NYCPHP Meetup

[gadhra]

Hi Joshua,

The structural stability field should hold a number (1-x).  For 
checkboxes, I usually just add yn columns.

So, as an example, your table might have the following fields:

id (mediumint 5)
txtImageName (tinytext)
intStability (tinyint 1)
ynStorageSupport (tinyint 1)
ynInsectActivity (tinyint 1)

The intStability field can hold numbers corresponding to the activity (1 
for "stable", 2 for "slightly stable", etc.). The yn fields hold either 
a 0 or a 1 - with checkboxes, either something is true (checked) or it's 
false (not checked).

I can very quickly query the table at this point to get the information 
I need (for image 2, what was the level of its stability?  was there 
insect activity? was there adequate storage support?)

Be careful in naming, of course - the word "inadequate" can create a 
double-negative connotation if you use ynInadequateSupport (which is why 
I chose ynStorageSupport instead of its negative).

Hope that helps,

+gadhra+



Joshua S. Freeman jfreeman-at-amnh.org |NY PHP| wrote:

>First off, thanks to the many people who helped me out with my previous
>question about making it possible for people to upload images.  I'm not
>there quite yet but when I get there I'm sure the answers I received will be
>incredibly helpful.  Thanks again.
>
>I'm working on the same project.. in brief, a scientist has about 1000
>specimens of the same kind of thing and wants to make a database containing
>a survey of these 1000 specimens.  The main table in the database is the
>'specimen'table, but that table has lots of fields for the 'id' number of
>records in related tables.
>
>In most cases, it's clear from the form whether or not I need to build a
>table to relate to the main 'specimen' table but in some cases, it's not so
>clear.
>
>Here's an example of what I mean:
>
>in the form, there's an area called 'structural stability'.  Someone filling
>out the form can select for a few radio button:
>
>-----------snip-----------------
>
><input type="radio" name="structural stability" value="stable">stable
>
><input type="radio" name="structural stability" value="slightly
>unstable">slightly unstable
>
>etc...
>
>---------------snip-------------
>
>in addition to 4 possible radio buttons, there are also 2 checkboxes
>associated with the idea of 'structural stability':
>
>---------------snip-------------
>
><input type="checkbox" name="structural stability" value="inadequate storage
>support"> inadequate storage support
>
><input type="checkbox" name="structural stability" value="current insect
>activity">   current insect activity
>
>---------------snip-------------
>
>so, here's my question:
>
>right now, i have the name of all the radio buttons and the checkboxes as
>'structural stability'
>
>i'm not sure, however, how to handle this on the database side of things.
>Should I give the checkboxes different names and their own tables?
>
>I'm a little confused at the moment and would love someone with more
>experience to shine some light on the path...
>
>Thanks in advance..
>
>And rest assured that once I'm done with this project I should be in shape
>to begin offering up some advice of my own to new newbies.
>
>Thanks!
>
>Joshua
>
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-- 
+gadhra+(/s)
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