If you go for option 2 and Normalise the structure some of your fields are redundant - i.e. you do not need detailid in table Model as you can get it through the foreign key makeid to the Make table and then use the detailid foreign key back to the detail table
-----Original Message----- From: Tony Carcieri [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] Sent: 11 June 2002 19:14 To: CF-Talk Subject: RE: Database layout advice? Personally, I always do option 2. I like having very specific and detailed breakdown of what I am doing. It is easier for me to do on a whiteboard and observe the flow and relationship. Just my 2cents -----Original Message----- From: Douglas Brown [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] Sent: Tuesday, June 11, 2002 2:20 PM To: CF-Talk Subject: OT: Database layout advice? I am creating a database for the sale of autos online. I have mulled over how I should lay this out to function properly and decided to post this to the group for advice. Forgive me if this is a little long. Please keep in mind that I do not like setting anything static if I can help it. The 2 ways I have envisioned this is as follows and any input would help greatly (option 1) I though of placing all inventory into one table and just using the other tables to populate fields. [inventory] This table would hold all the details about the car. IE: make, model, year, vin, options, price etc... etc... [make] list of all makes to dynamically populate fields in application back-end [model] list of all models to dynamically populate fields in application back-end [options] list of all options to dynamically populate fields in application back-end (option 2) I thought of seperating all the colums in the inventory into seperate tables, but I would also have to make seperate tables for the populating of fields in the back-end IE: [details] id vin price [make] id detail_id make [model] id make_id detail_id model [options] id make_id model_id detail_id option1 option2 option3 [makeList] list of all makes to dynamically populate fields in application back-end [modelList] list of all models to dynamically populate fields in application back-end [optionsList] list of all options to dynamically populate fields in application back-end Douglas Brown Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ______________________________________________________________________ Get the mailserver that powers this list at http://www.coolfusion.com FAQ: http://www.thenetprofits.co.uk/coldfusion/faq Archives: http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/index.cfm?sidebar=lists
