The question isn't really a performance issue, but rather one of
customization. If users are likely to need to add values to an
enumeration, (example: category for a blog post), then a lookup table
is a good idea. If the values are substantially unlikely to change
(see your examples - marriage status and state) then there's not a lot
to be gained by complicating the DB.
--Matt Jones
On May 7, 3:43 am, Vipin <sh.vi...@gmail.com> wrote:
> in a database table if there is a field which has a certain set of
> fixed values. for example
> staus => {Single, Married, Divorced }
> OR
> state => {California, Albama, Olaska ...}
>
> so what should be preferred way out of the following for storing the
> values
>
> 1. Keep the field as "string(Rails)" VARCHAR(MySQL) itself ....and
> while showing the field just show the field value.
>
> 2. Keep the field internally as a code like {:california =>
> 01, :albama => 02, washington => 03 ....} but while showing the state
> show only the corresponding state.
>
> By using option 2, a certain disadvantage is extra computation time
> required to find out corresponding state name based on code when
> showing the state field to user. But an advantage could be in terms of
> smaller database. In my opinion, saving 01 as an integer could save
> significant space than storing "california" if number of records
> happen to be in tens of thousands .
>
> please suggest ??
>
> vipin
--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Ruby
on Rails: Talk" group.
To post to this group, send email to rubyonrails-talk@googlegroups.com
To unsubscribe from this group, send email to
rubyonrails-talk+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com
For more options, visit this group at
http://groups.google.com/group/rubyonrails-talk?hl=en
-~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
