Re: Database Design

From: Tom Zamani <tomz_at_redflex.com.au>
Date: 2000/06/16
Message-ID: <8ice3q$e92$1@perki.connect.com.au>#1/1

Yes this is a bad database design. The database is not normalised. But a table could have candidate key(). for example. table person.

    p_id
    p_name
    p_sname
    p_tell

In this table p_id in primary key BUT the combination of name sname and tell is unique too.
This table should be broken in to few more tables phone_no table ( p_id, p_tell) a person could have more than one phone number.
But in industry not most of the databases are normalised. In fact you will see few databases which are normalised.(not begin normalised is not always a bad thing !!)
Tom

<stephenjensen_at_my-deja.com> wrote in message news:8ibkn9$iia$1_at_nnrp1.deja.com...
> In my work experience several fields are put together to make up a
> primary key. Basically it is known that the combination of these fields
> will be unique. I have no problem with this if the combination of these
> fields (Primary Key) will be used as a way of accessing a row. However,
> it is known the primary key (Combination of Fields) will not be used to
> access a row. The fact of the matter is you plan to be able to select a
> single to multiple rows back using one of these two fields that make up
> the primary key, but never the two fields together (Primary Key). The
> Primary Key becomes purely academic with no practical use. Therefore, is
> this a bad database design?
>
>
> Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
> Before you buy.
Received on Fri Jun 16 2000 - 00:00:00 CDT