mmartin1 (2/15/2013)

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So in your model, if I got a new cell phone and number , you would need to create a new entry for me. Do you know for a fact that this possibility doesn't exist? I don't see the disadvantage of normalising the database in contrast to the risk of defeating the purpose of a rdms.

Steven Willis (2/3/2013)

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Considering something like Contact Info I'd do something like below. . . . .
I'll say again: this is a very simplified model. What actually needs to go in the various tables is always based on the needs of the application.

. . .

--All of these tables allow for adding a new 'type' at any time or changing the description of a 'type'

Table:AddressType
AddressTypeID
AddressType -- shipping, mailing, home, office, vacation house, etc
AddressTypeDesc --optional for allowing longer descriptions

--Could be Customer, Agent, Relative, etc
Table:ContactType
ContactTypeID
ContactType
ContactTypeDesc

Table:PhoneType
PhoneTypeID
PhoneType --home, cell, office, fax, etc
PhoneTypeDesc

. . . .

--I like to use a cross-reference table because you can sometimes have more than 1 contact at the same address
--as well as multiple addresses per contact
Table:ContactAddress
ContactID
AddressID

--For the same reason as addresses
Table:ContactPhone
ContactID
PhoneID