not sure on this database design

[rodin7]

I am trying to make this content management site and I am a little unsure about the database design.

I have one table called menu.
Columns are
id
name
description
price
cat

I thought next would be menu_display
columns are
id_main
main_menu
special_menu
dont_display

this would allow for 2 different pages to display these items on but allow the data from them to be edited at the same content page.

Next I figured menu_order
columns are
id_main
here I am not sure because I need a way to sort the records so that if the newest item sould go first or just to move things around

next menu_cat
columns are
and I figured some way to make different categories like salads, sandwiches, desserts etc. and just figured I would reference this number in the menu table.
l
Ok there is the background.

My main question is how do I get the id_main columns to be the same as the id column from the menu table. I know i would use a join but does that mean that I will have to use a join on each query? Jut a little unsure on some of this stuff it is kind of new to me. Is this even the way to go with the tables or should this all be one or maybe two large tables.

Thanks
rodin

[null]

My main question is how do I get the id_main columns to be the same as the id column from the menu table. I know i would use a join but does that mean that I will have to use a join on each query? Jut a little unsure on some of this stuff it is kind of new to me. Is this even the way to go with the tables or should this all be one or maybe two large tables.

rodin

It really depends on the kinds of relations the entities share. About setting the id_main to = Menu.ID...@ the design level you can set up the ID in the menu table as a primary key, and the id_main in the other 2 tables as foriegn keys....but ya, when it gets to the query level, unless a design change permits just jumbling those 3 tables into 1 big one, you'll have to write a join everytime you want to access data from those 2 tables where id_main = Menu.ID is applicable. Wish I could be of more help, I really don't understand what the tables are holding, how they're related, etc...good luck.