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More stupid database tricks

From: David Cressey <david.cressey_at_earthlink.net>
Date: Wed, 03 Aug 2005 13:24:49 GMT
Message-ID: <BA3Ie.159$RZ2.18_at_newsread3.news.atl.earthlink.net> 





<silly>





27.  We tried classic schemas,  but change management of the schema was just
too difficult.  Here's what we do, instead:



We store everything inside a single table,  with just four columns,  named
object_id, attribute_id,  type_code, and string_val.  The primary key is
object_id, attribute_id.



Whenever we need to know the value of an attribute,  we just look it up in
the table,  and then cast the string_val according to the type_code.



Now our metadata is just as flexible as our data.  And the programmers love
it!


</silly>


Received on Wed Aug 03 2005 - 15:24:49 CEST












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