At 12:58 PM -0700 8/15/99, Mark Bean wrote:
>I'm working to enhance my product database. I have found that my old
>database no longer meets my needs. I require the ability to
>categorize my products on many levels. I'm considering categorizing
>my products with six main classification types. Each of those
>classification types can contain up to ten categories. Most, if not
>all, classifications will require only one selection, but some will
>have none. I do will need the ability to add additional categories in
>the classification types. For example, I have a cassification type of
>brand, I would need the ability to add new brands when they become
>available. I could work around the need for one product have multiple
>selections per classification. I'm not sure if I should use set or
>enum. Besides for set having the ability to hold more than one
>selection, what are the advantages of one over the other? Are there
>any speed considerations?
>
>My database is relatively small with only about 200 products.
That in itself may decide the question for you. A SET can have a
maximum of 64 distinct elements. An ENUM can have up to 65535.
Either column type can have a "none" value (the empty string, for
example). Both are implemented internally as numbers, so they're
reasonably efficient.
--
Paul DuBois, paul@stripped
