Re: OOP - a question about database access

From: Alfredo Novoa (alfredo_at_ncs.es)
Date: 11/02/03 

Date: 2 Nov 2003 04:20:45 -0800

Tim <nocomment@rogers.com> wrote in message news:<D8yob.132399$h61.112745@news01.bloor.is.net.cable.rogers.com>...
> If this is the wrong newsgroup, can someone please point me to the
> correct one and disregard this.
>
> I've been programming for 20 years but I'm trying to understand OOA and
> OOD now.

You should be aware about most of the OOA OOD literature has a very
low quality.

> What I've decided to do is try to take a little database I have
> that includes a table with a sports league's schedule and try to use
> this to develop a little application to help me understand the concepts
> and proper techniques of OOA, OOD and OOP.

OO only apply to the presentation layer (the application). The data
management layer must be designed according to database theory.

> The columns in the table are date, home team, visitor team and starting
> time.
> (I'm going to use Java in a JDeveloper environment and the database is
> an MSAccess using a JDBC/ODBC bridge)

I think you meant the MS Jet file processor. Access is a front end for
MS Jet or SQL server.

I don't think it is a good election. MS Jet is a primitive file
processor, it would be a lot better to use a DBMS. You have a free
version of SQL Server and other options free like Firebird and SAP DB.

With MS Jet you are forced to implement many business rules in the
application layer, and it is clearly a very bad idea.

> So, how would you divide the various functions regarding interfaces,
> inheritance, etc.

You have plenty of examples if the .NET framework about visual control
hierarchies. But you should not try to apply the OO concepts to the
data management. OO is not for that. Although you will find a lot of
junk "literature" saying the contrary.

Regards
  Alfredo