Re: almost there practice test.

Okay, okay, I'm convinced you're not slacking. But this thread (the 3 threads you have started) still has not clarified very well what the question is.

Before you determine the entity set or focus on the normalization or do the ERD, and certainly before you worry about composite primary keys, you must have clearly-defined requirements. If you don't, you'll get confusion. The help you have received here is based on guesswork (intelligent and experienced, I'm sure). Or did I miss something?

It looks like kind of a scatter-shot essay-type question, like "show me what you can do with this jumble of facts and implicit assumptions". So I can't tell if you're not explaining the question (slacking), or if the professor (knucklehead) did not explain the question. Hey, that sounds a lot like my job! Maybe I should exit now. -cb

p.s. Weight should be an attribute of Book Feature, not the other way around.

MadG <patrick4133_at_hotmail.com> wrote in message news:LQXr6.38645$p66.12797141_at_news3.rdc1.on.home.com...
> I think I'm catching on, but I want to be solid for Friday.
> I am focusing on the normalization before I try to do the ERD. I still
> haven't
> completely determined the entity set for sure anyway.
>
>
> TEXTBOOK ( isbn[pk], bookname, author, aff_num[fk to affiliate], year,
> cost )
>
> I could place subject here, however is it better to place it in it's own
> table?
> If I place it here I'll have to have a composite pk, right? Assuming that
 a
> book
> may belong to more than one subject. (not have more than one)
>
> PUBLISHER (pub_num[pk], pub_name, contact, web_address, last_contact_date)
>
> AFFILIATE (aff_num[pk], pub_num[fk to publisher], aff_name)
>
> SUPPLEMEMTS (isbn[fk to textbook] , supplement[composite pk])
>
> WEIGHTS (isbn[fk to textbook], weight book_feature [composite pk])
>
> EVALUATIONS (isbn[fk to textbook], book_feature[fk to weights][composite
> pk])
>
> I don't like all the composite pk's, is it wrong or bad to have it like
> this?
>
> Are tables this small likely to be frowned on?
>
>
>
> Carlos - I'm not slacking. I have no social life right now (yipes!)
> homework is coming at me from all directionsand it's hard to work and go
 to
> school. But I have to, and damn it, I'm going to give it my all!My prof
> isn't bad, he just doesn't seem to care about finding time for his first
> year students. My timetable isn't
> it either, other guys from the class can't get him either.
> Thanks for your help though.
>
> Jan - hey, you brought me here (from comp.databases) and for what you've
> already done I'm very truly thankful.
> After the test on Friday no matter how I feel, I will find a toast for you
> and this newsgroup. Thank you very much.
>
> Patrick.
>
>
>
>
>
Received on Thu Mar 15 2001 - 19:55:26 CET