Re: search comma separated db column

[Jesper Öhnstedt]

->Why, yes of course its wrong.<-

But we weren't discussing predefined types and the letter of the definitions.
I was commenting on your advice to redesign a database you know nothing about to a person that might take you at your words.

Further I would like you to tell me what separates a "string of ints" from a string consisting of numerals and commas? There is nothing holy about predefined datatypes.
What if he had asked about a "space separated list of strings"? Would that have been just as horrible? Could he not have asked how to search such a field? The exact same tools would be needed. A more pragmatic approach is called for here.

Telling a new user he needs to redesign his database because he has violated a basic guideline (note guideline, not rule) of database design, is mean and just not helpful. I'm new to this forum and havn't read all that much but I think you are the kind of person who posts links as answers to questions.

[edit]
If you reacted to this check out the horrendous advice I gave the guy that posted about using wildcards in IN clauses. :-) Imagine that on a large scale *shiver*
[/edit]
/Jesper



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/25/2008 12:42PM by Jesper Öhnstedt.