[Phpmyadmin-devel] On relation table field names

[Jay Davis]

Hello:

Despite field name changes for the relation table fields in 2.3.0, the
relation table field names still seem to be misnamed.

The current names are:

master_db
master_table
master_field
foreign_db
foreign_table
foreign_field

The primary key for the table is defined as:

PRIMARY KEY (`master_db`,`master_table`,`master_field`)

Unfortunately, this is the reverse of what I think makes sense (and
probably the reverse of what most database administrators will understand).

Here's what I mean:

Normally, you have two kinds of keys in a relational database: primary
keys and foreign keys. Foreign keys are always primary keys in one--and
only one--other table. Consider the following simple example:

Table Products:
Product ID << This is a primary key
Description

Table Orders:
Order ID
Product ID << This is a foreign key
Quantity

In the current PMA 2.3.0 relation table (if I understand it correctly),
we would enter the following values:

master_table: Orders
master_field: Product ID
foreign_table: Products
foreign_field: Product ID

Note that the primary key is called foreign and the the foreign key is
called master. Ick.

I suggest reversing the naming of the relation table fields. Also, to
make this even more clear, rename 'master' to 'primary', as this DOES
refer to the actual primary keys of tables. This would also mean that the
primary key for the relation table would be:

PRIMARY KEY (`foreign_db`,`foreign_table`,`foreign_field`)

This makes much more sense. (The same foreign key can be in many tables,
but it must always refer to the same primary key.)

Perhaps I am totally misunderstanding, but the PRIMARY KEY definition of
the relation table is what set me off, so please correct me if am confused.

Regards,

Jay Davis