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.
That is probably not smart performance wise: - you will have 6-fold foreign keys which will have to cascade on every change to the record - your PK-index will be huge - some of the fields are bound to be non-unique thus reducing the efficiency of an index Additional storage requirements of adding a field are easily offset by the reduced storage requirements of having an index over all six fields. Add in a bit off application developer convenience and your co-worker has to come with better arguments to convince me. Jochem ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~| Special thanks to the CF Community Suite Gold Sponsor - CFHosting.net http://www.cfhosting.net Message: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=i:4:183718 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
