Re: storing survey answers of different data types

[Snipped]
> > Yes, but no one ever seems to follow the advice.  So before we use
> > up any of our finite and dwindling lifetime typing it out for you, do
> > you promise to follow the advice?
>
> Can you just copy and paste the solution? Or post a link?
>
> If it's so great, why doesn't anyone ever seem to follow it? I'm not
> interested in the hacky methods that I've thought of so far. If it is
> demonstrably better, I'll use it :)

If you are not interested in hacky methods as you claim, please don't expect Roy to post the solution or a link as an immediate satisfactory. In database design, hacked and immediate solutions are almost synonyms.

> I'm supremely uninterested in wasting your time. If you give me a few
> keywords, I'll google the solution and do all the heavy lifting of
> explaining it to myself.
The solution Roy refers to is about serious design where very little material of value has been posted on Google. Grabbing a good book and reading will help you even more.

> > This is a programming problem not a database design problem. Even
> > an SQL DBMS can handle this problem very easily.  In fact this is, in
> > miniature, exactly the kind of problem relational/SQL databases were
> > conceived to solve.  To apply the 'best' solution you will have to write
> > one moderately complicated program that will read the database metadata
> > but it will work for all future questionnaires. I am not being
> > euphemistic or ironic--it will be only moderately complicated.  
>
> > So, do you promise?
>
> Oh what the heck. I promise! :)
Be careful what you wish for...

You just swallowed the red pill in Matrix...

Regards... Received on Wed Apr 22 2009 - 15:33:52 CEST