Re: Database design question

["Francis Lapeyre" <flapeyre@xxxxxxxxx>]

Or you can create a file that has a key by user, date, time, and a sequence
number. The text field itself would be 75 or so bytes (which will fit onto
the entry screen as a subfile). If you have merely a 3-byte sequence number,
you can fit 74,925 bytes of notes for each user/timestamp (enough for a
fair-sized short story). Plus, it conserved disk space over large fixed
length.

Maybe, as Rob said, make them varying in length (big enough to fill most of
a screen), and have the sequence number; that way, if one screen isn't
enough, you can have it all under the same user and timestamp.


On 8/9/07, Matt.Haas@xxxxxxxxxxx <Matt.Haas@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> Tim,
>
> A lot depends on what's going to read and write the data. On the
> surface, this sounds like a good use for a CLOB (or large variable
> length fields) to store the notes but if RPG/400 programs are going to
> use the data, you can't use them (CLOBs) and large fixed length fields
> would be better.
>
> Matt
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: rpg400-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx
> [mailto:rpg400-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of tim
> Sent: Thursday, August 09, 2007 9:57 AM
> To: Rpg Forumn
> Subject: Database design question
>
> Hello all,
>
>
>
> I have to design a database that will hold notes keyed by a user. These
> notes can be anywhere from a few words to a several hundred. Notes will
> be
> tracked by user/date/time. There can be hundreds of separate notes
> entered
> each day, so this database will get rather large.
>
>
>
> As far as defining the actual field that will hold the note. I would
> like
> some design feedback. Should it be fixed, variable, other.
>
>
>
> Thanks for all the input in advance.
>
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