NYCPHP Meetup

[Jon Baer]

So here has been my latest approach (or idea) ...

Since *normally* your main objective is to reach a result page (view)  
of data, (either from a report or just a general link compiled from  
criteria), I normally include @ least one column of YAML-based data  
(a misc field of sorts).  Obviously this is based on what your doing  
but its a general idea.

Then from that data and any other indexed columns on your schema  
build an index using Zend Framework / Ferret / Lucene and interface  
the YAML w/ that data.

I normally take this approach when Ive labelled a situation "client  
can't figure out what data he really wants yet".

I think you have to think outside the box and have knowledge or  
querying the index ...
http://framework.zend.com/manual/en/zend.search.query-api.html

But once you apply behaviors to objects (and ultimately forms) like  
"this object is searchable via x, y, and z" it makes managing it easier.

My opinion on the idea of microsearching your data and being flexible.

- Jon

On May 15, 2007, at 10:45 AM, Brian Dailey wrote:

>
> I have several large forms that I am putting together. I'm aiming  
> to keep them flexible and make it fit within the database object  
> schema that I have used so far in this particular program.
>
> In the past with a large form I've seen some developers resort to  
> tables with a multitude of columns... I thought that this was a  
> kludgy solution and I'd like to avoid it if possible. Another way  
> I've seen it handled is to have a header table and a detail table  
> that works something like this:
>
> table: documents (id, date, etc)
> table: documentdetails (documentid, fieldname, fieldvalue)
>
> All of the form values were stored in a fieldname=fieldvalue format  
> inside the table. This worked nicely until you attempted to run  
> reports on it - you couldn't easily combine data since it all  
> existed in different table rows.
>
> So, I humbly come before thee, o PHP gurus, and ask you, how would  
> you advise approaching this? Are there other ways to handle huge  
> forms? I have seen people serialize arrays and store them in a  
> column, but I can't see that working well when creating reports.
>
> I've googled and read around as much as I can on this one, but what  
> I need is some advice from some more experienced developers. Opinions?
>
> -- 
>
> Thanks!
> - Brian Dailey
> Software Developer
> New York, NY
> www.dailytechnology.net
> <support.vcf>
> _______________________________________________
> New York PHP Community Talk Mailing List
> http://lists.nyphp.org/mailman/listinfo/talk
>
> NYPHPCon 2006 Presentations Online
> http://www.nyphpcon.com
>
> Show Your Participation in New York PHP
> http://www.nyphp.org/show_participation.php