Better than tables, better than delimited lines?

[Thomas McGrath III]

Hello all,

I am playing with tables for  a database driven interface.

I used to use comma delimited items with CR delimited lines in a text 
document. Is there a better way to do this, I am trying with a table 
field.
The interface needs three criteria (Key columns one two and three) and 
then anywhere from three to seven actions chosen based on outside 
criteria.

My db looks like this:

key1 , key2 , key3 , action1 , action2 , action3 , action4 , action5
key1 , key2 , key3 , action1 , action2 , action3 , action4 , action5 , 
action6 , action7
key1 , key2 , key3 , action1 , action2 , action3 , action4
key1 , key2 , key3 , action1 , action2 , action3 , action4 , action5
key1 , key2 , key3 , action1 , action2 , action3
key1 , key2 , key3 , action1 , action2 , action3 , action4 , action5, 
action6
key1 , key2 , key3 , action1 , action2 , action3 , action4 , action5
etc...
(May be up to 6,000 lines more at most)

My outside criteria would be like this:

If the checked of preference one is 4 then go through each line until 
key1 & key2 & key3 match these three keys and do action number 4 of 
that line
(where key1 is pressed first and key2 is pressed next and key three is 
pressed last. once that is done the system will check the preference 
item and pick the action item of that sequence of keys and act upon 
it.)
-or-
if there are only three action items then do number three if this 
criteria X has been met.
-or-
if there are more than three action items then do numbers 4 to end (5, 
6 or 7) singularly back to back.

These all make sense to me in what I am doing but I want a visual field 
to do my testing and was wondering if there is a better recommended way 
to handle many calls to a field by line first then first three items 
and then finally by last three to seven items? Again, I used to use 
comma delimited items with CR delimited lines in a text document but 
that was rather cumbersome with a few thousand lines. I eventually 
split it up to be easier to read through and fix errant key entries and 
action items.

Thanks in advance,

Tom




Thomas J McGrath III
3mcgrath at adelphia.net

412-831-3094
220 Drake Road
Bethel Park, PA 15102

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