Re: FLASH: Database Structure

[brzys]

Hi Cheri,


You may have to use different items to describe different products; there

just may be no other way around this. The way you build it may be the same,

for instance a pull down menu with different options describing different

products. i.e.: S, M, L, XL, and or different colors for different products:

Cobalt, Mauve, Dessert Sand and for a different product, say perhaps, sky

blue, peaches and cream, or strawberry field.


If you use the same graphics for the buttons, objects, movie clips, it will

keep the file smaller, but take those same graphics and float different

words over the top of them, or each pull down menu item. It may not save you

time, but consistency is always easier for visitors to shop. They naturally

gravitate towards the same menus over and over again, and actually expect

that when looking for the items they're in search of in your online catalog.


Actually I'm working on a partly cloudy day, with lots of kids playing

outside! Ah, spring is in the air!


cYa,


Mary Brzys


----- Original Message -----

From: Cheri Harder <

chericahome [dot] com

>

To: <

flasherchinwag [dot] com

>

Sent: Saturday, April 01, 2000 4:35 PM

Subject: FLASH: Database Structure



> 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

>

>

> flasher is generously supported by...

> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

>      flashforward2000 and The Flash Film Festival

>   "The World's Premier Flash Solutions Conference and Expo"

>  March 27-29, Nob Hill Masonic Center, San Francisco, California

>

> -Register before Feb 25 and save $200!!-- www.flashforward2000.com

> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

> To unsubscribe or change your list settings go to

>

http://www.chinwag.com/flasher or email helpchinwag [dot] com

>



flasher is generously supported by...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

     flashforward2000 and The Flash Film Festival

  "The World�s Premier Flash Solutions Conference and Expo"

 March 27-29, Nob Hill Masonic Center, San Francisco, California


-Register before Feb 25 and save $200!!-- www.flashforward2000.com

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

To unsubscribe or change your list settings go to

http://www.chinwag.com/flasher or email

helpchinwag [dot] com