I have hundreds of books, so a few years ago I thought I'd make a db for them using mysql. Before creating the db, I came across the intro to normalization on the mysql site (http://dev.mysql.com/tech-resources/...lization.html).

So I went to work, happily streamlining my design until I had 3NF. My problem was that when I started creating tables and actually entering data on the sql commandline, I realized it was going to be a major pain to remember the various tables and where everything went. I also had difficulty with the joins. Other things in life came up and I was distracted from the project.

Now I have some time, and Istill don't know where to look. I am unclear how to set up an interface for adding or viewing the data. I've used PHP a bit for managing a phpBB forum, as well as phpmyadmin. I write bash scripts on a regular basis to admin my systems. I don't care what language or tool I use, I just don't know a place to start. I'm having trouble coming up with search terms for google--I either get pure design or pure representation.

I'd be grateful to anyone who could point me to the stuff in the middle.

"... a major pain to remember the various tables and where everything went"

download HeidiSQL and use that instead of the command line

you will see that it allows you to browse your tables, see their column names, etc.

Heidi doesn't seem to offer much more than phpmyadmin. The administration is not the problem. What I want is:

- cross platform
- accessible through browser, preferably
- A form or forms for entering and viewing the data w/o the user having to see the 2-column many-to-many forms.

So I'm looking for a web front-end (or language for making it), and instruction on how to represent the 3NF db in a way that hides the implementation from the user.

then use php

Just mentioning PHP doesn't help. It doesn't point me to a link, doesn't suggest anything to search for, nothing. The problem with many newbs like myself is that they don't even know the terms to search for in an unfamiliar area. I have found nothing that explains how to make a nice form that allows a user to unify the various 3NF tables under one simple interface.

I'll start w/ this resource:
http://www.php-mysql-tutorial.com/

It doesn't explicitly show how to do what I want, but at least it shows how to use a database w/ php. I think I can take it from there, but if someone knows a good resource on the specific problem I stated, I'd be grateful.

Here's a link to a nice php-mysql tutorial: http://www.w3schools.com/php/php_mysql_intro.asp

HTH

Here's another link (I likes it):
http://www.tonymarston.net/php-mysql...-heretics.html

If you are looking for abstraction (aka flattening) - check out VIEWS in the documentation.

pootle flump ur codings are working excelent.

Thank you both so much. I did not realize that there was a php AND mysql on the w3 tutorials. I don't remember it being there several years ago when I went through their php tutorial, but it's possible.

As for the OOP for heretics, thanks for that as well. My first coding experience (after the greatest language of all time, QBasic) was C++. I heard the vaunted creeds of OOP. I followed them. I got tired of some of them. I like this person's renegade take. I'll have to think through the rationale to see what I agree with.

Or maybe I'll just try coding my front-end w/ QBasic... Yes...