NYCPHP Meetup

[Jeff]

I got into the conversation a bit late and tried to read through the
thread so here's my basic understanding of the situation.

You've got a ton of specimens. Specimens are "classified" by structural
stability, etc. so that each of these "attributes" are specific to a
specimen. I would handle it as follows:

tblSpecimen (specimen table - the "parent" table)
SP_ID - autoincrement ID number
frkST_ID - int field - foreign key to tlkpStability SP_sSpecimenName
varchar field 
(Add'l fields as needed)

Things like stability, etc., should go in lookup tables...for example,

tlkpStability (each row has its own ID number and a description) 
ST_ID autoincrement 
ST_sStability 

Instead of radio buttons you use a dropdown. That way, if they have four
choices of structural stability at this point in time but...after
examining 100 specimens they realize they need a fifth choice, it can be
added to the table and it would automatically appear in the dropdown.
You wouldn't have to reprogram your form by adding an additional radio
button.

If you have only two possible choices for a particular specimen, that
could go into tblSpecimen. I use lookup tables when there are 3 choices
or more (not that they couldn't also be in tblSpecimen... however...if
the choices could change over time...using a separate lookup table makes
life easier).

Jeff

-----Original Message-----
From: Joshua S. Freeman [mailto:jfreeman at amnh.org] 
Sent: Wednesday, May 14, 2003 2:35 PM
To: NYPHP Talk
Subject: Re: [nycphp-talk] form confusion...


Thanks for the response Jeff..

On 5/14/03 3:21 PM, "Jeff" <jsiegel1 at optonline.net> wrote:

> It would seem that if the structural stability choices are mutually
> exclusive, then they would go into a single database column. The same 
> would apply to the checkboxes.

in the same table though?



> 
> Jeff
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Joshua S. Freeman [mailto:jfreeman at amnh.org]
> Sent: Wednesday, May 14, 2003 2:13 PM
> To: NYPHP Talk
> Subject: [nycphp-talk] form confusion...
> 
> 
> 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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