Re: 250 fields

Tech-Archive recommends: Fix windows errors by optimizing your registry

From: John Vinson (jvinson_at_STOP_SPAM.WysardOfInfo.com)
Date: 07/21/04 

Date: Tue, 20 Jul 2004 23:24:07 -0600

On Tue, 20 Jul 2004 20:20:54 -0700, "mark r"
<anonymous@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:

>if user fills in fielddetail47 then by definition the user
>would not want to fill in fielddetail48.

<sigh>

I'm sorry, Mark. You just conclusively PROVED MY POINT that your table
is not properly normalized. If you have fields with these names, and
if the allowed value of fielddetail48 depends on whether fielddetail47
has a value or not, that means that your table violates second normal
form AND third normal form - and is therefore not normalized.

You are using a spread***. You are using relational database
software to work with this spread***, but you are not using it
relationally. It's possible to drive nails with a crescent wrench, but
that doesn't make it a hammer!

Best of luck working with the database. My honest, unbiased advice is
that you should normalize the table; if you choose not to do so, you
may be able to get your report working, and I hope you do; but you
will have a MUCH harder time over the lifetime of this project due to
the incorrect table structure.

                  John W. Vinson[MVP]
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