4.2 Flat databases

• Flat database


  The simplest of all databases, also called a table
• Field


  A column in a database table
• Record


  A row in a database table
• College_Table can store up to three courses for each student using the fields Course_1, Course_2 and Course_3
• Course lengths are stored in the fields Course_1_Weeks, Course_2_Weeks and Course_3_Weeks
• Common data types used in databases


  • Text
  • Number
  • Date and time
  • Currency
  • Logical
• The database developer is responsible for choosing appropriate data types for each field
• Advanced databases support a wider range of data types, including the storage of pictures, video, audio, formatted documents, links to data on the web or other databases
• The database designer can program the database with rules to check every value as they are entered