Re: A newbie paradox: is this a PK-FK (relationship) problem, or programming problem?

well, i don't think i understand what you mean by "formal math", ray, but you can indeed learn to understand and apply the rules of normalization from a book - that's exactly how i learned. experience certainly makes it easier to do as time goes on (though i still get stumped at times, especially when the relationships aren't the standard linear ones i'm used to working with). but unless you've already been trained to "think relationally", intuition is not going to get you there - at least it didn't do it for me. many times in these newsgroups, i've recommended Michael Hernandez' Database Design for Mere Mortals, and i stand by that recommendation. (that's the book i learned from, used as the textbook in a night school class i took on relational design.) i believe it will be well worth your time and money to buy a copy and read it cover to cover, practicing the concepts as you go. good luck with your project! :)

"raylopez99" <raylopez99_at_yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:e4020d50-9327-4597-8be6-414c771b829e_at_f3g2000hsg.googlegroups.com... On Dec 23, 6:31 am, "David Cressey" <cresse..._at_verizon.net> wrote:

Thanks David Cressey.

I do have some books, and am working through the David Louison book, and at some point might buy more books, but it seems to me that there is no formal math you can learn to make a database normalized; indeed
"trial and error" and intuition is what works.

Obviously you, a 20+ year veteran, and some of the other posters here have a lot more trial and error experience than I do.

BTW I did like the solution by Tina--it seems to do the trick in segregating symbol from brokerage account, which was I think my problem in the original design.

Also my proposed clean (dirty) solution in retrospect is not that scalable...

RL Received on Sun Dec 23 2007 - 12:25:38 CST