31142 lines/cards/records

[Rob Cozens]

>>I have 31142 items to keep track of and I wonder what the best approach
>>would be to store them. Each item should have an equal number of fields,
>>just a few, with not much text data in each. I could make a comma delimited
>>field with 31142 lines, a stack with 31142 cards or a database with 31142
>>records. I need to sort them in several ways and I wonder what the fastest
>>way is to store and access the data. Any suggestions? What are the benefits
>>of each solution?
>>
>>Terry
>>
>
>
>A field !!!!

Hi Terry,

If you need to sort the items, Yves is right: it's the only solution 
of the three that treats the items as a group.

However there is also the alternative of creating multiple indexes to 
the cards or db records, which points one to the specific item 
instead of all 31 thousand.

If I were making the choice I would consider:

* How many sorts or indexes are required?

* How dynamic is the data once captured?

* Does the user spend more time dealing with a few individual items 
or dealing with the entire 31 thou?
-- 

Rob Cozens
CCW, Serendipity Software Company
http://www.oenolog.com/who.htm

"And I, which was two fooles, do so grow three;
Who are a little wise, the best fooles bee."

from "The Triple Foole" by John Donne (1572-1631)