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Posted by Steve on 11/06/06 03:16
| Do you use an SQL data file to store the information or just write it to
| the php file.
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| I have a java one you might want to take some of the decoding from to
| incorporate into you work
i didn't start with by using a db but, that would be the most
effective/efficient way to do it. i was prototyping a methodology and hoping
to find a commonality in the the way manufacturers encode their
make/model/etc. info in the vin. that would allow me to better craft a db
schema.
as it is, there is very little that is common. i gave up the ghost because
it would take a full time commitment to maintain the data. that is why there
are companies (entire companies who make a business out of this one
activity) that do keep up with it all. seriously...the task is daunting. it
is better to define what you plan on doing with vin numbers. perhaps i can
help you with the rest of that.
btw, the manufacturer interface is implemented in each car manufacturer
specific class. the ultimate caller creates a "vin" class object...this
class in turn, parses the vin and creates a specific instance of the correct
manufacturer object. that keeps everything loosly coupled but sufficiently
"informed". your pulling the make/model/etc. is maintained in each
manufactuer specific class that implements the manufacturer interface. in
the end, you'd want to put this data in a db and simply have the vin class
perform queries to get the cooresponding data.
i hope that explains the files i posted a bit more plainly. i've got other
manufacturers data like audi, bmw, and a couple of others. as i was
preparing to do ford's vin data, i realized how unorganized the industry was
and how ford was the pennicle. as with other mfgs., ford has a standard but
it changes from year to year and even model to model and even within model
variances itself. it's rediculous.
anyway, i don't want to put a damper on what you're trying to do. it can be
done. i see what it takes to do it though, and have decided that the only
portions of the vin that are of concern to what i need from a vin are the
manufacturer, year of mfg., and other portions of it that are NOT left to
the mfg. to provide.
let me know if you have questions or get caught on a hurdle. i can't share
too much with you if it goes beyond vin info as my nda with toyota is pretty
lengthy. i'm in the clear with what i've shared so far and have more info on
vins if you require.
hth,
me
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