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Difficulty Designing A Product Database
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databasedesigningproductdifficulty
Problem
The image below is my ham-fisted attempt to design a database of cabinets. I'm new to this and this is simply an exercise to help me understand database structure.
My goal is not to create an inventory/order database that relates to client purchases. I want to create a database that would allow me to populate products based on style, material, joinery, or etc... In other words, if a customer visits the website and selects to view cabinets of a certain category then all the cabinets associated with that category will populate in an array. It will display an image and beneath that a title. For example:
From what I've researched attributes should define the columns of the table, but many of the cabinets have multivalued attributes. I'm starting to believe I've overcomplicated the design. I added a few text blocks to hopefully clarify the purpose of the table. Can someone with experience provide some constructive feedback? Thanks!
My goal is not to create an inventory/order database that relates to client purchases. I want to create a database that would allow me to populate products based on style, material, joinery, or etc... In other words, if a customer visits the website and selects to view cabinets of a certain category then all the cabinets associated with that category will populate in an array. It will display an image and beneath that a title. For example:
From what I've researched attributes should define the columns of the table, but many of the cabinets have multivalued attributes. I'm starting to believe I've overcomplicated the design. I added a few text blocks to hopefully clarify the purpose of the table. Can someone with experience provide some constructive feedback? Thanks!
Solution
I can only repeat what I tell everyone - Data Model Resource Book Volume 1 is maybe half about that topic and it is a serious goldmine of ideas and complications.
Seriously, depending what you want to cover that is a brutal topic. Some things are sized (3 x 2meter lone, 5x1.5 meter long), some have colors, some sizes, some colors AND sizes.
Price may depend on attribute, volume combined dimension (total meters). World of pain.
The question is how much of that you NEED - and what yo can cut.
I suggest reading the book for also in depth discussions about the topic.
Sadly, that is all I can say - without a requirement, a review of your schema is moot (did you forget something? How can I know... we only can check what is possible, not what is wanted, in product complexity).
Seriously, depending what you want to cover that is a brutal topic. Some things are sized (3 x 2meter lone, 5x1.5 meter long), some have colors, some sizes, some colors AND sizes.
Price may depend on attribute, volume combined dimension (total meters). World of pain.
The question is how much of that you NEED - and what yo can cut.
I suggest reading the book for also in depth discussions about the topic.
Sadly, that is all I can say - without a requirement, a review of your schema is moot (did you forget something? How can I know... we only can check what is possible, not what is wanted, in product complexity).
Context
StackExchange Database Administrators Q#212433, answer score: 2
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