[thelist] Database Design Question

Carolyn Jewel Carolyn.Jewel at LEGACYNET.COM
Tue Mar 1 09:47:04 CST 2005



-----Original Message-----
From: Burhan Khalid [mailto:thelist at meidomus.com] 
Sent: Monday February 28, 2005 3:01 AM
To: thelist at lists.evolt.org
Subject: [thelist] Database Design Question


     I'm wondering if its better to store this remaining balance value
in the database, or calculate it on the fly whenever it needs to be
displayed? 

****
It's rarely a good idea, imho, to store the results of a calculation. If
you need history (as in you need to know that the result of a
calculation was X on date:time Y, then it might make sense to store the
result in a table.

The problem with storing the result of the calculation is that you must
either risk showing stale data or perform the calculation again anyway.

Hope this helps.
Carolyn J.


****This electronic mail message, and any attachments transmitted with it, contains confidential information, intended only for the named addressee(s). If you are not the intended recipient, or a person responsible for delivering this e-mail to the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that the use, distribution, copying, or disclosure of this communication is strictly prohibited. If you have received this e-mail in error, please immediately notify the sender by reply e-mail, and delete all copies of this communication from your computer and network. Thank you.*****



More information about the thelist mailing list