[thelist] Re: Database schema

[Simon Perry]

Cosmin G wrote:

>Well, too many answers, but none too clear. Maybe I should have specified
>that I'm using MySQL. Which doesn't support many of the features that you
>mentioned such as foreign keys, 
>
www.mysql.com/doc/en/example-Foreign_keys.html

>one-to-many relationships (searching the
>manual for one-to-many found 0 results).
>  
>
http://www.sum-it.nl/cursus/dbdesign/english/intro030.php3

>>Seriously, you need to use the tools that are out there that have been
>>developed to solve exactly these types of problems ("what database schema
>>    
>>
>should I use?")
>Which ones would those be?
>When telling someone something like
>  
>
>>However, as stated before, you're jumping the gun. You need to do some ER
>>model *first*. You need to create some DFD (or similar) *first*. Once you
>>have these things, the database schema will write itself.
>>
>>    
>>
>
>You're not being helpful, especially to someone who's not very proficient.
>What's an ER and what should it contain?
>  
>
http://www.utexas.edu/its/windows/database/datamodeling/dm/erintro.html

<snip>

>
>Thanks for the tip. So basically from all the advice that I've gotten so far
>what is recommended is putting product specific details in separate tables.
>  
>
http://www.sqlmag.com/Articles/Index.cfm?ArticleID=4887&pg=1

>Could anyone show me what a query for displaying all products in the
>hard-drives category would look like
>in a case like this? Learning by example is the best way? A rough draft of a
>query would do.
>  
>

http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&oe=utf-8&q=site%3Awww.mysql.com+tutorial&btnG=Google+Search&meta=

Cosmin,

You seem to be trying to run before you can walk. The links provided 
above will help you get a good understanding of the principles involved 
in working with a database.

HTH

Simon