Specific Database Construction help

[jag5311]

Hi,

For the website, www.somethingspecialgiftbaskets.com, I am going to rebuild it using a database to handle the content. I am going to be using coldfusion mx as my databasing language. It will be through mysql

Problem I am running into is setting up a database structure for something like this. I will be honest, I have never put a database together in terms of mysql, access, or whatever.

I plan on making it so that the owner of the site can edit content through forms on the web, rather then making me change it every other week.

Currently, the menu on that site is being pulled with SSI, but if I go to a database, i think I am able to just do this using database tables, I am not sure. This is where I need some help.

The basic structure of the site is as follows

Main Page - Description and a featured content section and menu

Sub Menu selection - Meaning, when someone picks a basket category, they are taken to a page with the available style baskets for that category, but still keeping the menu where its at. This is done for every category

Basket Content page - This is where an image of the basket is shown, along with a brief description, contents, and a price. This page in particular will be one of the reasons for allowing the owner to use a form.

I believe that is it, because the other pages, PRIVACY POLICY, CONTACT, etc.. don't have much dynamic stuff going on.

So I should have 3 template pages (mentioned above) and the rest of the site which is PRIVACY POLICY, etc..

When I say I am struggling with the structure, I mean I am not really sure how the tables should be setup and related to each other.

Here is so far what I have in mind

DATABASE: giftbaskets
TABLES:

baskets

• basketid
• basketname
• summary
• smallimagepath
• largeimagepath
• price
• size

menu

• anyoccasion
• baby
• birthday
• congratulations
• getwell
• gourmet
• graduation
• housewarming
• junkfood
• pamperher
• pamperhim
• overthehill
• retirement
• sports
• thankyou
• wedding
• custom
• links

featured

• basketID
• imagepath
• basketname

mainpage

• description

If you feel you are able to help me in improving this current structure, and/or completely changing it, I would really appreciate it.

Thank you
Bryan

[jag5311]

Ok, let me rephrase all of this.

This is what I have to deal with

Basket Categories

Baskets within the categories

Baskets individually (there details as well)

Featured Baskets


Now, aside from the basket categories, I could see the last 3 being able to share the same information, right?

So I could have two tables

1 for the categories, and 1 for the basket information, right?


Then

it would look like this

Table : categories

Fields:

<ul><li>anyoccasionbaby <li>birthday <li>congratulations <LI>getwell <LI>gourmet <LI>graduation <LI>housewarming <LI>junkfood <LI>pamperher <LI>pamperhim <LI>overthehill <LI>retirement <LI>sports <LI>thankyou <LI>wedding </ul>


Table: baskets

Fields:

• basketId
• basketname
• basketimg
• basketsummary
• basketprice
• basketcontents
• basketcategory ?????? (not sure if that works or not)

I believe that is it, but does that appear to be a more concise database?

I am unsure of whether I should include a separate table regarding the categories, because somehow I have to connect the categories and the baskets that will go in those categories.

Any help is appreciated

Thanks
Bryan

[Cam]

Have a read here. Proper planning is essential to have a good structured database, and if you plan it with a specific method, all you need to know is what data will be accounted for in the DB, the planning stage will sort out where it needs to go