Date:         Wed, 14 Sep 2005 11:53:53 -0300
Reply-To:     Terry Reardon <Terry.Reardon@cdha.nshealth.ca>
Sender:       "SPSSX(r) Discussion" <SPSSX-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
From:         Terry Reardon <Terry.Reardon@cdha.nshealth.ca>
Subject:      Re: SPSS v. Access
Comments: To: LBERRY@northark.edu
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII

Hi Larua:

Without getting too technical
Ms Access is a good tool to store vast amounts of data in table format
and comes with built in wizards/tools to create forms to get the data
into those tables.  If its manually data entry.  Their are other methods
to automate to the entry into the database.
A quite and dirty explaination of 1 to Many relationships.....
Ms Access has a way to enforce integrity of the data by creating
relationships amongst the tables.  For example, 1  Director  may have
Many Staff members.
In this case we have a table called Directors with only directors
stored in it.  and a table called Staff with only staff stored in it.
Each director would only be stored once in the director table and is
unique.  This director can be stored in the Staff table many times
denoting the staff associated with that director.
Hence a 1 to Many Relationship.

For Using both SPSS  and Access database. Note:  I have renamed some
field names here to hide the some of the structure of my database.  But
the concept here remains the same..

Maybe you could leverage the skill sets and work with both tools hand
in hand.

This example shows how your Skilled Ms Access people would create a
query for you to access  an Access database to grab some data and push
into  the SPSS data editor.   Then maybe you could use your SPSS skills
to do the rest of the magic.

 GET DATA /TYPE=ODBC /CONNECT=
'DSN=MS Access Database;DBQ=C:\SomeDataBase.mdb;DriverId=281;FIL=MS
Access;MaxBufferSize=2048;PageTimeout=5;'
 /SQL = " SELECT IIF(IsNull(P.DECEASED), 0, IIF(P.DECEASED= 'N', 0,
IIF(P.DECEASED= 'Y', 1))) AS 'Staff Died',  "
   "  (( IIF(T.StaffFailed= 'Y', T.DATE_Failed , DATE() ) -
T.StaffFailed) / 365 )   AS 'Staff Survival'  , "
  "  (( IIF(P.DirectorFailed= 'Y', P.DATE_Failed,  DATE() ) -
T.DirectorFailed) / 365 ) AS 'Director Survival', "
  "  IIF(IsNull(T.StaffFailed0, IIF(T.StaffFailed= 'N', 0,
IIF(T.StaffFailed= 'Y', 1))) AS 'Staff Failed', "
  "  YEAR(T.StaffHired ) AS  'GroupYear', "
  "   FROM  STAFF P, Directors T, Class D "
  "   WHERE T.ID = P.ID  "
  "   AND   T.DirectorID= P.DirectorID  "
  "   AND   D.ClassID= T.ClassID"
  "   AND P.StaffType IN('2')  "
  "   AND T.DirectorsFromHere IN('Y') "
  "  AND D.ClassPeople IN('N') "
  "   AND T.StaffHired BETWEEN #2000-01-01# AND #2005-12-31# "
  "   ORDER BY T.StaffHiredDate ASC "
 /ASSUMEDSTRWIDTH=255 .

CACHE.
EXECUTE.


I hope this helps answers your question and helps with your decision.
Cheers,

Terry



**************************************************
Terry Reardon, CD, Computer Studies (MIS), Master MOUS,COMPTIA A+
Systems Analyst
Multi-Organ Transplant Program
Capital District Health Authority
Tel: (902) 473-4381
Fax:(902) 473-4423
Work Email:  Terry.Reardon@cdha.nshealth.ca
Web: http://www.cdha.nshealth.ca
Personal Website:  http://www.terryreardon.ca
**************************************************

>>> "Laura Berry, Dr." <LBERRY@northark.edu> 09/14/05 9:44 am >>>

Dear Group:

I'm an SPSS user from way back and very happily use it to do almost
everything in my office except make the coffee.  However, I know next
to
nothing about Microsoft Access and database queries.  Can you offer a
summary as to what type of projects and procedures Access (or other
database tools) might be useful for versus using SPSS?

I'm asking because some of my new staff members are long-time Access
users but know nothing about SPSS.  I want them to be trained to use
the
best tools for the job, but don't know which tools are best, and when
they're best.

Thanks,
Laura

Laura Berry, Ed.D.
Director of Student Success & Institutional Research
North Arkansas College
(870)391-3280


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