Re: Variable tables
From: David Portas <REMOVE_BEFORE_REPLYING_dportas_at_acm.org>
Date: Fri, 4 Sep 2009 07:43:35 +0100
Message-ID: <FPqdnR6L_5ODKj3XnZ2dnUVZ8uadnZ2d_at_giganews.com>
"Google Poster" <goposter_at_jonjay.com> wrote in message news:67eb6c60-22c8-4aaf-bc98-2fb9b78249c0_at_z16g2000yqe.googlegroups.com...
>
> This is a continuation of my whining against the relational model.
>
> Yes, I realize that it is efficient and its theoretical background is
> elegant, nay, beautiful. I read all about it when I was in college.
>
> The problem is like trying to put a round peg in the proverbial square
> -actually: rectangular- hole.
>
> We deal with many different companies and have to replicate their
> database structure. A feature that comes to mind is the variable
> 'struct' in C. IIRC Oracle supports something like that. I envision a
> table whose fields are divided in two classes:
>
> - common fields, which are used by all instances of such table
> - a variable (or "custom" for lack of a better term) part which is
> specific to each case.
>
> I would like to re-use the programs (I program with the Pro C
> precompiler). across the "variant" tables.
>
> TIA,
>
> GP
>
Date: Fri, 4 Sep 2009 07:43:35 +0100
Message-ID: <FPqdnR6L_5ODKj3XnZ2dnUVZ8uadnZ2d_at_giganews.com>
"Google Poster" <goposter_at_jonjay.com> wrote in message news:67eb6c60-22c8-4aaf-bc98-2fb9b78249c0_at_z16g2000yqe.googlegroups.com...
>
> This is a continuation of my whining against the relational model.
>
> Yes, I realize that it is efficient and its theoretical background is
> elegant, nay, beautiful. I read all about it when I was in college.
>
> The problem is like trying to put a round peg in the proverbial square
> -actually: rectangular- hole.
>
> We deal with many different companies and have to replicate their
> database structure. A feature that comes to mind is the variable
> 'struct' in C. IIRC Oracle supports something like that. I envision a
> table whose fields are divided in two classes:
>
> - common fields, which are used by all instances of such table
> - a variable (or "custom" for lack of a better term) part which is
> specific to each case.
>
> I would like to re-use the programs (I program with the Pro C
> precompiler). across the "variant" tables.
>
> TIA,
>
> GP
>
All tables are "variable", ie. table structure is dynamic rather than fixed. Schema change is the norm in many if not most databases and the only question is how you manage that change (essentially a management problem rather than a technical one).
-- David PortasReceived on Fri Sep 04 2009 - 01:43:35 CDT