Re: What is this model technique called

> You will see it called EAV (entity-attribute-value) in the literature.
> It is an attempt to put metadata into a RDBMS and it falls apart in
> about one year in production work. You cannot write any constraints,
> DRI is impossible and every typo becomes a new attribute. The
> simplest queries require huge resources and complex queries are
> unmaintainable.

What about using this for exceptions ONLY? So, we create a properly modelled ER on the first place. Then for those entities where we believe there will be "spill-over" attributes, we plug-in the EAV architecture. Go to production.

Then, after a few years into production, when the new attributes have "matured" into first class citizens, we add a new field to said table or introduce 1:1 subtype with the additional fields?

This should at least give us the possibility of going into production with minimal risk of "missing" a few attributes. Do you think this is a good idea?

Regards

Abdullah Received on Sat Jun 07 2003 - 07:59:44 CDT