Om namah Shivaya & the chakras

Om Namah Shivaya is an ancient mantra used to awaken higher states of consciousness. The literal translation of these Sanskrit words means "I Bow To Shiva".

The following notes are offered as suggestions to help you get the most out of japa, mantra repetition. They are extracted from teaching sessions given by Mark Griffin.

The value of your mantra repetition is proportionate to the attention you give to it as you do it. If you engage in mindless dry repetition, you will see far less benefit from this practice than its full potential holds. On the other hand, if you give rise to the internal feeling of bodhicitta, which is the yearning for enlightenment and Truth, and tune in to the silence of the Inner Self as you say the mantra, you will obtain tremendous results from doing japa. Your practice will be enhanced if you are also aware of the placement and color of each syllable as you recite them. It is not important how fast or slow you repeat the mantra. It is intention that makes all the difference.

The mantra Om Namah Shivaya can be analyzed according to the elements, chakras and colors:

OM arises at the sixth chakra, and is associated with the mind. The mind has no element. It is essentially a formless vortex of light.

NA arises at the root chakra at the base of the spine and is associated with the element of Earth and is yellow in color.

MA arises at the second chakra and is associated with the element of water and is green in color.

SHI arises at the third chakra at the navel and is associated with the element of fire and is red in color.

VA arises at the fourth chakra at the heart and is associated with the element of air and is white in color.

YA arises at the fifth chakra at the throat and is associated with the element of ether and is blue in color.
As you repeat the mantra, be aware of the placement of the syllables. Focus on NA at the root, MA at the second seat, SHI at the navel, VA at the heart and YA at the throat.

At the same time, be aware of their corresponding colors: yellow, green, red, white, and blue. The colors are not arbitrary, randomly selected or based on a feeling. Each element has as its basis a subtle atom. When you meditate very subtly, they appear to you as a scintillating atom. The atom sparkles with a shining yellow light at the root chakra. At the second chakra, you can see a brilliant green atom. At the third chakra, the fire element, the atom is a bright fire-engine orange-red. At the heart it is white like a sparkling star. At the throat the atom is blue. Remember, the elements have an intrinsic color – it's not something invented.

As you do more japa, your attention will become more encompassing. You have to learn to think about many things at once: the sound of the vibration, the color and reaching within to feel for the heart-mind space of the bodhicitta – the essence of enlightenment already present within you. With practice, you'll be able to learn to do it with one sweep of attention.

It’s like speed reading, where you learn to see the whole paragraph at once. It’s an exercise or skill that you develop. There is a muscle of simultaneous consciousness in the mind. Don’t be concerned by the effort it takes; just keep practicing and you will make steady progress. This is how to get the most from your japa: at the same time you are repeating the mantra you also strive to feel the intuitive, multi-layered, universal side of things. Experiment with it and enjoy the discovery.

There is a value to the constant repetition of mantra yoga because you can get in the flow of it and start taking intuitive leaps. It's not something static that you bring a work ethic to because you get x-amount of credit for each mantra. The value comes from connecting the mantra to the Self. The more you can do that, the more powerful each mantra will be.

Once you get that flow of attention hooked up, it's like you’re sitting on top of a fountain of energy and bliss that will never quit. Then the mantra does itself. You don’t do the mantra – the mantra does you.

One of the things that happens when you do a practice like this is that you’re resonating each of the elements and saturating them with the light of pure consciousness That in turn accelerates the purification of elements, which speeds up spiritual unfoldment. When you get all the chakras heated up and vibrating into each other through the attention you place in your mantra repetition, you get a thousand-fold response: once you get the mantra really cooking inside the system, what would have taken you a thousand days to do, you can do in one repetition of the mantra.

This kind of practice should be a constant companion because you are reaching with your attention and your higher will and blending that with the divine will. You are threading the vibration of the Self down into the more densely populated bodies of the physical body, the subtle physical body and the causal body, and infusing them with the vibration of pure consciousness. In that way, you are displacing the karmic content of the elements, so this becomes a very profound practice of clearing obstacles. Each repetition of the mantra is like a vehicle that is carrying one bucket load of the light of the Self and placing it in the elemental seat in each chakra.

It may seem like this would take a long time, but after a while that light of the Self begins to really build up, and soon you have an enormous amount of pure consciousness vibrating in each chakra.

It is a tremendously purifying energy. Once the chakras are completely purified, the true seats of the elements are revealed as nectars at the crown of the head. They exist in ecstatic equilibrium and become limitless.

Many people find it harder to connect with the three lower chakras. Mark explains about that in this way:

"The bottom three chakras are harder to focus on, and that is because your connection to them is subconscious and unconscious. They are more like the power turbines of the chakra system. All of the chakras have enormous energy but the lower chakras are like raw power, while the higher three chakras vibrate at the frequency of the ecstatic equilibrium.

That’s another reason why this practice of japa is valuable. It brings the vibration of the highest light into the root chakra, at the level of earth, which is what you’re really after. Instead of having all of these separate energies, they all become infused and integrated with the frequency of the Self. If you do each repetition of the mantra with feeling, giving rise to love and bodhicitta, the love of enlightenment, you'll be able to draw down the light of the Self, the infinite consciousness, and flood each of the chakras and the elements."

Om Namah Shivaya mantra chanting

(This is known as “Om Namah Shivaya Mantra”. It helps in early fulfillment of all desires of life. It resides in the category of Great Mantras in the Hindu Mythology. The use of a beaded garland of 108 beads, chanting three times a day (Morning, Noon and Evening) is favorable.)

Information about this mantra
When ever you chant the Vedic Mantra even without knowing the meaning of it that itself carries power. But when you know the meaning and chant with that feeling in your heart then the energy would flow million times more powerful. Therefore it is essential to know the meaning of the Mantra when you use it.

The Mantra is like calling a name. Just like when you call a person he comes and makes you feel his presence, the same manner when you chant this mantra, the supreme energy manifests everywhere around you. As the Universe is Omnipresent, the supreme energy can manifest anywhere and any time. It is also very important to know that the invocation with all humility, respect and with great necessity makes the presence stronger.

This mantra is considered as the five-lettered mantra related to Lord Shiva. The Mantra has a number of advantages.

The regular and continuous chant of this mantra for 1.25 lakh times brings pleasure and peace of mind.

In addition, it helps to minimize sins, if any.

The use of rudraksha mala (A beaded garland of the seeds of Eleocarpus Ganitrus Tree) while chanting is favorable.
|| OM ||

OM has got 100 different meanings. It is said- in the beginning was the Supreme word and the word created every thing. That word is OM. If you are meditating in silence deeply, you can hear the sound OM within. The whole creation emerged from the sound OM. It is the primordial sound or the Universal sound by which the whole universe vibrates. OM also means inviting the higher energy. This divine sound has the power to create, sustain and destroy, giving life and movement to all that exist.

|| NAMAH||

NAMAH means, saluting, worshipping, respecting to the diety.

|| SHIVAYA||

SHIVAYA means, one of the most complex gods of India, embodying seemingly contradictory qualities. He is the destroyer and the restorer, the great ascetic and the symbol of sensuality, the benevolent herdsman of souls and the wrathful avenger. Shiva was originally known as Rudra, a minor deity addressed only three times in the Rig Veda. He gained importance after absorbing some of the characteristics of an earlier fertility god and became Shiva, part of the trinity, or trimurti, with Vishnu and Brahma.

Chanting Mantra

Ancient Hindu mantra have immense power in them to almost cure anything. They can help you in any situation in your life no matter how complex & difficult it is. You have to have a strong faith. Practice these matra as per your need and do your "Karma" (duty), best things in life come your way.

Best time for reciting these mantra is early in the morning after bath. However, if you are not having any time in the morning, you can choose evening time before taking your dinner.

Take a photo or murti of your favorite god or goddess or saint in front of you, sit with padmasan (Lotus Position), sit upright without bending in your back, keeping spine straight. Take a japamala to count the repetitions. As per time available & the benefit you want to have, you can choose the mantropasana.

1) 108 times daily morning or evening or both.
2) 1001 times daily morning or evening or both.
3) 100,000 times
4) 1,000,000 times
5) 10,000,000 times

The three golden rules to Meditation.

Just sit in the right place and right position... try to forget evrything and relax... then try to think... 

‘I want nothing, I do nothing, I am nothing’

25 Ways To Make Love To Your Mind

1. Read as much as you can.

2. Read with discernment.
3. Have a healthy sense of skepticism.
4. Guard against information that hits you subtly.
5. Be careful about what information you offer others.
6. Ask questions of yourself.
7. Seek answers.
8. Cast not your pearls before swine.
9. Contemplate.
10. Observe silence.
12. Meditate.
13. Meditate on love.
14. Meditate on music.
15.Actively meditate.
16. Meditate on affirmations.
17. Engage the mind.
18. Learn something new.
19. Be in the flow.
20. Let the mind rest.
21. Avoid simple daily stresses.
22. Seek help from a Therapist or Counselor for big stresses you cannot change.
23. Learn to be an observer of the mind.
24. Document your thoughts.
25. Identify the difference between thoughts and emotions.

25 Ways To Make Love To Your Body

1. Opt for gourmet sweets and desserts.
2. Choose freshly made juices over bottled sodas and drinks.
3. Snack on seeds, nuts or low sugar fruits;
4. Eat lots of vegetables.
5. Include more vegetarian / vegan meals in your overall meal plan.
6. Don't hate yourself because of your current weight. .
7. Do find the right health plan for your body.
8. Love your body.
9. Whatever the size of your body adorn it nicely.
10. Open and commit to finding people who will be madly in love with you
regardless of what your body looks like and who YOU are madly in love with
regardless of what their body looks like.
11. Adapt the right exercise routine for your body and personality type and do it
at least 3 times a week.
12. Invest in a personal trainer for a few classes.
13. Participate in an endurance challenge every once in a while (even once a
week if you like and if you can).
14. Move consciously.
15. Do Yoga.
16. Give yourself a body scrub and self-massage a couple times a week.
17. Get a professional massage as often as your budget allows.
18. Invest in natural essential oils.
19. Use natural oils, lotions, moisturizers and soaps.
20. Take as many air baths as you can.
21. Establish a sleep routine.
22. Cool down the evening before sleeping.
23. Turn off electronic devices before sleeping.
24. Do what you can to ensure that where you sleep is at the right room
temperature.
25. Learn the art of Yoga Nidra and do it before sleeping.

The Power of Culture-Based Values

To study differences in culture-based values, Richard
Shweder, an anthropologist, divided the moral order of each
culture into three categories that resemble those Cloninger
used to describe individuals. Shweder calls his categories ethics
of autonomy, which resembles self-directedness; ethics of
community, which resembles cooperativeness; and ethics of
divinity, which resembles self-transcendence.
The first of Shweder’s categories, the ethics of autonomy,
views each person as a free agent. Its main focus is maximizing
the rights of the individual and achieving personal
excellence. But the ethics of autonomy also balances the individual’s
right to self-fulfillment with a commitment to equal
autonomy for all. It is the predominant moral view in many
contemporary secular cultures.
The ethics of community turns this around by sacrificing
some autonomy for the benefits of having a defined place
in an organized group. It views the family and the community
as the most important entities, whose moral integrity
and reputation must be protected by each of its members.
It also views each person primarily in terms of social roles
and obligations rather than individual rights. Its main moral
themes—duty, hierarchy, and interdependence—have a central
place in traditional cultures.
The third category, the ethics of divinity, permeates the
traditional cultures in which religion plays a major role. It
views each person as a manifestation of a grand universal
design that transcends individuals and provides a spiritual
basis for moral behavior. In some versions, each person is

seen as a responsible bearer and representative of a holy legacy
rather than as a mundane practitioner of reciprocal altruism.
Breaking down a moral system into these three categories
is not just an abstract exercise. It can also help us recognize
how our own culture shapes our personal moral judgments.
Consider, for example, something as seemingly trivial as
the proper way to address your father. To most contemporary
Americans, who are largely governed by the ethics of
autonomy, it is acceptable to use his first name. But in the
traditional Hindu society that Shweder studied in India,
it is considered extremely disrespectful, a violation of both
family hierarchy (community) and the sacred natural order
(divinity).
The same approach can also help us understand the basis
for the passionate disagreement about the morality of abortion
by two groups of Americans who are each convinced
that they are right. In this case, the pro-choice group belongs
to a subculture that emphasizes a version of the ethics of
autonomy that gives priority to the individual woman’s right
to protect herself from what she considers a very harmful
outcome and downplays the right to life of the unborn fetus.
In contrast, the pro-life group belongs to a subculture that
emphasizes a version of the ethics of divinity that gives priority
to the sanctity of all human souls.
When considered in terms of the values of their cultures, it
becomes easy to see how two people who are equally endowed
with moral instincts and emotions can fervently defend such
different positions. In judging the character of an individual,
it is thus important to separate the person’s culture-specific
values from his or her rankings on those values that are

universally admired. Little relationship may exist between the
religious, political, and philosophical worldviews mandated
by their culture and their personal rankings on temperance,
courage, justice, humanity, wisdom, and transcendence.

What’s a Good Character?

When Benjamin Franklin was an old man he revealed

the secret of his fulfilling life. It was, he said, a technique

that he had invented in his twenties to improve his

personality.

The personality that Franklin began shaping was already

standing on a strong foundation. Ever since childhood he

was, according to his Autobiography, “the leader among the

boys.”1 But this same assertiveness cost him dearly by leading

his father to withdraw him from the Boston Latin School,

where he had been enrolled to prepare him for the clergy.

Smiling Makes the World Go Round

Money doesn’t make the world go round – smiling does! It’s infectious. It spreads happiness all over. It’s true - you can brighten someone’s day just by smiling the ‘right’ smile.
There are different types of smiles – guys in particular don’t realise it though. If you’re one of the guys who can distinguish the types of smile, you’re a little ahead of the rest. If you’re one of the guys that was clueless about this, you’re about to become an expert!
Many people use a fake smile to make them appear polite and agreeable. A fake smile can always be spotted because it involved only the jaw muscles working. A true smile involves both the jaw muscles, and the muscles around the eyes. That’s where the adage “you smile with your eyes” comes from.

A true smile often produces crows feet in even the most baby-faced of people, in addition to this the teeth are usually visible. A smile honest and true is an indicator that a person likes you. Here is a list of smiles we commonly see from day to day:

Tight Lips;
   A tight lipped smile is spotted frequently. It’s exactly what it says         on the tin – the lips are stretched across the face forming a near-straight line. The teeth are not visible.
The tight lipped smile is often used by someone who’s hiding something they don’t want to share. It’s also often used by those who’re “just being polite”.
It’s a favourite used by women who don’t want to show that they don’t like someone. Most men were completely oblivious to the true meaning of this smile, until now.

Eye Contact

Making lots of eye contact is a way to show interest and respect. The more eye contact you make, the more the person likes you. Studies have actually shown that the more you look into someone’s eyes the more romantic and enjoyable they find you, and your company.
On the other hand, too much eye contact early on in a relationship can sometimes make people feel under pressure; they might be weirded out!
To make a great first impression, build up a slight rapport first, and gradually increase the amount of eye contact you’re giving.

‘Looking Up’

Used frequently by women everywhere, this gesture involves lowering the head at the neck, and looking upwards at the other person.
This gesture makes you appear more childlike and evokes a parenting reaction in both men and women. If someone uses this gesture with you, it’s likely that they want to be perceived as cute and vulnerable.

What is an Ecosystem?

An ecosystem includes all of the living things in an area, plus their surroundings, plus all the ways in which they interact with each other.
Ecosystems exist on many different scales. You can consider the ecosystem of a rotting log in the forest, of a pond or a lake, of an alpine meadow, or of an entire range of mountains.
Earth’s ecosystems and its peoples are bound together in a grand and complex symbiosis. We depend on ecosystems to sustain us, but the continued health of ecosystems depends, in turn, on our use and care. Ecosystems are the productive engines of the planet, providing us with everything from the water we drink to the food we eat and the fiber we use for clothing, paper, or lumber. Yet, nearly every measure we use to assess the health of ecosystems tells us we are drawing on them more than ever and degrading them, in some cases at an accelerating pace. Our knowledge of ecosystems has increased dramatically in recent decades, but it has not kept pace with our ability to alter them. Economic development and human well-being will depend in large part on our ability to manage ecosystems more sustainably. We must learn to evaluate our decisions on land and resource use in terms of how they affect the capacity of ecosystems to sustain life — not only human 

GRASSLAND ECOSYSTEM

Grasslands exist in many parts of the world and are often influenced by humans. At southern latitudes, arid conditions may limit grass growth, sometimes resulting in competition among grasses for water. 
Grasslands are often grazed by domestic animals or mown by farmers and this may influence the distribution and abundance of plants in the sward. However, natural herbivores, for example, mammals, birds and insects, may also feed on grasslands. 
At northern latitudes, local disturbance patterns as well as larger scale land management may influence species interactions in the grasslands. In Iceland and elsewhere in northern Europe, grasslands are much influenced by lifestock grazing. Grasslands are often semi-natural, for example, cultivated grasses and legumes are frequently sown into grasslands to increase their production.

DESERT ECOSYSTEM

In ecology, desert ecology is the sum of the interactions between both biotic and abiotic processes in arid regions, and it includes the interactions of plant, animal, and bacterial populations in a desert habitat, ecosystem, and community. Some of the abiotic factors also include latitude and longitude, soil, and climate. Each of these factors have caused adaptations to the particular environment of the region. The biotic processes include animals and plants and the way they interact. Although deserts have severe climates, some plants still manage to grow. In hot deserts plants are called xerophytic meaning they are able to survive long dry periods. They may close their pores in daytime; they store water in their stems and leaves. Some of these plants include popcorn flower, barrel cactus and Saguaro cactus.

OCEAN ECOSYSTEM

Marine biology is the scientific study of organisms in the ocean or other marine or brackish bodies of water. Given that in biology many phyla, families and genera have some species that live in the sea and others that live on land, marine biology classifies species based on the environment rather than on taxonomy. Marine biology differs from marine ecology as marine ecology is focused on how organisms interact with each other and the environment, and biology is the study of the organisms themselves.
Marine life is a vast resource, providing food, medicine, and raw materials, in addition to helping to support recreation and tourism all over the world. At a fundamental level, marine life helps determine the very nature of our planet. Marine organisms contribute significantly to the oxygen cycle, and are involved in the regulation of the Earth's climate. Shorelines are in part shaped and protected by marine life, and some marine organisms even help create new land.

POND ECOSYSTEM

An aquatic ecosystem is an ecosystem in abody of water. Communities of organisms that are dependent on each other and on their environment live in aquatic ecosystems. The two main types of aquatic ecosystems are marine ecosystems and freshwater ecosystems.

Freshwater ecosystems cover 0.80% of the Earth's surface and inhabit 0.009% of its total water. They generate nearly 3% of its net primary production. Freshwater ecosystems contain 41% of the world's known fish species

Microsoft Access

MS Access
Microsoft Access is a Window based program created by Microsoft. It helps you store & manage a large collection of information.
A systamatically arrangeed database helps you manage the stored information in an efficient way so that It can access quickly whenever needed.
You can easily create such a database using Access.
A good Database design ensure that you will be able to perform various tasks on it efficiently and accurately and without any hindrance.

Introduction to Database

Database

Database is a collection of information or you can say it is hub of information For reteriving information we fall back on databases. With the help of database you can easily get information in structural form and You can easily search & update your information and easily change/modified your data in database.

Most popular database management system(DBMS) in market is like MS ACCESS. Microsoft Access provides users with one of the simplest and most flexible DBMS solutions on the market today. Regular users of Microsoft products will enjoy the familiar Windows "look and feel" as well as the tight integration with other Microsoft Office family products.

RELATIONAL DATABASE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

Suppose you have two two database-a database containging book detail and the other containing details of the company .Now you wish to display on the screen the information about the book A.and the details of the company which published it.What will you do to display the information?.you will display the name of company which has published the book A.Both these database were related.such a system is called is RDBMS(Relational Database Management System).

RDBMS is defined as method of viewing information from several ,separate database that relate to one an another through keyword or values.The main advantage of relational database management system is that you can use simultaneously use more than one database to see information stored in them.

Suppose customer wants to details of publisher any book so with the help of RDBMS the seller can give the detail of particular book.Most of the organization are using RDBMS because it provide facilty like you can add and delete your data also you can modified or update your data and easily find your data when you have large amount of data.

RDBMS play important role in bussines marketing like a dealer who have data of customer and also want to data of customer daily purchasing details so with the help of RDBMS he can take data easily from database.

OBJECT OF RELATIONAL DATABASE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

Tables

All data is stored in tables. When you create a new table, Access asks you define fields (column headings), giving each a unique name, and telling Access the data type. Use the "Text" type for most data, including numbers that don't need to be added e.g. phone numbers or postal codes. Using Wizards, Access will walk you through the process of creating common tables such as lists of names and addresses. Once you have defined a table's structure, you can enter data. Each new row that you add to the table is called a record. To define relationships between tables, click Database Tools | Relationships in Access 2007, or choose Relationships from the Tools menu in Access 95, 97, 2000, or choose Relationships from the Edit menu

Queries

Use a query to find or operate on the data in your tables. With a query, you can display the records that match certain criteria (e.g. all the members called "Barry"), sort the data as you please (e.g. by Surname), and even combine data from different tables. You can edit the data displayed in a query (in most cases), and the data in the underlying table will change. Special queries can also be defined to make wholesale changes to your data, e.g. delete all members whose subscriptions are 2 years overdue, or set a "State" field to "WA" wherever postcode begins with 6.

Forms

These are screens for displaying data from and inputting data into your tables. The basic form has an appearance similar to an index card: it shows only one record at a time, with a different field on each line. If you want to control how the records are sorted, define a query first, and then create a form based on the query. If you have defined a one-to-many relationship between two tables, use the "Subform" Wizard to create a form which contains another form. The subform will then display only the records matching the one on the main form.

Reports

If forms are for input, then reports are for output. Anything you plan to print deserves a report, whether it is a list of names and addresses, a financial summary for a period, or a set of mailing labels. Again the Access Wizards walk you through the process of defining reports.

Pages

(Access 2000 - 2003). Use pages to enter or display data via Internet. Pages are stored as HTML files, with data read from and written to the database. Michael Kaplan has published a to convert Access forms and reports into Data Access Pages.

Macros

An Access Macro is a script for doing some job. For example, to create a button which opens a report, you could use a macro which fires off the "OpenReport" action. Macros can also be used to set one field based on the value of another (the "SetValue" action), to validate that certain conditions are met before a record saved (the "CancelEvent" action) etc. Each line of a macro performs some action, and the bottom half of the macro screen provides the details of how the action is to apply.

Modules

This is where you write your own functions and programs if you want to. Everything that can be done in a macro can also be done in a module, but you don't get the Macro interface that prompts you what is needed for each action. Modules are far more powerful, and are essential if you plan to write code for a multi-user environment, since macros cannot include error handling. Most serious Access users start out with macros to get a feel for things, but end up using modules almost exclusively. On the other hand, if your needs are simple, you may never need to delve into the depths of Access modules.

Introduction to Access

Access

Microsoft Access is a program to create and managing your databases. It has features to help you in constructing and presentation your information.

Microsoft Access can be used for personal information management (PIM), in a small business to organize and manage all data, or in an enterprise to communicate with server.

Microsoft Access stores information in what is called a database. For now it is good enough to know that your data is put into a database and not worry about the details. We will be explaining databases and other key Access elements in a later lesson.

There are four major steps to using Microsoft Access:

1. Database Creation: Create your Microsoft Access database and specify what kind of data you will be storing. A retail business might create a database to store all their sales information (i.e. items sold, customer, employee, commission, etc)

2. Data Input: After your database is created the data the store gathers every business day can be entered into the Access database.

3. Query: This is a fancy term to basically describe the process of retrieving information from the database.

Report (optional): Information from the database is organized in a nice presentation that can be printed in an Access Report

Database File

This is your main file that encompasses the entire database and that is saved to your hard-drive or floppy disk.

Example) StudentDatabase.mdb

Table

A table is a collection of data about a specific topic. There can be multiple tables in a database.

Example #1) Students

Example #2) Teachers

Field

Fields are the different categories within a Table. Tables usually contain multiple fields.

Example #1) Student LastName

Example #2) Student FirstName

Datatypes

Datatypes are the properties of each field. A field only has 1 datatype.

FieldName) Student LastName

Datatype) Text

Getting Start

In order to use Microsoft Access, you must first open it. There are various ways this can be done. As such, to start this program, you could click Start -> (All) Programs -> Microsoft Access:

Access is a flexible application for creating databases. Access is very popular due to the vast number of features it provides. Many businesses also turn Access because it is included with all the other Microsoft Office products.

Creating New, and Opening Existing Databases

The above picture gives you the option to:

1. Create a New Database from scratch

2. Use the wizard to create a New Database

3. Open an existing database

Creating a database using the Database Wizard

1. On starting Microsoft Access, a dialog box is automatically displayed with options to create a new database or open an existing one. If this dialog box is displayed, click Access Database Wizards, pages, and projects and then click OK.

If you have already opened a database or closed the dialog box that displays when Microsoft Access starts up, click New Database on the toolbar

2. click double the icon for the kind of database you want to create.

3.Put a name and location for the database.

4.To defining your new database Click Create

Creating a database without using the Database Wizard

(Below is the screen that shows up following (this step)

Tables

INTRODUCTION TO TABLE

A table is a collection of Data, such as Result or Diary Memo. Using a separate table for each subject means that you store that data only once, which makes your database well-organized, .

Access provides different ways to creating a table .Double-click on the icons to create a table.

CREATE TABLE

(A) create table in Design view will allow you to create the fields of the table. this is the most common way of creating a table and is explained in detail below.

(B) Create table using wizard will step you through the creation of a table.

(C) Create table by entering data will give you a blank datasheet with unlabelled columns that looks much like an Excel worksheet. Enter data into the cells and click the Save button. You will be prompted to add a primary field. After the table is saved, the empty cells of the datasheet are trimmed. The fields are given generic names such as "Field1", "Field2", etc. fields, select Format|Rename olumn from the menu bar or highlight the column, right-click on it with the mouse, and select Rename Column from the shortcut menu

Table in Design View

Design View will allow you to define the fields in the table before adding any data to the datasheet. The window is divided into two parts: a top pane for entering the field name, data type, and an option description of the field, and a bottom pane for specifying field properties

Steps:

1. Select 'Tables' tab From the Database view, click 'New' and then choose 'Design View' from the 'New Table' dialog box, and click OK.

2. Enter a field name in the first row of the Field Name Column.

3. Press Enter or Tab to move to the Data Type Field.

4. Enter a data type for this field. Access will scroll using the first letter of the data type, or you can also use the drop down list provided to you.

5. Alter the Field Properties section of the table design grid as needed.

6. Add a comment in the description column for your better understanding

For the viewlet of Table in Design View. Click Here!

Using Table Wizard

Like all Wizards, the Table Wizard simplifies the Layout of the fields. You are guided visually through a series of steps, which help you to decide on the type to be created, and then the table is created automatically. The steps in creating a table through 'Table Wizard' are as follows:

1. Open the 'New Table' Dialog box by using one of the followings:

Select the 'Tables' option from the Insert menu. Select the 'Tables' tab and then click on 'New' button in the Database window. Select the 'New' Object toolbar button and choose the Table option.

2. Select table type from the 'New Table' Dialog box.

3. Select table and field from the list of sample tables and sample fields.

4. Give title of the table and create relationship if exist.

Datasheet View to Make a Table

1. Launch MS Access and start a new blank database. Access now launches a blank table for use.

2. Enter data for the first field in the first row.

3. Right click on the first column header (labeled Field 1) and choose Rename from the shortcut menu. This allows you to change the column header, change it to Employee ID for this field.

4. Enter come name data for each of the next three fields, editing the field names to Last Name, First Name, and Middle Name respectively.

5. Move to the next column, Enter yes.

6. Move to the next column to enter date.

7. Click on the Save icon in the toolbar.

8. Click the view button to switch to Design View.

WORKING ON TABLES

NAMING FIELD

1. This will bring up the Table Design View

2. There are three columns here that should be explained in detail

o Field Name: This is where you type the name for your column. A common practice is to make it one word and to use capitalization for multiple words squished into one (e.g. SaleNumber)

o Data Type: This column is where you specify the type of data that will be stored. If you are storing money then select Currency. The most common types of data are: Text, Number, Currency and Date/Time.

o Description: Here you can type optional notes to remind yourself or provide useful information for others who might be viewing this file later.

3. The first column in our tbl_Sales example was Employee, so let's enter in Employee in the Field Name column and choose Text from the Data Type column. If click inside the Data Type column you will see that it is actually a drop down select box with many options to choose from. Select the Text option.

4. Enter the following information for our remaining three columns of tbl_Sales:

o Field Name: Product, Data Type: Text

o Field Name: Price, Data Type: Currency

o Field Name: SaleNumber, Data Type: Number

5. Before we are finished here, we need to make a Primary Key. A primary key is restriction that we place on a column stating that there can be no duplicate values in that column. We will be talking about keys later, but for now right-click in the SaleNumber row and choose Primary Key from the pop-up menu.

6. We have finished our table's outline so click the X in the top right to close the design view (don't close Access, just the Design Window).

7. Click yes and enter "tbl_Sales" for your table's name

Although this process of creating an Access table might seem overly complicated, with time you'll be able to create and edit existing tables very quickly. Feel free to revisit this page if you are having trouble creating an Access table.

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DESCRIPTION OF DESIGN VIEW

• Field Name - This is the name of the field and should represent the contents of the field such as "Name", "Address", "Final Grade", etc. The name can not exceed 64 characters in length and may include spaces.

• Data Type is the type of value that will be entered into the fields.

• Text - The default type, text type allows any combination of letters and numbers up to a maximum of 255 characters per field record.

• Memo - A text type that stores up to 64,000 characters.

• Number - Any number can be stored.

• Date/Time - A date, time, or combination of both.

• Currency - Monetary values that can be set up to automatically include a dollar sign ($) and correct decimal and comma positions.

• AutoNumber - When a new record is created, Access will automatically assign a unique integer to the record in this field. From the General options, select Increment if the numbers should be assigned in order or random if any random number should be chosen. Since every record in a datasheet must include at least one field that distinguishes it from all others, this is a useful data type to use if the existing data will not produce such values.

• Yes/No - Use this option for True/False, Yes/No, On/Off, or other values that must be only one of two.

• OLE Object - An OLE (Object Linking and Embedding) object is a sound, picture, or other object such as a Word document or Excel spreadsheet that is created in another program. Use this data type to embed an OLE object or link to the object in the database.

Hyperlink - A hyperlink will link to an Internet or Intranet site, or another location in the database. The data consists of up to four parts each separated by the pound sign (#): DisplayText#Address#SubAddress#ScreenTip. The Address is the only required part of the string

Properties of Fields

• Field Size is used to set the number of characters needed in a text or number field. The default field size for the text type is 50 characters. If the records in the field will only have two or three characters, you can change the size of the field to save disk space or prevent entry errors by limiting the number of characters allowed. Likewise, if the field will require more than 50 characters, enter a number up to 255. The field size is set in exact characters for Text type, but options are give for numbers:

o Byte - Positive integers between 1 and 255

o Integer - Positive and negative integers between -32,768 and 32,768

o Long Integer (default) - Larger positive and negative integers between -2 billion and 2 billion.

o Single - Single-precision floating-point number

o Double - Double-precision floating-point number

o Decimal - Allows for Precision and Scale property control

Primary Key

A primary key is a field or grouping of fields that uniquely identify a record in a table, so that an individual record can be placed without confusion.

• NOTE:

A primary key is the field(s) (a primary key can be made up of more than one field) that uniquely identifies each record, i.e. the primary key is unique for each record and the value is never duplicated in the same table, so in the above table the EmployeeID field would be used. A constraint is a rule that defines what data is valid for a given field. So a primary key constraint is a rule that says that the primary key fields cannot be null and cannot contain duplicate data.

Switching Views

• To Simply click on these two option either click on Datasheet iew or Design view

Datasheet View(option) Design View(option) Displays the view, which allows you to enter raw data into your database table. Displays the view, which allows you to enter fields, data-types, and descriptions into your database table.

Entering Data

Click on shell where you want to enter your data,each field have own attributes and column ,enter data according coulmn and row

Manipulating Data

Adding Records

Add new records to the table in datasheet view by typing in the record beside the asterisk (*) that marks the new record. You can also click the new record button at the bottom of the datasheet to skip to the last empty record.

Editing Records

To edit records, simply place the cursor in the record that is to be edited and make the necessary changes. Use the arrow keys to move through the record grid. The previous, next, first, and last record buttons at the bottom of the datasheet are helpful in maneuvering through the datasheet.

Deleting Records

Delete a record on a datasheet by placing the cursor in any field of the record row and select Edit|Delete Record from the menu bar or click the Delete Record button on the datasheet toolbar.

Adding and Deleting Columns

Although it is best to add new fields (displayed as columns in the datasheet) in design view because more options are available, they can also be quickly added in datasheet view. Highlight the column that the new column should appear to the left of by clicking its label at the top of the datasheet and select Insert|Column from the menu bar.

Entire columns can be deleted by placing the cursor in the column and selecting Edit|Delete Column from the menu bar.

Resizing Rows and Columns

The height of rows on a datasheet can be changed by dragging the gray sizing line between row labels up and down with the mouse. By changing the height on one row, the height of all rows in the datasheet will be changed to the new value.

Column width can be changed in a similar way by dragging the sizing line between columns. Double click on the line to have the column automatically fit to the longest value of the column. Unlike rows, columns on a datasheet can be different widths. More exact values can be assigned by selecting Format|Row Height or Format|Column Width from the menu bar.

Freezing Columns

Similar to freezing panes in Excel, columns on an Access table can be frozen. This is helpful if the datasheet has many columns and relevant data would otherwise not appear on the screen at the same time. Freeze a column by placing the cursor in any record in the column and select Format|Freeze Columns from the menu bar. Select the same option to unfreeze a single column or select Format|Unfreeze All Columns.

Hiding Columns

Columns can also be hidden from view on the datasheet although they will not be deleted from the database. To hide a column, place the cursor in any record in the column or highlight multiple adjacent columns by clicking and dragging the mouse along the column headers, and select Format|Hide Columns from the menu bar.

To show columns that have been hidden, select Format|UnhideColumns from the menu bar. A window displaying all of the fields in the table will be listed with check boxes beside each field name. Check the boxes beside all fields that should be visible on the data table and click the Close button.

Finding Data in a Table

Data in a datasheet can be quickly located by using the Find command.

1. Open the table in datasheet view.

2. Place the cursor in any record in the field that you want to search and select Edit|Find... from the menu bar.

3. Enter the value criteria in the Find What: box.

4. From the Look In: drop-down menu, define the area of the search by selecting the entire table or just the field in the table you placed your cursor in during step 2.

5. Select the matching criteria from Match: to and click the More >> button for additional search parameters.

6. When all of the search criteria is set, click the Find Next button. If more than one record meets the criteria, keep clicking Find Next until you reach the correct record.

Replace

The replace function allows you to quickly replace a single occurrence of data with a new value or to replace all occurrences in the entire table.

1. Select Edit|Replace... from the menu bar (or click the Replace tab if the Find window is already open).

2. Follow the steps described in the Find procedure for searching for the data that should be replaced and type the new value of the data in the Replace With: box.

Click the Find Next button to step through occurrences of the data in the table and click the Replace button to make single replacements. Click Replace All to change all occurrences

Relationships

To Set multiple tables in your database, you need to Access how that information back each other again.This process is to define relationships between your tables. After that, you can create queries, forms, and reports to display information from many tables at once.

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Handling Queries

Introduction to Query

Queries select records from one or more tables in a database so they can be viewed, analyzed, and sorted on a common datasheet. The resulting collection of records, called a dynaset (short for dynamic subset), is saved as a database object and can therefore be easily used in the future. The query will be updated whenever the original tables are updated. Types of queries are select queries that extract data from tables based on specified values, find duplicate queries that display records with duplicate values for one or more of the specified fields, and find unmatched queries display records from one table that do not have corresponding values in a second table.

Creating A QUERY IN DESIGN VIEW

Use these steps to create a new query in Design View:

1. From the Queries page on the Database Window, click the New button

2. Select Design View and click OK.

3. Select tables and existing queries from the Tables and Queries tabs and click the Add button to add each one to the new query.

4, Click Close when all of the tables and queries have been selected.

5. Add fields from the tables to the new query by double-clicking the field name in the table boxes or selecting the field from the Field: and Table: drop-down menus on the query form. Specify sort orders if necessary.

Enter the criteria for the query in the Criteria: field. The following table provides examples for some of the wildcard symbols and arithmetic operators that may be used. The Expression Builder can also be used to assist in writing the expressions

Query and Expression Operators

Operator Explanation ? The question mark is a wildcard that takes the place of a single letter. * The asterisk is the wildcard that represents a number of characters. <100 Value less than 100 >=1 Value greater than or equal to 1 <>"FL" Not equal to (all states besides Florida) Between 1 and 10 Numbers between 1 and 10 Is Null Is Not Null Finds records with no value or all records that have a value "a*" All words beginning with "a" >0 And <=10 All numbers greater than 0 and less than 10 "Bob" Or "Jane" Values are Bob or Jane

6. After you have selected all of the fields and tables, click the Run button on the toolbar.

7. Save the query by clicking the Save button.

For the viewlet of Table in Design View.Click Here!

Query wizards

Click the Create query by using wizard icon in the database window to have access step you through the process of creating

QUERY

1. From the first window, select fields that will be included in the query by first selecting the table from the drop-down Tables/Queries menu. Select the fields by clicking the > button to move the field from the Available Fields list to Selected Fields. Click the double arrow button >> to move all of the fields to Selected Fields. Select another table or query to choose from more fields and repeat the process of moving them to the Selected Fields box. Click Next > when all of the fields have been selected.

2. On the next window, enter the name for the query and click Finish.

For the viewlet of Table in Query Wizard.Click Here!

Finding Duplicate Query

1. Click the New button on the Queries database window, select Find Duplicates Query Wizard from the New Query window and click OK.

2. Select the table or query that the find duplicates query will be applied to from the list provided and click Next >.

3. Select the fields that may contain duplicate values by highlighting the names in the Available fields list and clicking the > button to individually move the fields to the Duplicate-value fields list or >> to move all of the fields. Click Next > when all fields have been selected.

4. Select the fields that should appear in the new query along with the fields selected on the previous screen and click Next >.

Name the new query and click Finish.

Forms

Creating Form by Using Wizard

Forms are used as a way to enter data into a database table. Forms create data in efficient manner.

To create a form using the assistance of the wizard, follow these steps:

1. Click the Create form by using wizard option on the database window.

2. From the Tables/Queries drop-down menu, select the table or query whose datasheet the form will modify. Then, select the fields that will be included on the form by highlighting each one the Available Fields window and clicking the single right arrow button > to move the field to the Selected Fields window. To move all of the fields to Select Fields, click the double right arrow button >>. If you make a mistake and would like to remove a field or all of the fields from the Selected Fields window, click the left arrow < or left double arrow << buttons. After the proper fields have been selected, click the Next > button to move on to the next screen.

3. On the second screen, select the layout of the form.

a. Columnar - A single record is displayed at one time with labels and form fields listed side-by-side in columns.

b. Justified - A single record is displayed with labels and form fields are listed across the screen.

c. Tabular - Multiple records are listed on the page at a time with fields in columns and records in rows.

d. Datasheet - Multiple records are displayed in Datasheet View.

Click the Next > button to move on to the next screen.

Select a visual style for the form from the next set of options and click Next >.

On the final screen, name the form in the space provided. Select "Open the form to view or enter information" to open the form in Form View or "Modify the form's design" to open it in Design View. Click Finish to create the form

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Creating Form in Design View

To create a form from scratch without the wizard, follow these steps:

1. Click the New button on the form database window.

2. Select "Design View" and choose the table or query the form will be associated with the form from the drop-down menu.

3. Select View|Toolbox from the menu bar to view the floating toolbar with additional options.

Add controls to the form by clicking and dragging the field names from the Field List floating window. Access creates a text box for the value and label for the field name when this action is accomplished. To add controls for all of the fields in the Field List, double-click the Field List window's title bar and drag all of the highlighted fields to the form.

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Adding Records Using a Form

Input data into the table by filling out the fields of the form. Press the Tab key to move from field to field and create a new record by clicking Tab after the last field of the last record. A new record can also be created at any time by clicking the New Record button at the bottom of the form window. Records are automatically saved as they are entered so no additional manual saving needs to be executed

Editing Forms

The follow points may be helpful when modifying forms in Design View.

1. Grid lines - By default, a series of lines and dots underlay the form in Design View so form elements can be easily aligned. To toggle this feature on and off select View|Grid from the menu bar.

2. Snap to Grid - Select Format|Snap to Grid to align form objects with the grid to allow easy alignment of form objects or uncheck this feature to allow objects to float freely between the grid lines and dots.

3. Resizing Objects - Form objects can be resized by clicking and dragging the handles on the edges and corners of the element with the mouse.

4. Change form object type - To easily change the type of form object without having to create a new one, right click on the object with the mouse and select Change To and select an available object type from the list.

5. Label/object alignment - Each form object and its corresponding label are bounded and will move together when either one is moved with the mouse. However, to change the position of the object and label in relation to each other (to move the label closer to a text box, for example), click and drag the large handle at the top, left corner of the object or label.

6. Tab order - Alter the tab order of the objects on the form by selecting View|Tab Order... from the menu bar. Click the gray box before the row you would like to change in the tab order, drag it to a new location, and release the mouse button.

7. Form Appearance - Change the background color of the form by clicking the Fill/Back Color button on the formatting toolbar and click one of the color swatches on the palette. Change the color of individual form objects by highlighting one and selecting a color from the Font/Fore Color palette on the formatting toolbar. The font and size, font effect, font alignment, border around each object, the border width, and a special effect can also be modified using the formatting toolbar:

8. Page Header and Footer - Headers and footers added to a form will only appear when it is printed. Access these sections by selecting View|Page Header/Footer on the menu bar.

Form control

This page explains the uses for other types of form controls including lists, combo boxes, checkboxes, option groups, and command buttons.

List and Combo Boxes

If there are small, finite number of values for a certain field on a form, using combo or list boxes may be a quicker and easier way of entering data. These two control types differ in the number of values they display. List values are all displayed while the combo box values are not displayed until the arrow button is clicked

1. Open the form in Design View.

2. Select View|Toolbox to view the toolbox and make sure the "Control Wizards" button is pressed in.

3. Click the list or combo box tool button and draw the outline on the form. The combo box wizard dialog box will appear.

4. Select the source type for the list or combo box values and click Next >.

5. On the next dialog box, set the width of the combo box by clicking and dragging the right edge of the column. Click Next >.

6. The next dialog box allows tells Access what to do with the value that is selected. Choose "Remember the value for later use" to use the value in a macro or procedure (the value is discarded when the form is closed), or select the field that the value should be stored in. Click Next > to proceed to the final screen.

Check Boxes and Option Buttons

Use check boxes and option buttons to display yes/no, true/false, or on/off values. Only one value from a group of option buttons can be selected while any or all values from a check box group can be chosen. Typically, these controls should be used when five or less options are available. Combo boxes or lists should be used for long lists of options. To add a checkbox or option group:

1. Click the Option Group tool on the toolbox and draw the area where the group will be placed on the form with the mouse. The option group wizard dialog box will appear.

2. On the first window, enter labels for the options and click the tab key to enter additional labels. Click Next > when finished typing labels

On the next window, select a default value if there is any and click Next >.

Select values for the options and click Next >.

Choose what should be done with the value and click Next >.

Type the caption for the option group and click Finish.

This page explains the uses for other types of form controls including lists, combo boxes, checkboxes, option groups, and command buttons.

List and Combo Boxes

If there are small, finite number of values for a certain field on a form, using combo or list boxes may be a quicker and easier way of entering data. These two control types differ in the number of values they display. List values are all displayed while the combo boxvalues are not displayed until the arrow button is clicked to open it.

1. Open the form in Design View.

2. Select View|Toolbox to view the toolbox and make sure the "Control Wizards" button is pressed in.

3. Click the list or combo box tool button and draw the outline on the form. The combo box wizard dialog box will appear.

4. Select the source type for the list or combo box values and click Next >.

5. Depending on your choice in the first dialog box, the next options will vary. If you chose to look up values from a table or query, the following box will be displayed. Select the table or query from which the values of the combo box will come from. Click Next > and choose fields from the table or query that was selected. Click Next > to proceed.

6. On the next dialog box, set the width of the combo box by clicking and dragging the right edge of the column. Click Next >.

7. The next dialog box allows tells Access what to do with the value that is selected. Choose "Remember the value for later use" to use the value in a macro or procedure (the value is discarded when the form is closed), or select the field that the value should be stored in. Click Next > to proceed to the final screen.

8. Type the name that will appear on the box's label and click Finish.

Check Boxes and Option Buttons

Use check boxes and option buttons to display yes/no, true/false, or on/off values. Only one value from a group of option buttons can be selected while any or all values from a check box group can be chosen. Typically, these controls should be used when five or less options are available. Combo boxes or lists should be used for long lists of options. To add a checkbox or option group:

1. Click the Option Group tool on the toolbox and draw the area where the group will be placed on the form with the mouse. The option group wizard dialog box will appear.

2. On the first window, enter labels for the options and click the tab key to enter additional labels. Click Next > when finished typing labels.

3. On the next window, select a default value if there is any and click Next >.

4. Select values for the options and click Next >.

5. Choose what should be done with the value and click Next >.

6. Choose the type and style of the option group and click Next >.

7. Type the caption for the option group and click Finish.

Command Buttons

In this example, a command button beside each record is used to open another form.

1. Open the form in Design View and ensure that the Control Wizard button on the toolbox is pressed in.

2. Click the command button icon on the toolbox and draw the button on the form. The Command Button Wizard will then appear.

3. On the first dialog window, action categories are displayed in the left list while the right list displays the actions in each category. Select an action for the command button and click Next >.

4. The next few pages of options will vary based on the action you selected. Continue selecting options for the command button.

5. Choose the appearance of the button by entering caption text or selecting a picture. Check the Show All Pictures box to view the full list of available images. Click Next >.

6. Enter a name for the command button and click Finish to create the button.

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Reports

Report Using the Wizard

Reports will organize and group the information in a table or query and provide a way to print the data in a database.

Create a report using Access' wizard by following these steps:

1. Double-click the "Create report by using wizard" option on the Reports Database Window.

Select the information source for the report by selecting a table or query from the Tables/Queries drop-down menu. Then, select the fields that should be displayed in the report by transferring them from the Available Fields menu to the Selected Fields window using the single right arrow button > to move fields one at a time or the double arrow button >> to move all of the fields at once. Click the Next > button to move to the next screen.

Select fields from the list that the records should be grouped by and click the right arrow button > to add those fields to the diagram. Use the Priority buttons to change the order of the grouped fields if more than one field is selected. Click Next > to continue

If the records should be sorted, identify a sort order here. Select the first field that records should be sorted by and click the A-Z sort button to choose from ascending or descending order. Click Next > to continue.

Select a layout and page orientation for the report and click Next >.

Select a color and graphics style for the report and click Next >.

On the final screen, name the report and select to open it in either Print Preview or Design View mode. Click the Finishbutton to create the report.

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Creating report in Design View

To create a report from scratch, select Design View from the Reports Database Window.

Click the New button on the Reports Database Window. Highlight "Design View" and choose the data source of the report from the drop-down menu and click OK.

You will be presented with a blank grid with a Field Box and form element toolbar that looks similar to the Design View for forms. Design the report in much the same way you would create a form. For example, double-click the title bar of the Field Box to add all of the fields to the report at once. Then, use the handles on the elements to resize them, move them to different locations, and modify the look of the report by using options on the formatting toolbar. Click the Print View button at the top, left corner of the screen to preview the report.

Printing Reports

Select File|Page Setup to modify the page margins, size, orientation, and column setup. After all changes have been made, print the report by selecting File|Print from the menu bar or click the Print button on the toolbar.

Importing exporting

Importing

Importing objects from another database will create a complete copy of a table, query, or any other database object that you select. Import a database object by following these steps:

1. Open the destination database.

2. Select File|Get External|Import from the menu bar.

3. Choose the database the object is located in a click the Import button.

4. From the Import Objects window, click on the object tabs to find the object you want to import into the database. Click the Options >> button to view more options. Under Import Tables, select "Definition and Data" if the entire table should be copied or "Definition Only" if the table structure should be copied but not the data. Under Import Queries, select "As Tables" if the queries should appear as regular tables in the destination database. Highlight the object name, and click OK.

5. The new object will now appear with the existing objects in the database.

Exporting

The effect of importing can also be achieved using the opposite method of exporting.

1. Open the database containing an object that will be copied (exported) to another database.

2. Find the object in the Database Window and highlight it. Then, select File|Export... from the menu bar.

3. Select the destination database from the window and click Save.

4. You will be prompted to name the new object and may also be given other options, such as whether to copy the structure or data and structure of a table. Click OK to complete the export procedure.

Linking

Unlike importing, linking objects from another database will create a link to an object in another database while not copying the table to the current database. Create a link by following these steps:

1. Open the destination database.

2. Select File|Get External|Link Tables... from the menu bar.

3. Choose the database that the table is located in and click the Link button.

4. A window listing the tables in the database will then appear. Highlight the table or tables that should be linked and click OK. A link to the table will appear in the Database Window as a small table icon preceded by a small right arrow.

Sorting and Filtering

Introduction

Sorting and filtering allow you to view records in a table in a different way either by reordering all of the records in the table or view only those records in a table that meets certain criteria that you specify.

Sorting

You may want to view the records in a table in a different order than they appear such as sorting by a date or in alphabetical order, for example. Follow these steps to execute a simple sort of records in a table based on the values of one field:

1. In table view, place the cursor in the column that you want to sort by.

2. Select Records|Sort|Sort Ascending or Records|Sort|Sort Descending from the menu bar or click the Sort Ascending or Sort Descending buttons on the toolbar.

To sort by more than one column (such as sorting by date and then sorting records with the same date alphabetically), highlight the columns by clicking and dragging the mouse over the field labels and select one of the sort methods stated above.

Filter by Selection

This feature will filter records that contain identical data values in a given field such as filtering out all of the records that have the value "Smith" in a name field. To Filter by Selection, place the cursor in the field that you want to filter the other records by and click the Filter by Selectionbutton on the toolbar or select Records|Filter|Filter By Selectionfrom the menu bar. In the example below, the cursor is placed in the City field of the second record that displays the value "Ft. Myers" so the filtered table will show only the records where the city is Ft. Myers.

Filter by Form

If the table is large, it may be difficult to find the record that contains the value you would like to filter by so using Filter by Form may be advantageous instead. This method creates a blank version of the table with drop-down menus for each field that each contain the values found in the records of that field. Under the default Look for tab of the Filter by Form window, click in the field to enter the filter criteria. To specify an alternate criteria if records may contain one of two specified values, click the Or tab at the bottom of the window and select another criteria from the drop-down menu. More Or tabs will appear after one criteria is set to allow you to add more alternate criteria for the filter. After you have selected all of the criteria you want to filter, click the Apply Filter button on the toolbar.

The following methods can be used to select records based on the record selected by that do not have exactly the same value. Type these formats into the field where the drop-down menu appears instead of selecting an absolute value.

Filter by Form

Format Explanation Like "*Street" Selects all records that end with "Street" <="G" Selects all records that begin with the letters A through G >1/1/00 Selects all dates since 1/1/00 <> 0 Selects all records not equal to zero

Saving A Filter

The filtered contents of a table can be saved as a query by selecting File|Save As Query from the menu bar. Enter a name for the query and click OK. The query is now saved within the database.

Shortkeys

Keyboard shortcuts can save time and the effort of constantly switching from the keyboard to the mouse to execute simple commands and query.with the help of short keys you can easily access your data.

Action Keystroke Database actions Open existing database CTRL+O Open a new database CTRL+N Save CTRL+S Save record SHIFT+ENTER Print CTRL+P Display database window F11 Find and Replace CTRL+F Copy CTRL+C Cut CTRL+X Paste CTRL+V Undo CTRL+Z Help F1 Toggle between Form and Design view F5 Other Insert line break in a memo field CTRL+ENTER Insert current date CTRL+; Insert current time CTRL+: Copy data from previous record CTRL+' Add a record CTRL++ Delete a record CTRL+- Action Keystroke Editing Select all CTRL+A Copy CTRL+C Cut CTRL+X Paste CTRL+V Undo CTRL+Z Redo CTRL+Y Find CTRL+F Replace CTRL+H Spell checker F7 Toggle between Edit mode and Navigation mode F2 Open window for editing large content fields SHIFT+F2 Switch from current field to current record ESC Navigating Through a datasheet Next field TAB Previous field SHIFT+TAB First field of record HOME Last field of record END Next record DOWN ARROW Previous record UP ARROW First field of first record CTRL+HOME Last field of last record C

Process

1. Verify that your system meets the basic requirements for Access. You'll need at least a 233MHz or faster Pentium processor with 128MB of RAM. You'll also need at least 180MB of free hard disk space.

2. Ensure that your operating system is up-to-date. You'll need Windows 2000 or later to run Access 2003. It's a good idea to apply all security updates and hotfixes to your system before installing access by visiting http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com/

3. Insert the MS Office CD into your CD-ROM drive. The installation process will begin automatically and ask you to wait while the system prepares the Installation Wizard.

4. The next step of the process will prompt you to enter your name, your organization's name and the product key found on your CD case. Once you've completed this, click Next to continue.

5. The next screen will prompt you to accept the terms of the End User License Agreement (EULA) by clicking the check box. Once you've done so, click Next to continue.

6. If you'd like to install the entire Office suite (or you're using an Access-only CD), you can choose "Install Now" on the next screen. If you'd like to customize your installation, you may do so at this stage. Otherwise, accept the default Install Now and click Next.

7. The next screen summarizes the installation. After you've reviewed the comments, click the Install button to begin the installation.

8. When the installation completes, you may be prompted to restart your computer. Go ahead and do so.

9. When your comptuer restarts, the first thing you should do is visit the Office Update site at http://officeupdate.microsoft.comto download any security patches for Access. This is a critical step.