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#1
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Multiple subtables
Hello,
Not sure how to approach this: We have an inventory database that has a variety of item types. Workstations and printers have quite a difference of data fields to be recorded. Should we store all items in one table and just not use the fields that do not pertain to those types or should we have a parent table with the shared fields and multiple subtables to store the specific fields to each type? The second sounds like a better idea but couldnt things go wrong later with multiple tables linking to the same parent table? Thanks, Ernst. |
#2
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Multiple subtables
Do an analysis on which fields to include in the main table based on how many
times a given field would be used or not. I think using one other table instead of multiple subtables to store the specific fields to each type having these fields -- tblSubInfo -- SubInfoID - primary key InventoryID - foreign key DataType - Data - DataType tells you what the data is (serial, price, color, etc.). -- Build a little, test a little. "Ernst Guckel" wrote: Hello, Not sure how to approach this: We have an inventory database that has a variety of item types. Workstations and printers have quite a difference of data fields to be recorded. Should we store all items in one table and just not use the fields that do not pertain to those types or should we have a parent table with the shared fields and multiple subtables to store the specific fields to each type? The second sounds like a better idea but couldnt things go wrong later with multiple tables linking to the same parent table? Thanks, Ernst. |
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