Hey all, I'm adding a dynamic-forms section to my sites and am wondering about how to best create db table columns intended for dynamic data.
Admins will be able to specify the form fields in their custom forms to their heart's content, all manner of form field types, and when the form is posted it will go into a custom table named FORM_### based on an ID in the FORMS table which holds meta data. Now, the FORM_### table will have some mandatory columns, like userID, groupID, postDateTime, etc., but the rest of the columns will be determined by the dynamic form: FIRSTNAME, COUNTRY, SHOESIZE, FLAVOR, etc. I don't want to even try to type these columns. Once the form data is submitted, it's all text, pretty much, right? None of it will be relational except the groupID and the userID, etc., which will be automatically added when the table is initially created by my code. My thinking is I make *all* the dynamic table columns from the form fields VARCHAR and give the admins a drop-down for maximum data width when creating the tables, ie; 5, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 75, 100, 150, 200, 300, 400, 500, 750, 1000, 1500, 2000, 2500, 3000, 4000, with the stressed caveat that shorter fields will retrieve and sort quicker in their reports. What do you think. Does this sound ... er, sound? These are going to be simple forms, nothing high-powered. Something so they can create their own conference registration forms or whatever without having to bug me. Thanks, Mik -------- Michael Muller Admin, MontagueMA.net Website work (413) 863-0030 cell (413) 320-5336 skype: michaelBmuller http://www.MontagueMA.net Eschew Obfuscation ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~| Create Web Applications With ColdFusion MX7 & Flex 2. Build powerful, scalable RIAs. Free Trial http://www.adobe.com/products/coldfusion/flex2/?sdid=RVJS Archive: http://www.houseoffusion.com/groups/CF-Talk/message.cfm/messageid:283594 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/groups/CF-Talk/subscribe.cfm Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/unsubscribe.cfm?user=11502.10531.4
