FLASH: Database Structure

[Cheri Harder]

Mark Zukiwsky...or anyone else working/listening on a beautiful 80-degree

sunshiney San Diego day...


Am so glad a database person is hear today.  I'm trying to make a Flash

catalog/shopping-cart application and doing quite well, actually.  But I'm

really having trouble conceptualizing the structure of the product table to

accomodate "options."  I've got Stores, Customers, POTop, POData, etc., and

a few dictionary tables (categories, brands, etc.) but I just cannot figure

out how to attach "options" to be generic enough to fit any and all product

types.  We could have color and size and material, etc....so many, many

different possibilities since I don't want to limit it to one type of

store... Is it the most common to create a different item number for each

possible combination?  Something like a "dash number" for "blue" and a

different dash number for red?  But then what if I want a "blue, wool, size

14" - that would lead to MANY part numbers...  But if I create a dictionary

for options, I end up with a many-to-many relationship for some parts.

Perhaps my parts table allows for x-number of options?  Like maybe 3

options, and if they have more than that they must include a different part

number?  But then one store wants to call something turquoise, another

"eggshell", and someone else "Kelvinator blue"...so don't know if a

dictionary of options would work, either.  Do you or anyone know the

"industry standard" type real answer so I can quit flailing about, here?  My

database experience was with a manufacturer, and we did set up sep. part #'s

(different dash #'s) for each "option" but there weren't all that many

combinations....


~~~~Cheri Harder~~~~~

charderawsolution [dot] com

Advantage Web Solution

www.awsolution.com



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