[ic] extending database

[Ed LaFrance]

At 06:22 AM 12/15/2003 -0700, you wrote:
>Hi all...
>
>I am not Mr Database, so please excuse this question if it seems
>trivial.
>Interchange 4.8.7/MySQL 8.23/Apache 1.3.27
>
>I run an aftermarket performance car parts webstore, and have something
>on the order of 20 to 30,000 parts in my catalog.  Many of these parts
>apply to only one automobile, while many others apply to many
>automobiles.  I'd like to extend the database such that each part number
>also has, say, 10 extra fields for specific car chassis codes.  Then I
>can implement [somehow] a search routine where the user selects his
>make, then model, and can pull up everything available for the car.  Or
>conversely, a part can be selected, and in the description, all
>applicable chassis codes will be shown.
>
>Anyone have a suggestion how I can do this?
>
>TIA,
>Josh

If I were to do this, I would add one field called 'chassis_codes' to the 
products table, which would contain space-separated list of the all the 
codes that apply to the part. Then, your searches would be a simple matter 
using SQL:

         select * from products where chassis_codes like 'foo'

... for 'foo' you would reference the value which contains the determinate 
code (i.e. [value chassis_code] would reference an input named chassis_code 
from a form, etc.)

Listing all chassis_codes for a part is as simple as adding a loop to the 
flypage:

[if-item-field chassis_codes]
         <b>Fits these models:</b><br>
         [loop arg="[item-field chassis_codes]"]
                 &nbsp;&nbsp;[loop-code]<br>
         [/loop]
[/if-item-field]

- Ed L.

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