I have about 50 support tables for an application under construction.
The range from tripods to developer types.
I would appreciate people’s thoughts as to whether they should be mySQL tables or plain text tables.
If they are mySQl, I imagine that it would be difficult to access them - there would possibly be overlap.
If they are html tables, they may be hard for the user to keep updated.
parce que 
tip: do a search (on sitepoint forums or on teh interwebs) for “enums are evil”
Pourquoi?
Hi Rudy, just wanted to say thank you. I’ve been sitting all weekend stewing (literally - it’s in the 90s F here in DC), but also realizing I have to go back to basics.
To that end, I’m buying Simply SQL. It looks terrific.
David
That’s a good question, one that goes beyond me.
So, as they say, the floor is open!
It seems that there is an argument about this. Anyway, I will err on the side of caution.
I will also err on the side of ignorance, but I’m working on it.
I have a solution in mind. What do you all think of this.
I know (roughly), the data elements (showing my age), that can be either static (inches, focal length), etc, and those where the values might change (film type, chemicals).
I will (bother you all in trying to) make a series of classes that the user can edit.
The class wont allow them to make new tables, but this is the limit of my capabilities at present.
Comments?
Ahh yes I see, due to the widespread amount of branching that code typically has to do in order to accommodate them.
hacked? no, not really, but for many other reasons
tip: do a search (on sitepoint forums or on teh interwebs) for “enums are evil”
Because they can be hacked?
David
yep…
enums are evil
and i’m not j/k
[indent]“the EAV is missing the core database component!”
“custom data type support is still not implemented very well in modern DBMS. What chance do you think you have?”
“Into the Darkness”[/indent]
gulp! Okay, I’m scared now. :crazy:
that sounds bad…
it’s a shame as it would be nice to be able to build and update all tinyTables in one place…
Well, it may be time for a php app…
by canoe
sorry, couldn’t help it – old joke
srsly, have you tried searching the web for entity-attribute-value?
you will find articles like this – Dave’s guide to the EAV
Thanks Guys, I had a brief glance at the entity-attribute-value model. Could be very cool.
I will dive into that in a while…
I appreciate all the help/advice/direction…
Shame on you !!!
j/k
Check out the entity-attribute-value model.
I would appreciate it if you could reveal them.
Great… I can do that!!
My first real question is what you raised before - am I on the right track?
Second, I would love to have a flexible mechanism where users can design, build and maintain these tables, not calling me when they get a new tripod… 
Hi, I’ve re-read your message, and decided I do not understand what you have said.
Have you read my data definitions? and if so, is there something constructive you are trying to get me to see?
Thanks