName which will join First Name and Last
Name.

I have tried to do this in the Table Design by using this:

=[First Name]+" "+[Last Name]

I have also tried & instead of +

What string do I need and which place in the Table Design do I put it?
Click to expand...

Storing derived data such as this in your table accomplishes
three things: it wastes disk space; it wastes time (almost
any calculation will be MUCH faster than a disk fetch); and
most importantly, it risks data corruption. If one of the
underlying fields is subsequently edited, you will have data
in your table WHICH IS WRONG, and no automatic way to detect
that fact.

In short, this "full name" field should simply NOT EXIST in any table.

Just redo the concatenation whenever you need it, either as a
calculated field in a Query or in the control source of a Form or a Report
textbox.
 
Thank you all. I think I understand. Just concatenate in the report/query
etc.

Glenn

Glenn T. Dulmage
207 Valley Road
Chestertown, MD 21620
410-778-5166
(e-mail address removed)

John W. Vinson said:
I have two fields:

First Name
Last Name

I want to create a Field called FullName which will join First Name and
Last
Name.

I have tried to do this in the Table Design by using this:

=[First Name]+" "+[Last Name]

I have also tried & instead of +

What string do I need and which place in the Table Design do I put it?
Click to expand...

Storing derived data such as this in your table accomplishes
three things: it wastes disk space; it wastes time (almost
any calculation will be MUCH faster than a disk fetch); and
most importantly, it risks data corruption. If one of the
underlying fields is subsequently edited, you will have data
in your table WHICH IS WRONG, and no automatic way to detect
that fact.

In short, this "full name" field should simply NOT EXIST in any table.

Just redo the concatenation whenever you need it, either as a
calculated field in a Query or in the control source of a Form or a Report
textbox.
Click to expand...
 
Sorry, I have been away in France. Thanks for this information. I will try
to see if it works.

Glenn

Jeff Boyce said:
Glenn

Why? What will having the two concatenated fields allow you to do?

I'm asking, not out of curiosity or prurient interest, but because knowing
what problem/business need you are trying to solve would help folks here
offer more specific suggestions.

For example, if you need "full name" for mailing labels, you can use a
query, as KARL points out, to concatenate the two fields for display
(i.e., print) purposes without ever touching the underlying structure.

Regards

Jeff Boyce
Microsoft Office/Access MVP


Glenn Dulmage said:
I have two fields:

First Name
Last Name

I want to create a Field called FullName which will join First Name and
Last Name.

I have tried to do this in the Table Design by using this:

=[First Name]+" "+[Last Name]

I have also tried & instead of +

What string do I need and which place in the Table Design do I put it?

--

Glenn

Glenn T. Dulmage
207 Valley Road
Chestertown, MD 21620
410-778-5166
(e-mail address removed)
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
Again, Thanks for the information.

Glenn

John W. Vinson said:
I have two fields:

First Name
Last Name

I want to create a Field called FullName which will join First Name and
Last
Name.

I have tried to do this in the Table Design by using this:

=[First Name]+" "+[Last Name]

I have also tried & instead of +

What string do I need and which place in the Table Design do I put it?
Click to expand...

Storing derived data such as this in your table accomplishes
three things: it wastes disk space; it wastes time (almost
any calculation will be MUCH faster than a disk fetch); and
most importantly, it risks data corruption. If one of the
underlying fields is subsequently edited, you will have data
in your table WHICH IS WRONG, and no automatic way to detect
that fact.

In short, this "full name" field should simply NOT EXIST in any table.

Just redo the concatenation whenever you need it, either as a
calculated field in a Query or in the control source of a Form or a Report
textbox.
Click to expand...
 
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