Posted by J.O. Aho on 04/22/06 08:06

Frankly wrote:
> "strawberry" <zac.carey@gmail.com> wrote in message
> news:1145663366.202380.164450@z34g2000cwc.googlegroups.com...
>> Good luck!
>>
>
> Thank you for the great post strawberry. right now the biggest problem i am
> having is not knowing what to do next.
>
> do I learn mysql?

SQL can be quite good to know, you have the online manual that can be a useful
tool

http://www.mysql.com/search/?q=&x=5&y=2&doc=1&m=0


> do i stick with access? even tho all i ever did was build simple tables.

It's not as good and fast as a real SQL server and MS-Access forces you to use
a MS-win based server and you never know if this will be the case, better use
something that works on as many platforms as possible.


> learn php and html?

IMHO PHP is simpler than html and you have the great online documentation too

http://www.php.net/manual-lookup.php?lang=en&function=&x=11&y=7
http://www.php.net/manual/en/reserved.variables.php


> most importantly can i do this.

Hey, I have, so why wouldn't you?

> I have been reading lots on the subject but have lacked the ability to
> actually ask questions.
> the busy season is here and i really wanted to start building the database
> and beable to show the changes on my web site. I have gotten very good at
> finding properties and I have updates everyday.
> i walked over to barnes and noble today to see these books in person.
> Mastering phpmyadmin for effective MySQL Management was 1 book I wanted to
> buy.. not in stock :(.

Check Amazon.com, has quite a lot of books and you have the option to buy used
ones too, in case the book in question aren't anymore sold at Amazon.



> what worries me most is not knowing if these books expect me to know any
> kind of programming.

That you need to check on the forewords from the author or the text on the
backside.


> i think the first thing i should learn is MySQL with phpMyadmin. seems
> pretty easy to create a simple table but i get worried that i wont know how
> to create a relational database. for example if create a table for
> buildings and another for apartments how do i relate them togethe?

There is a SQL function called JOIN that you can join tables with each other,
and you can always make more than one query to get what you need.

I do think the best can be to start with pen and paper and draw your tables
and what they will have common and what they will relate to.
It's a lot easier to build the database after you have figured it all out.


i guess
> this is the wrong group for those questions. i have attempted to do that in
> access with out luck and wonder just how hard it can be in something like
> MySQL.
>
> i have worked on databases like i want to create. start off by adding a new
> building into a table and then in another table or form ( or what ever ) i
> would start adding in information about a new apartment and pick the
> building from a drop down menu and once i picked that it would also bring in
> other fields from the buildings table, zip code, sub area, build info. also
> yes know feilds or check box fields for pets, elevator, out door space,
> doorman and so on.

It's somewhat simple, you could make all this with just 3 pages/scripts,
putting in some security you will increase the number up to maybe 5.


> to top it all off today was my birthday and all i did
> was rack my brains out.

Happy Birthday.



//Aho

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