Hi all.

Regardless of the Database software I use, is it neccessary to type up spreadsheets/documents and the like of the information before I have the program and before I actually add the info to the Database, or is that just a waste of time? Say like someone had a college database, and when someone searched, they could click a link to one of the colleges that the actual site would have info on, but then that info page has a link to the actual college's page. How would someone go about doing something of that nature?

Thanks in advanced!

is it necessary to do some careful planning and design before you write code?

yes, but not necessarily with a spreadsheet

can the design support a search for data that includes a link to a college's web site, and how would you go about doing it?

yes, by becoming a database-driven web developer

Well my issue is, I saw a site that allows people to Search for colleges by major, etc. and say when you search that way a seperate page of THEIR site pops up. On that page is a bunch of info about the college and then a link to the webseite. Not necissarily with colleges, but I was wondering how that is done, not necissarily with colleges, where when you search it doesn't go straight to the variable's site but a page of yours with info about it.

it's done with, um, a database of stuff, that the search query can access, and then the web page displays what's found

how is that done? that's far, far too broad a subject for a simple question-and-answer forum

which language do you know -- php? asp? coldfusion? anything like that?

I don't know any language, which is why I was probably going to hire someone to construct if for me. I was just wondering if I had actually needed to do all this work beforehand of typing up all this information or just wait until the database is up on the site and THEN enter the info. I figured if I typed it all up now, I could just copy and paste it later on.

Well, you CERTAINLY need to do some careful planning up front, else you will probably fail.

At the least, analyze your requirements, document them, then document the software functional requirements.

After this, you could design a data structure that will support the functional requirements, and finally, design the application.

THEN, youcould start implementing a database solution that has a good chance of succeeding, and be maintainable and extensible.