Relationship to two dissimilar primary tables

[gcloise]

Below are three tables representing a simplified version of what I'm
trying to do. In each table, its "UniqueID" is an AutoNumber field, and
is the table's primary key.

I would like to be able to use one phone table that can be related to
both tblModel and tblVendor. tblModel and tblVendor contain dissimilar
fields. The ForeignKey in tblPhone would be the UniqueID of a row in
either tblModel or tblVendor.

Furthermore, each of these relationships can be one-to-many, the "many"
being on the tblPhone end.

When I attempt to establish these relationships, Access will not allow
it. I can kind of understand why this may be...for example, tblModel
could have a UniqueID 7, and so could tblVendor.

I would like to be able to use a single phone table instead of one each
for tblModel and tblVendor for a few reasons:
- I don't want to have to define two tables, especially if fields are
added later.
- If I want to run a query for all phone numbers in the database, that
query would me much simpler if it had to be run against one table only.
- There may be a couple more tables that need to have a relationship
with tblPhone, so if I could just add such a table and establish the
relationship, it would be quick and easy.

Perhaps what I'm trying to do can't be done. However, if someone
has an alternative that gives me the same end result, I'd be
interested in hearing it. I really don't want to have to set up a
separate phone table for each table that needs a phone table
relationship.
tblModel
---------
UniqueID
ModelName
Time
Date
tblVendor
---------
UniqueID
Address
Contact
tblPhone
-----------
UniqueID
ForeignKey
PhoneNumber

[AlterEgo]

gcloise,
<gc*****@hotmail.comwrote in message
news:11**********************@q2g2000cwa.googlegro ups.com...

Below are three tables representing a simplified version of what I'm
trying to do. In each table, its "UniqueID" is an AutoNumber field, and
is the table's primary key.

I would like to be able to use one phone table that can be related to
both tblModel and tblVendor. tblModel and tblVendor contain dissimilar
fields. The ForeignKey in tblPhone would be the UniqueID of a row in
either tblModel or tblVendor.

Furthermore, each of these relationships can be one-to-many, the "many"
being on the tblPhone end.

When I attempt to establish these relationships, Access will not allow
it. I can kind of understand why this may be...for example, tblModel
could have a UniqueID 7, and so could tblVendor.

I would like to be able to use a single phone table instead of one each
for tblModel and tblVendor for a few reasons:
- I don't want to have to define two tables, especially if fields are
added later.
- If I want to run a query for all phone numbers in the database, that
query would me much simpler if it had to be run against one table only.
- There may be a couple more tables that need to have a relationship
with tblPhone, so if I could just add such a table and establish the
relationship, it would be quick and easy.

Perhaps what I'm trying to do can't be done. However, if someone
has an alternative that gives me the same end result, I'd be
interested in hearing it. I really don't want to have to set up a
separate phone table for each table that needs a phone table
relationship.
tblModel
---------
UniqueID
ModelName
Time
Date
tblVendor
---------
UniqueID
Address
Contact
tblPhone
-----------
UniqueID
ForeignKey
PhoneNumber

[AlterEgo]

gcloise,

You could add two foreign key columns to the tblPhone table, ModelID and
VendorID. If a phone number is associated with a Model and a Vendor, then
both columns would be populated. If not, only one column would be populated
and the other would be null.

-- Bill

<gc*****@hotmail.comwrote in message
news:11**********************@q2g2000cwa.googlegro ups.com...

Below are three tables representing a simplified version of what I'm
trying to do. In each table, its "UniqueID" is an AutoNumber field, and
is the table's primary key.

I would like to be able to use one phone table that can be related to
both tblModel and tblVendor. tblModel and tblVendor contain dissimilar
fields. The ForeignKey in tblPhone would be the UniqueID of a row in
either tblModel or tblVendor.

Furthermore, each of these relationships can be one-to-many, the "many"
being on the tblPhone end.

When I attempt to establish these relationships, Access will not allow
it. I can kind of understand why this may be...for example, tblModel
could have a UniqueID 7, and so could tblVendor.

I would like to be able to use a single phone table instead of one each
for tblModel and tblVendor for a few reasons:
- I don't want to have to define two tables, especially if fields are
added later.
- If I want to run a query for all phone numbers in the database, that
query would me much simpler if it had to be run against one table only.
- There may be a couple more tables that need to have a relationship
with tblPhone, so if I could just add such a table and establish the
relationship, it would be quick and easy.

Perhaps what I'm trying to do can't be done. However, if someone
has an alternative that gives me the same end result, I'd be
interested in hearing it. I really don't want to have to set up a
separate phone table for each table that needs a phone table
relationship.
tblModel
---------
UniqueID
ModelName
Time
Date
tblVendor
---------
UniqueID
Address
Contact
tblPhone
-----------
UniqueID
ForeignKey
PhoneNumber