Re: index fields

Klaus Rehm (c0922@rrzc2) wrote: : Hello, : can anybody give me some hints, how I best solve the following : problem: : I am writing a database application in ESQL/C, where : more fields for one combined primary key index would be necessary : than the database engine supports. : (INFORMIX SE 4.0 and 4.1 support only 8 fields for one combined : primary key index). : Is it better to change the normalized database model or to write : more code and "pack" some fields into just one database field? : Did anybody have the same problem and found a good solution? : Please contact me. Not knowing your application, it is difficult to judge. I am not willing to judge your database design sigt unseen, but I would think that a composite key that contained 8 columns could stand some normalization. Limitations in SQL will eventually come to haunt you should you decide to go the other way and 'pack' data into one column. If you have > 8 columns comprising your primary key, I assume these are all necessary to make it unique? If not,why are they all in one index? DCT -- @ David Tomlinson @ @ dtomlnsn@netcom.com @ @ "I want my own monster! Get me a monster now!" @