How would I use mySQL for this?

#1

I have a web site that has data valves (tubes to Americans) used in
amateur radio. I have 370 data sheets in pdf format. But finding them
currently relies on HTML files which have links.

http://www.g8wrb.org/triodes.shtml
http://www.g8wrb.org/tetrodes.shtml
http://www.g8wrb.org/pentodes.shtml

But now there are too many to make searching down the HTML file very
practical. Those files list them in order of increasing power, but it
might be useful to have them in order of increasing frequency, by make,
model, method of cooling etc.

I think the data needs to go into a database so one could search it - am
I right???

I have mysql on the server. I'm thinking of trying to use that although
I have never used it beyond hooking it up to PHPBB or similar.

All valves have certain charactertics that it would be useful to search on.

1) Nuermous makes - Eimac, GEC
2) Numerous model numbers.
3) 3 types - tridoes, tetrodes, pentodes
3) 4 methods cooling - water, air, radiation, vapor
5) They all have a dissipation in Watts
6) They all have a maximum frequency in MHz.

In the case of power and frequency, selecting a range would be useful.
So perhaps finding valves/tubes between 2000 and 8000 W.

Are there an open-source UNIX tools that would make my life easier
without having to reinvent the wheel? Something I could hook up to mysql
would seem most sensible as I have that database.

Any ideas on the best way to address this? One option is do nothing but
I don't think that is the web approach.

--
Dave K MCSE.

MCSE = Minefield Consultant and Solitaire Expert.

Please note my email address changes periodically to avoid spam.
It is always of the form: month-year (AT) domain (DOT) Hitting reply will work
for a couple of months only. Later set it manually.

http://witm.sourceforge.net/ (Web based Mathematica front end)

#2

Dave (from the UK) wrote:

Quote:

I have a web site that has data valves (tubes to Americans) used in
amateur radio. I have 370 data sheets in pdf format. But finding them
currently relies on HTML files which have links.

http://www.g8wrb.org/triodes.shtml
http://www.g8wrb.org/tetrodes.shtml
http://www.g8wrb.org/pentodes.shtml

But now there are too many to make searching down the HTML file very
practical. Those files list them in order of increasing power, but it
might be useful to have them in order of increasing frequency, by make,
model, method of cooling etc.

I think the data needs to go into a database so one could search it - am
I right???

I have mysql on the server. I'm thinking of trying to use that although
I have never used it beyond hooking it up to PHPBB or similar.

All valves have certain charactertics that it would be useful to search on.

1) Nuermous makes - Eimac, GEC
2) Numerous model numbers.
3) 3 types - tridoes, tetrodes, pentodes
3) 4 methods cooling - water, air, radiation, vapor
5) They all have a dissipation in Watts
6) They all have a maximum frequency in MHz.

In the case of power and frequency, selecting a range would be useful.
So perhaps finding valves/tubes between 2000 and 8000 W.

Are there an open-source UNIX tools that would make my life easier
without having to reinvent the wheel? Something I could hook up to mysql
would seem most sensible as I have that database.

Any ideas on the best way to address this? One option is do nothing but
I don't think that is the web approach.

--
Dave K MCSE.

MCSE = Minefield Consultant and Solitaire Expert.

Please note my email address changes periodically to avoid spam.
It is always of the form: month-year (AT) domain (DOT) Hitting reply will work
for a couple of months only. Later set it manually.

http://witm.sourceforge.net/ (Web based Mathematica front end)

It sounds like you've already got everything you need.

This is just an example but your structure might look like this:

valves
valve_id,make_id,model_id,type_id,method_id,wattag e,frequency,notes,sheet_id

makes
make_id,make

models
model_id,model

types
type_id,type

methods
method_id,method

sheets
sheet_id,sheet_name

#3

zac.carey (AT) gmail (DOT) com wrote in
news:1152453909.491711.229210 (AT) 75g2000cwc (DOT) googlegroups.com:

Quote:

It sounds like you've already got everything you need.

This is just an example but your structure might look like this:

valves
valve_id,make_id,model_id,type_id,method_id,wattag e,frequency,notes,she
et_id

makes
make_id,make

models
model_id,model

types
type_id,type

methods
method_id,method

sheets
sheet_id,sheet_name

I see little reason to use all those synthetic keys, or even to use any
tables other than "valves" (unless there are plans to add more attributes
to makes, models, types, methods, or sheets).

#4

Eric Bohlman wrote:

Quote:

I see little reason to use all those synthetic keys, or even to use any
tables other than "valves" (unless there are plans to add more attributes
to makes, models, types, methods, or sheets).

I don't have a clue here.

Sometimes the same tube is available from several manufacturers.

Is there any software around that would help do this sort of thing? I
can see I could create a table in mysql but the only way I know to
search would be on the command line.

I could probably write a PHP script that interfaces to that, but it
seems like the sort of thing someone would have done before for another
application. The fact these are valves does not really matter - they
could just as easily be parts for cars or other electronic components.

I don't want to reinvent the wheel but I guess writing my own interface
in PHP would be a way to learn more about mysql (and PHP).

--
Dave K MCSE.

MCSE = Minefield Consultant and Solitaire Expert.

Please note my email address changes periodically to avoid spam.
It is always of the form: month-year (AT) domain (DOT) Hitting reply will work
for a couple of months only. Later set it manually.

http://witm.sourceforge.net/ (Web based Mathematica front end)