Re: The MySQL/PHP pair

"Kenneth Downs" <firstinit.lastname_at_lastnameplusfam.net> wrote in message news:7v0bmc.d42.ln_at_192.168.10.210...
> Dawn M. Wolthuis wrote:
>
> >> Also, it would be much easier to
> >> do this if those specs were data instead of code.
> >
> > I also agree with this, however, I see metadata (which constraints are)
> > and
> > code to be two sides of the same coin. All code is metadata as well IMO
> > -- and code can be easier to read, especially if the meta-metadata is
not
> > easy to find.
> >
> >> Also, adding automation to the specs instead of just constraints would
> >> greatly enhance their value.
> >
> > I don't understand what you mean by that.
> >
>
> Two things. On the code=data thing I'm going to have to work up a good
rant
> on why they are not, but trying to do it in a quick post on my break is a
> bad idea, that one will have to wait.
>
> For automation, think this way. Start with the database definition, or
> specification, if you will. The database definition must be complete, it
> must completely describe every table and column, and entirely in scalar
> data.
>
> The universe of column definitions are then divided into two kinds,
> USER-SUPPLIED and AUTOMATED. User supplied columns come in to the server
> from some outside source, either a keyboard or an EDI routine or a
one-time
> load or whatever, and are subject to constraints. AUTOMATED columns have
> their values generated by the system based on user-supplied columns and
> other automated columns. The only constraint upon automated columns is
> that an INSERT or UPDATE statement cannot directly write their values.
<snip>

OK, I didn't understand what you were referring to as "adding automation". It sounds like you are referring to virtual and/or materialized user-defined data, virtual fields, derived data, UDFs, stored procedures, etc. These are all automated by way of "code" specified in attributes as metadata, right? So your "USER-SUPPLIED" columns are supplied with the metadata having no "code" other than name, size, type, desc, or whatever, where your "AUTOMATED" have additional "metadata" to derive the value from whereever, rather than requiring that the data be stored directly (maybe?).

I had never used the term "automation" for it, if I am now understanding what you meant by the term, but I think I understand your distinction now as one I might called the difference between stored data and derived data.

Cheers! --dawn Received on Wed Nov 03 2004 - 18:44:12 CET