SQL lookups - Not like Access lookups

[david7777777777]

I've used Access look-up (Lookup Wizard) when creating a table before in order to display information from another table. How do you do this sort of thing with SQL? Just point me in the right direction (tutorial, online articles, etc.), I'm not looking for any handouts. I want to learn and understnad how this works.

I'm using Visual InterDev to build ASP pages to work with a with a SQL backend. I want our IT team to be able to use web pages (ASP pages) to add, edit, delete, and search for records in the SQL database. I'm using it for inventory tracking, among other things. Here's one thing I'm trying to accomplish:

I made a table to hold user name, amount of RAM, serial number, manufacturer, model, and many other fields for our desktop computers. When someone opens this table to ad a new record, I'd like to make the manufacturer field to "lookup" records from another table I made called "desktop_manufacturers." I'm trying to minimize the amount of manual data entry our team will do. Therefore I've made several tables to hold information that will be used in other tables, or maybe queries. Am I using the wrong terminology? I'm tired of running into useless descriptions in Microsoft's documentation. Can you help get me started on this?
Thanks,
David

 

[tlbroadbent]

SQL Server is a database server that doesn't provide the GUI developer tools that Access has. You'll have to provide the lookup capability within your application using your development software.

You can do much in SQL server to help with the process. For example, you can establish foreign key relationships, define default values, create views that JOIN data tables to the lookup tables, write stored procedures for validation, etc.

This probably isn't the answer you sought but it is important to distinguish between the database and the application. Access blurs the distinction for many people. Terry L. Broadbent
FAQ183-874 contains tips for posting questions in these forums.
NOTE: Reference to the FAQ is not directed at any individual.

 

[david7777777777]

Thanks Terry, I do appreciate the information, it helps. I have little to no interaction with DBMS professionals so this place will be very helpful for me. Thanks.