VB Database: Challenge Lab Week 2
This week's Challenge Lab will give you some practice with database design. It doesn't matter if you don't have Microsoft Access. Database design does not begin with creating an .mdb file - it begins on paper.
You will be given a scenario and a set of sample data and then asked to do exercises. There is no exact right answer, although I reserve the right to ask you to explain your reasoning. (Of course, if you include your reasoning along with your electronic paper that saves me a step :-) You have until the end of the course to do this, as you do with all Challenge Labs. At that time I will post my incarnation. Try not to look at what the other students have posted until you have done the Lab - use the Force, in other words...
Scenario
You work for an auction company which has decided to build a Web site for live auctions.
The auction company currently hosts live auctions around the world. These auctions are presided over by an auctioneer who first displays and describes the item for auction and then starts the bidding with an opening minimum bid. Each subsequent bid must be higher than the previous bid. At a certain point, the auctioneer decides to close the auction and the highest bidder then pays for the item.
The auction company recently decided to expand its operations by launching an online auction Web site. Work has already started on the site and the company has already solicited items for auction from sellers. You have been assigned the task of designing the database.
Auction Items
- Uncleaned Roman Coins from Spain
- Mixed lot of maternity clothes
- Palm Springs Timeshare
- Big box of Betamax videotapes
- Glass chess set
- 19th century Empire Mahogany Parlor/Library Set
- Set of four brass tea cup holders
- 1964 1/ 2 Ford Mustang Alternator Harness
- Set of children's Baby Einstein DVDs
- Manual-crank record player
Exercises
Note: Do not open Microsoft Access. This is all to be done on paper/electronic paper.
- Auction items are only one aspect of what needs to be tracked on the site. Brainstorm some
other things you'll need to keep track of.
- Look through the auction items and categorize them into categories. Look for common characteristics
to help determine appropriate categories. These, along with things from Exercise 1, will be
the entities.
- Name at least six characteristics that are common to each item, such as:
- Characteristics that further describe the specific item
- Other characteristics that must be tracked on a per-item basis to participate in an online auction
These will be the attributes.
- Identify the relationships between your entities.
- Post your results here.
Good luck!
Alrak's Course Resources ©2002-2007 Karla Carter. All rights reserved. This material (including, but not limited to, Mini-lectures and Challenge Labs) may not be reproduced, displayed, modified or distributed without the express prior written permission of the copyright holder. For permission, contact Karla.