[Phpmyadmin-devel] Need suggestions: starting automated Normalization to 1NF

[Marc Delisle]

Smita a écrit :
> Hi
> 
> I have started working on automated normalization. I have written the
> detailed work flow for normalizing the relation to 1NF in my blog[1], I
> need your feedback/suggestions on the same. Just needed to know if the
> approach looks good.
> 
> Also for user interface, I'm thinking to keep options on db_operations and
> tbl_operations page will be appropriate. The options will have
> 1. Normalize to 1NF,
> 2. Normalize to 2NF (1NF + 2NF),
> 3. Normalize to 3NF (1NF+2NF+3NF).
> 
> On select of an option, user shall be presented a dialogue which will
> assist in normalizing the relation. Is it fine ? or should we keep these
> options somewhere else ?
> 
> [1] http://smita786.blogspot.in/2014/06/gsoc14-coding-week-5-automated.html
> 
> Thanks and Regards
> - Smita

Hi Smita,
here are my reactions, thrown at random :)

About the vocabulary itself, I am wondering about using terms like 1NF, 
etc. In my book "Creating MySQL databases" I was very careful to avoid 
these terms. Some phpMyAdmin users have an IT background, but some do not.

Maybe we could use messages like "First step of normalization (1NF)". 
Also, if going to 1NF involves 3 steps, maybe mention step 1.1, 1.2, 1.3 
in the dialogs.

Maybe we could find another term for "normalization", like "improve 
database structure" or whatever, but adding "(normalization)" as a hint 
for IT people.

The workflow looks fine, but will you take into consideration the 
central list of columns?


-- 
Marc Delisle (phpMyAdmin)