OK, I ended up staying up till 3 in the morning thinking about the problem. This e-mail kind of queued me into where I need to go and I think I finally understood relational databases, and how this relates to my problem.
OLAP is for analysis of data, not inputing it, though I'd really love to be able to do something like "inverse-OLAP" putting in the data, in a way that makes sense, or in the same way we view it. Maybe if I'm ever lacking in a project to complete I'll work on doing something like that. Until then, i'll make do. So I have developed a design for a relational database that meets my needs. I found that with a relational database (after I figured out what I was doing) I could add some of the extra info into the database that would have seemed slightly out of place in my cube design, though it is very easy to see how a cube still applies to alot of the data. In the end, my design is a 12-14 table database (there are still a few questions on how I want to deal with a category of information). It's still got 4 dimensions, but I added several tables to further categorize and deliminate some info on all my info. Once I've finished putting it in digital form, I'll post a link to my desing, and a link to the final interface as I will want help populating it. My main table consists of a lists of IDs from 5 other tables essentially creating the "Array" that was mentioned. The purpose of this database? to create a central storage place easily accessible to more than just me for all of the toolkit API calls for a specific feature(widget) on a platform. So my 4 'dimensions', and subsequently the 4 main tables linked into my main reference 'array'-like table are: Platforms Toolkit Features API Also, I designed the beginning layout for forms for data-input (forms) and data-output (reports). I definately want to be able to have people help me fill in my database so I'm looking at creating a form in PHP or something like that with a MySQL backend. Either that, or I simply host the database and offer a Base file that interfaces with it so that people can view/modify the data. Or I do both. I'm not sure how to deal with user accounts though. I'm afraid to allow anonymous access because I can't afford the time to de-spam this. But I want to give anybody who wants to help, access. Suggestions? For Silver Onion I will select a feature, get a list of all the API calls for that feature, dividing into specific platforms where necessary, and create a new UNO API layer that will translate an API that I will define into the APIs of whatever toolkit happens to be the preferred toolkit on that platform, with a user option to override and manually select a toolkit. That's the purpose of this database. I have a blog devoted to this project at silveronion.blogspot.com Note however that I write the blog for me and I periodically cross post what I post there into a mailing list if I need input on a decision or on how to do something. (Also note, that I'd love to get other people to help me. I'm working on creating some well defined parameters that I can then present with a call for help in programming it, because well, I'm not the best programmer.) Thanks for helping me to think of this in every so slightly a different light that makes it possible to complete! Thanks, Jacob PS what does "xan" mean that you use to sign your e-mails? ========================== On Sun, 13 Mar 2005 19:21:24 -0800, Jonathon Blake <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Chris wrote: > > > ARRAY(x,y,z,x1,y1,z1,.......xn,yn,zn) or any other way you would like to > > describe > > Flat field database: > > record: > record_id > attrbiute_1 > attribute_2 > attrbiute_3 > attribute_4 > attrbiute_5 > attribute_6 > attrbiute_7 > attribute_8 > ... > max_number_of_attributes > > Then have all 8 fields indexed. > and be able to run a search query on all attribute fields > > I used to do stuff like that in dBase 3.0 > [Except it barfed when data was in any language but English.] > > xan > > jonathon --------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] For additional commands, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
