Topic group

When you’re faced with day-to-day data entry tasks, consider the following:

Should I run a table or use a form? Running a table offers quick direct access to tables from within dBASE Plus. This is handy for occasional editing, data entry, and maintenance. However, forms offer more control over the data-entry process, including the ability to edit multiple linked tables in the same window and to programmatically enforce entry validation and data integrity. If a data-entry form doesn’t already exist, you can use the Form wizard to quickly create one. For ongoing data entry and maintenance, consider designing a form.

Editing all rows or selecting only the information you need. You sometimes want to work with only a subset of rows in a table, especially if the table has a large number of rows. For example, you might want to change orders for the current month only. Consider the following approaches:

Use queries to select the rows you need to change and ignore the rows that don’t apply to the task at hand. One advantage to using queries is that they allow you to store the conditions you specify and use them with multiple tables.

Use a conditional or unique index that includes only the rows you want.

Working with parent and child tables. Deleting rows or changing the values in linked fields or key fields can cause dBASE Plus to lose track of data. For example, if you delete an order in the Orders table but not in the associated rows in the LineItem table, you end up with orphaned rows that could skew calculations. Similarly, you might inadvertently change the order number in the Orders table but not in the LineItem table, which also results in orphaned rows.

If the table you are editing is part of a parent-child relation, consider using a query to link the parent and child table, rather than editing the single table. The query helps you see and preserve connections between related rows in the tables.

Ordering rows. During data entry, you can use the natural order of the table or you can use an index. When searching for rows to update, using an index could be the most efficient means, particularly in a table with many rows.

Selecting a view for entering data. When you run a table, two views are available: grid (default) and columnar. Choose the one that best suits your data entry task.

Repeated values. If you are entering the same value repeatedly, consider using the Replace option to update a number of rows with the same value quickly.

Note

The Data Entry page of the Desktop Properties dialog box offers a number of data entry configuration options, including Bell, Confirm, Delimiters, and Type-ahead. For details on these options, click the Help button on the Data Entry page.