NYCPHP Meetup

[Jeff]

It would seem that if the structural stability choices are mutually
exclusive, then they would go into a single database column. The same
would apply to the checkboxes. 

Jeff

-----Original Message-----
From: Joshua S. Freeman [mailto:jfreeman at amnh.org] 
Sent: Wednesday, May 14, 2003 2:13 PM
To: NYPHP Talk
Subject: [nycphp-talk] form confusion...


First off, thanks to the many people who helped me out with my previous
question about making it possible for people to upload images.  I'm not
there quite yet but when I get there I'm sure the answers I received
will be incredibly helpful.  Thanks again.

I'm working on the same project.. in brief, a scientist has about 1000
specimens of the same kind of thing and wants to make a database
containing a survey of these 1000 specimens.  The main table in the
database is the 'specimen'table, but that table has lots of fields for
the 'id' number of records in related tables.

In most cases, it's clear from the form whether or not I need to build a
table to relate to the main 'specimen' table but in some cases, it's not
so clear.

Here's an example of what I mean:

in the form, there's an area called 'structural stability'.  Someone
filling out the form can select for a few radio button:

-----------snip-----------------

<input type="radio" name="structural stability" value="stable">stable

<input type="radio" name="structural stability" value="slightly
unstable">slightly unstable

etc...

---------------snip-------------

in addition to 4 possible radio buttons, there are also 2 checkboxes
associated with the idea of 'structural stability':

---------------snip-------------

<input type="checkbox" name="structural stability" value="inadequate
storage support"> inadequate storage support

<input type="checkbox" name="structural stability" value="current insect
activity">   current insect activity

---------------snip-------------

so, here's my question:

right now, i have the name of all the radio buttons and the checkboxes
as 'structural stability'

i'm not sure, however, how to handle this on the database side of
things. Should I give the checkboxes different names and their own
tables?

I'm a little confused at the moment and would love someone with more
experience to shine some light on the path...

Thanks in advance..

And rest assured that once I'm done with this project I should be in
shape to begin offering up some advice of my own to new newbies.

Thanks!

Joshua










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