Yes, very sensible replies, both.

But now let me complicate things: There are four questions, each with 5 or 10 possible choices, and multiple choices are allowed. Each update, the user answers all four questions.

So, I could have four separate tables, Q_1 to Q_4, each with 'update_id' and 'option' columns. To retirieve the selections of Monday, I have either four queries to create, prepare, execute and retrieve, or a four-table join to do. Versus one table with update_id and Q_1 to Q_4 columns, from which I do a single query and four splits.

I'm unsure that four queries, or a four table join, is going to be faster than a single query. Each query is a call to the DBI - an extra layer. Whereas a split is pure Perl.

But I agree that it's certainly not a purist's approach to database design.




Forget that fear of gravity,
Get a little savagery in your life.

In reply to Re^2: Perl or Mysql to store multiple choices? by punch_card_don
in thread Perl or Mysql to store multiple choices? by punch_card_don

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