I need some ideas for database structure

Hello,

I have database, which contains the list of laptop companies and some
information about them.
Some laptop models, have series, sub series, family's and so on.
for example. Acer Aspire 5102WLMi.
Company: Acer
Family: Aspire
Serie: 5100
Model: 5102WLMi

another example would be
IBM Lenovo ThinkPad A22m 2628 AG1
Company: IBM Lenovo
Family: ThinkPad
Serie: A22m
Type: 2628
Model: AG1

Most of them have up to 4 main categories, such as Company, Family,
Serie and Model, but some of them like IBM Lenovo have more
categories.

At that moment I made 1 special table for IBM (type) and this one is
in the middle of the serie and model. Now I need to write some extra
code for every operation I make with data such as if company == IBM
then bla bla and so on.

I realy believe that there is solution how to automate this whole
thing even if there would be more sub categories in the future with
other models.

Any Ideas ?

Sincerely,
Dmitrij

Re: I need some ideas for database structure

I have a table listing only auto makes
(like Acura, AMC, Audi, BMW...) And
then I have another table with some-
thing like the table that follows. Whereas
I only have Make / Model ==> you have
Company, Family, Serie and Model. It is
possible that you could have a set of
related tables: The first would list only
COMPANYs. The second would list
COMPANYs and FAMILYs. The third
would list FAMILYs and SERIES. The
next would list SERIES and MODELs.
I'm sure you would have to come up
with your own naming convention to
handle situations in which 2 different
COMPANYs might use the same FAMILY
name or SERIES name or MODEL name.
With a little work, though, you could make
it happen. Hopefully helpful.

Make Model
Acura CL
Acura CSX
Acura EL
Acura Integra
Acura Legend
Acura MDX
Acura NSX
Acura RDX
Acura RL
Acura RSX
Acura SLX
Acura TSX
Acura TL
Acura Vigor
AMC Ambassador
AMC American
AMC AMX
AMC Classic
AMC Concord
AMC Eagle
AMC Gremlin
AMC Hornet
AMC Javelin
AMC Marlin
AMC Matador
AMC Pacer
AMC Rambler
AMC Rebel
AMC Spirit
AMC Other
Audi 100
Audi 200
Audi 4000 Coupe GT
Audi 4000 Coupe Quattro
Audi 4000 Quattro
Audi 4000 Sport Coupe
Audi 4000 2 & 4 Door Sedan
Audi 5000 & 5000 Quattro
Audi A3
Audi A4
Audi A6
Audi A8
Audi AllRoad
Audi Cabriolet
Audi Fox
Audi Q7
Audi RS4
Audi RS6
Audi S4
Audi S6
Audi S8
Audi 80 Series
Audi 90 Series
Audi Super 90
Audi TT
Audi V8 Quattro
BMW 1602
BMW 1800
BMW 2002
BMW 2500
BMW 2800
BMW 3.0
BMW 318i
BMW 320i
BMW 323I
BMW 325e
BMW 325i
BMW 328i
BMW 330i
BMW 335i
BMW 524TD
BMW 525i
BMW 528e
BMW 528i
BMW 530i
BMW 533i
BMW 535i
BMW 540i
BMW 545i
BMW 550i
BMW 630CSi
BMW 633CSi
BMW 635CSi
BMW 645Ci
BMW 650i
BMW 728
BMW 732
BMW 733i
BMW 735i
BMW 740i
BMW 745i
BMW 750i
BMW 760i
BMW 840i
BMW 850i
BMW L6
BMW L7
BMW M3
BMW M5
BMW M6
BMW Mini Cooper
BMW X3
BMW X5
BMW Z3
BMW Z4
BMW Z8
Buick Allure
Buick Apollo
Buick Century
Buick Enclave
Buick Electra (1980 Up)
Buick Electra (1979 Down)
Buick Lacrosse
Buick LeSabre (1980 Up)
Buick LeSabre (1979 Down)
Buick Limited
Buick Lucerne
Buick Park Ave (1980 Up)
Buick Park Ave (1979 Down)
Buick Rainier
Buick Reatta
Buick Regal (except Somerset)
Buick Regal Somerset (1985 Up)
Buick Regal Somerset (1982 Down)
Buick Rendezvous
Buick Riviera
Buick Roadmaster (1980 Up)
Buick Roadmaster (1979 Down)
Buick Skyhawk
Buick Skylark
Buick Special
Buick Terraza
Buick Other
Cadillac Allante
Cadillac Brougham
Cadillac CTS
Cadillac Catera
Cadillac Cimarron
Cadillac Concours (2000 Up)
Cadillac Concours (2000 Down)
Cadillac DeVille (1980 Up)
Cadillac DeVille (1979 Down)
Cadillac DTS
Cadillac Eldorado
Cadillac Escalade
Cadillac Escalade-EXT
Cadillac Escalade-ESV
Cadillac Fleetwood (1980 Up)
Cadillac Fleetwood (1979 Down)
Cadillac Seville (incl STS)
Cadillac SRX
Cadillac STS
Cadillac XLR
Cadillac Other
Chrysler 300M
Chrysler 300
Chrysler Aspen

Re: I need some ideas for database structure

I think one table would do nicely .
ie. If the category doesn't apply to some of the items then leave
blank.
Then make your queries.
Sounds like an excel job though yours is.

rgds

Re: I need some ideas for database structure

Thanks for your reply, however I do not think that this idea would
help me or I can not imagine how to use it as I have one more table,
which contains groups of models. I mean, for example acer 1600 series
and dell c600 could be in the same group. I coudln't find out the way
how to do it with your way.
Anyway your solution is interesting for me.
Now I am trying to put information into that extra table even if the
model doesn't have it (just put -1 if it doesn't).

Thanks one more time.

On Nov 5, 12:36 am, MLH wrote:
> I have a table listing only auto makes
> (like Acura, AMC, Audi, BMW...) And
> then I have another table with some-
> thing like the table that follows. Whereas
> I only have Make / Model ==> you have
> Company, Family, Serie and Model. It is
> possible that you could have a set of
> related tables: The first would list only
> COMPANYs. The second would list
> COMPANYs and FAMILYs. The third
> would list FAMILYs and SERIES. The
> next would list SERIES and MODELs.
> I'm sure you would have to come up
> with your own naming convention to
> handle situations in which 2 different
> COMPANYs might use the same FAMILY
> name or SERIES name or MODEL name.
> With a little work, though, you could make
> it happen. Hopefully helpful.
>
> Make Model
> Acura CL
> Acura CSX
> Acura EL
> Acura Integra
> Acura Legend
> Acura MDX
> Acura NSX
> Acura RDX
> Acura RL
> Acura RSX
> Acura SLX
> Acura TSX
> Acura TL
> Acura Vigor
> AMC Ambassador
> AMC American
> AMC AMX
> AMC Classic
> AMC Concord
> AMC Eagle
> AMC Gremlin
> AMC Hornet
> AMC Javelin
> AMC Marlin
> AMC Matador
> AMC Pacer
> AMC Rambler
> AMC Rebel
> AMC Spirit
> AMC Other
> Audi 100
> Audi 200
> Audi 4000 Coupe GT
> Audi 4000 Coupe Quattro
> Audi 4000 Quattro
> Audi 4000 Sport Coupe
> Audi 4000 2 & 4 Door Sedan
> Audi 5000 & 5000 Quattro
> Audi A3
> Audi A4
> Audi A6
> Audi A8
> Audi AllRoad
> Audi Cabriolet
> Audi Fox
> Audi Q7
> Audi RS4
> Audi RS6
> Audi S4
> Audi S6
> Audi S8
> Audi 80 Series
> Audi 90 Series
> Audi Super 90
> Audi TT
> Audi V8 Quattro
> BMW 1602
> BMW 1800
> BMW 2002
> BMW 2500
> BMW 2800
> BMW 3.0
> BMW 318i
> BMW 320i
> BMW 323I
> BMW 325e
> BMW 325i
> BMW 328i
> BMW 330i
> BMW 335i
> BMW 524TD
> BMW 525i
> BMW 528e
> BMW 528i
> BMW 530i
> BMW 533i
> BMW 535i
> BMW 540i
> BMW 545i
> BMW 550i
> BMW 630CSi
> BMW 633CSi
> BMW 635CSi
> BMW 645Ci
> BMW 650i
> BMW 728
> BMW 732
> BMW 733i
> BMW 735i
> BMW 740i
> BMW 745i
> BMW 750i
> BMW 760i
> BMW 840i
> BMW 850i
> BMW L6
> BMW L7
> BMW M3
> BMW M5
> BMW M6
> BMW Mini Cooper
> BMW X3
> BMW X5
> BMW Z3
> BMW Z4
> BMW Z8
> Buick Allure
> Buick Apollo
> Buick Century
> Buick Enclave
> Buick Electra (1980 Up)
> Buick Electra (1979 Down)
> Buick Lacrosse
> Buick LeSabre (1980 Up)
> Buick LeSabre (1979 Down)
> Buick Limited
> Buick Lucerne
> Buick Park Ave (1980 Up)
> Buick Park Ave (1979 Down)
> Buick Rainier
> Buick Reatta
> Buick Regal (except Somerset)
> Buick Regal Somerset (1985 Up)
> Buick Regal Somerset (1982 Down)
> Buick Rendezvous
> Buick Riviera
> Buick Roadmaster (1980 Up)
> Buick Roadmaster (1979 Down)
> Buick Skyhawk
> Buick Skylark
> Buick Special
> Buick Terraza
> Buick Other
> Cadillac Allante
> Cadillac Brougham
> Cadillac CTS
> Cadillac Catera
> Cadillac Cimarron
> Cadillac Concours (2000 Up)
> Cadillac Concours (2000 Down)
> Cadillac DeVille (1980 Up)
> Cadillac DeVille (1979 Down)
> Cadillac DTS
> Cadillac Eldorado
> Cadillac Escalade
> Cadillac Escalade-EXT
> Cadillac Escalade-ESV
> Cadillac Fleetwood (1980 Up)
> Cadillac Fleetwood (1979 Down)
> Cadillac Seville (incl STS)
> Cadillac SRX
> Cadillac STS
> Cadillac XLR
> Cadillac Other
> Chrysler 300M
> Chrysler 300
> Chrysler Aspen