Ask this person how they plan to remove duplicates, should they be accidentally created. For that matter, ask how they plan to detect duplicates.
If that doesn't work, insist that you be referred to by your full name, date of birth, and social security number. Don't answer to anything else. Seriously? Come up with a couple of scenarios where they're indespensible (like the duplicates) and lay them out. If that doesn't work, scream and pull your hair out. --Ben Dawson, Michael wrote: > I'm well aware of the need for a primary key, in addition to a sound > table design, however, I'd like someone else to "word" a response for > me. > > A co-worker built a data file (a data table on an AS400) with six > fields. The only unique "key" of the record is the entire record, > itself. The combination of all six fields must be used to identify the > exact record. > > "This is how it's done," is the reply I get. (I've been building > web-based apps using relational DBs for 8 years. I have never used an > entire record as the primary key.) > > I'm not passing an entire record through a URL or in hidden form fields. > Imagine the nightmare of maintaining this application... > > A discussion of the existence of Oracle's sequences and SQL's identity > fields did little to sway this person's opinion. This person's entire > development background is AS400 with a history of bad database design. > > Now, I'm creating the table myself to do it right. ;-) > > Any thoughts? > > Thanks > M!ke > > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~| Special thanks to the CF Community Suite Gold Sponsor - CFHosting.net http://www.cfhosting.net Message: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=i:4:183710 Archives: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/threads.cfm/4 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=s:4 Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/unsubscribe.cfm?user=11502.10531.4 Donations & Support: http://www.houseoffusion.com/tiny.cfm/54
