Date: 05/10/05 (MySQL Communtiy)    Keywords: mysql, database, sql, web

I inherited a site with a mysql back-end. It was rather painful to get a understanding of what the heck the previous person was doing (it was not pretty). So adding to the db was ok, and making a slight modification here and there was ok. Now the pain came. The client wants to be able to search the database via part numbers (and then return the page it is on). I think to my self, hey no problem right?
bzzt wrong.
I have PartNumber, partnumber, quarter_partnumber and half_partnumber; also each product category is its own table in the database (for a total of ~45 tables). I have done some reading up on this and I believe a join could help.
now, should I bother with a huge join, try to search each table by its self (time wise very costly), or ?
let alone once I find the correct partnumber I have to then find a way to attach the webpages (a second db or a new field in each record).

my brain hurts with the stupid

Source: http://www.livejournal.com/community/mysql/56150.html