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The Design View screen consists of two parts

• Field Definition Grid • Field Properties Pane

Field Definition Grid

The Field Definition Grid appears on the upper half of the Design view screen. It is used to specify the
names, data types, and descriptions for various fields in a table. It consists of the following parts:

Component Description

Used to select a field. A key symbol in the Row selector indicates the table’s
Row Selector
primary key.

Field Name Used to specify the names for the fields in the table.
Data Type Used to specify the data types for the fields.

Description Used to specify an optional description for the field.

Field Properties Pane
The Field Properties Pane, in the lower half of the Design view screen, is used to set various field
properties that control the appearance and behaviour of data added to the field.

Some important and frequently used field properties:

Property Data Type Description

Short text, Number,
Field Size Lets you specify the maximum size for data stored in a field.
AutoNumber

Lets you set whether the AutoNumber field increments with

New Values AutoNumber
each new value or uses random numbers.
Short text, Long text,
Number, Date/Time, Lets you specify the way values in a field appear when it is
Format
Currency, AutoNumber, displayed or printed.
Yes/No, Hyperlink

Lets you specify the number of decimal places to use when
Decimal Places Number, Currency
displaying numbers.

Input Mask Short text, Date/Time Lets you specify the way data is entered in a field.

Lets you specify an alternative or more descriptive name for
Caption All data types
the field.

Short text, Long text,
Number, Date/Time, Lets you assign the specified value automatically to a field
Default Value
Currency, Yes/No, when a new record is added.
Hyperlink

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