>>>I am designing a web based system for consumer vehicle configuration. The options list for the various vehicle models includes combinations which exclude certain options and require others. Currently we just have the elementary system working with the full option table, full model table, and the options by model tables.
>>>
>>>I have some thoughts regarding the design and stored procedures for interactively returning a cursor of both the excluded and required options based on the currently selected options. However, I suspect that many of you have already dealt with this design challenge and have some good ideas for both design and stored procedure code. I openly welcome any suggestions and code examples.
>>>
>>>Thanks
>>>
>>>Glenn
>>
>>I've actually done this exact same thing before. The trick was that some of the options will elimante other options - for example - you can't get the '17 inch wheel option' if you selected the '16 inch wheel option' - you have to have one or the other (or neither in some cases). When I did it, I had it all table driven. (no pun intended)
>
>Yes of course that is the approach I need to take, but the details of the data design are challenging. What I am thinking of is a set of option rules like this:
>
>ruleOptions
>*--------------------------------
>ruleId modelNumber optionNumber
>...
>ruleId modelNumber optionNumber
>
>and another table with the exclusions and inclusions
>
>ruleRequirements
>*--------------------------------
>ruleId optionNumber includeExclude
>...
>ruleId optionNumber includeExclude
>
>and select the rules from the ruleOptions using a temprary table of selected options
>*--------------------------------
>Model Option
>...
>Model Option
>
>
>the SQL code needed to generate the exclude/include temp table has my head spinning.
>
>Glenn


The way I did it was a seperate table for the options, and another for option category and yet another for option type, then a links table joining all those together based on make and model. I had a VFP front end for what I was trying to do, so I ended up doing some crazy stuff (like having 3 complex remote views joined together in a local view)....