>I read the article. My question still is what type of table structure would you use? How would you setup the supporting table of rules for each new node of the tree as to allow access to any node in the tree. Maybe as I talk this out I'll discover more.
>TIA
>John

The way I work, an article "A" can contain an article "B", "B" can contain "C", etc. (several levels deep).

Table "Article" contains all articles, starting with materials bought from outside, passing through several levels of intermediate articles, up to the finished product (which is the one we sell).

* Table Article
ArticleId   Description
1           Nail
2           Cardboard
3           Sticker
4           Box
5           Sole
6           Shoe

Table "ArticleComposition" indicates what article contains what other article.

* Table ArticleComposition
Parent  Child
4       1
4       2
4       3
6       4
6       5

"Parent" contains "Child", IOW, to produce a box, you need nails, cardboard and stickers. To produce the shoe, you need the box and a sole.

Is this the sort of structure you need?

Hilmar.