Signs of learning

[randy_byers]

So I got a question today about an old MS Access database I had created when I was in a different job. Hadn't looked at in years. Couldn't figure out why the hell the query in question wasn't working the way it was supposed to. Futzed around with it for a while. Could not make sense of what I was seeing. Went away for a while feeling defeated. Had an idea about another approach. Opened it up again and starting futzing around some more. Finally got really frustrated with the Access graphical interface and went directly to the SQL and beat the damned thing into submission. I've been having to learn more SQL lately as we switch to a new reporting tool in the current job. Frequently I feel that SQL is smarter than I am, but it appears I actually have learned something. I'm feeling pretty pleased with myself. Guess I'm not an old dog quite yet.

Comments

[wrdnrd]

Yeah, i've often felt that just learning SQL would be much easier than trying to argue with Access. I *like* Access and i like how it can run reports, but sometimes i get so tired of trying to understand the syntax of the commands in Access that i grow very tempted to toss the entire computer out the window. Access is very much a "walk away and hope for inspiration on the coffee break" sort of program.

[randy-byers.livejournal.com]

This was causing me to remember the six months I spent learning how to use Access and Access Basic (as Visual Basic was called then) to create an application for maintaining the DARS tables. Weird days for an English major who had no previous experience working with a database program. Still, it was better than the earlier period when I was maintaining the DARS tables in a text editor (specifically in pico, as I recall). I guess that's my equivalent of "I used to walk to school up hill both ways!"