Resource Requirements
Access 2000 will be used to set-up and run the new system for Mario’s Game and Film Masters Rentals. To install and use this software a computer with the following minimum specification is needed:
- Pentium 200MHz processor or higher
- Windows 95 or later operating system
- Minimum of 24Mb RAM
- At least 161Mb of Free hard disk space
- CD-ROM drive
Mr Anderson has a computer with the following specification:
-
A Pentium III 600 MHz processor
- Windows 98 operating system
- 32 Mb of RAM
- A 10Gb hard disk with 4.6Gb of free space
- A floppy disk drive and a CD-ROM Drive
- Internet, but requires a modem
Mr Anderson has told me that they can spend up to £750 on new hardware and software. I recommend that Mr Anderson should buy the Office 2000 Professional package, which includes Microsoft Access 2000, and Word 2000, for Mail Merge. This package can be bought for £250.
Mr Anderson will also need to buy a good quality printer. I would recommend a small laser printer, because it will produce high quality printouts very quickly. The printer is needed because so that Mario’s Game and Film Masters Rentals is able to print out lists, reports and letters to people with overdue items. This will cost about £250. I also think that the Internet will be useful, because Mario’s Game and Film Masters Rentals are thinking of having a website on the Internet and they may want to receive e-mail about new incoming films. This will cost £100. Because Mario’s Game and Film Masters Rentals staff will not go on the net much (just to check the e-mails), a pay as you go package, will do.
The computers at school and my PC at home all meet the minimum specification and have Windows Access 2000 installed. I am OK for printers because every computer room in school has a laser printer and I have a DeskJet printer at home. This means I have all the resources I need to set up the new system.
Input
Data will be input about members, items, and loans. This data will be input when:
- A new member joins
- An existing member’s detail changes
- A new item is bought
- An item is rented
- An item is rented
- An item is returned
- Members ask questions about videos
This information will be input using. This information will be input using a keyboard and on-screen data entry forms.
Processing
Data will be processed when:
- New member details need to be saved
- Changes to an existing member’s detail need to be saved
- New item details need to be saved
- Changes to an existing item’s detail need to be saved
- New loan details need to be saved, when an item is rented
- New loan details need to be deleted, when an item is returned
- Videos matching a member’s enquiries must be found
- Details of members with overdue items need to be found
- Letters to members with overdue items need to be generated
- Details of members who are over 40 need to be found
- Letters to member who are over 40 need to be generated
Output
Information will be output on screen when:
- Member details are looked up
- Item details are looked up
- Items matching a member’s enquiries are found
Information will be printed when:
- Details of members with overdue items are found
- Letters to members with overdue items are generated
- Details of members who are over 40 are found
- Letters to member who are over 40 are generated
Mr Anderson wants a list of people over 40 because he sends Christmas cards to them, because in his opinion, the over 40 population appreciates this kind of gesture.
Data stores
Data about members, items and loans will be stored on the hard disk drive of the computer
User interface
The user interface will be menu based. This will limit the choices available and make the system easier for inexperienced users.
Table: Members
The primary key for this table is Member Number.
Table: Item
The primary key for this table is Item Number.
Table: Rentals
The primary key for this table is Item Number.
Data Manipulation
The tables required will be Member, Rentals, and Item. The fields in the table will be like this:
There will be a lot of queries and reports. Most queries are simple, but others are more complex.
The queries include:
- Find all items by Category (Action, Comedy, Adventure)
- Find all items by Category and Certificate
- Find all items by Certificate (U, PG etc.
- Find all items by Certificate or Certificate (this means that the member has an option in which certificate he or she wants
- Find all items by title (you can type a word of a title and items which have that word comes up).
- You can find all the items that are overdue
- Find all items by Type (DVD, Video, Game)
- Find all items by Type and category
- Find all items by Type and category and certificate
- Find all items by Type and Certificate.
- Find out the people over 40.
These will have reports made out of them. The Overdue query will have a Mail Merge function, which will allow to type a letter without having to write the address lots of time. These reports should be viewable on-screen, and should have and option to print them.
Backup / Security Strategy
The computer containing the final system must be backed up on the School Portal and CD every week I would have liked to use a floppy disk but there would not be enough space on it. The CD should be kept away from the computer, in case of theft, fire on flood.
On Access there is security that enable one to create a password, and the database may only be opened once you have typed in the password. I will put this function on the system, so that people cannot find out details about other members. Only the employees should be told this password, and it should be changed regularly to stop people from going in to the database, if they know the password.
