Posted by Richard Levasseur on 05/14/06 23:40

FYI - The proper term for a table that solves a many-to-many
relationship is called an 'intersection tabel'

items(item_id, name);
items2chars(item_id, char_id); <-- intersection table
characteristics(char_id, name);

In any event, don't store the characteristics in a single field. Put
them in seperate fields, or create a characteristics table with an
intersection table.

If a characteristics is only a boolean value, and you don't foresee
adding/removing attributes, then using fields would work fine (though
it may make a couple of complicated queries a little tricky).
If characteristics have attributes themselves, then you need to use the
intersection method.
If characteristics you foresee characteristics beinga added/removed, it
would be better to use the intersection method.

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