Question

I’m designing a database in MySQL and PHP for a basic CMS. The CMS will have a front end which will allow sorting and searching. The backend will allow authorized users to upload files.

I’m using PHPMyAdmin and I’d like help setting up my database.

I am open to answers explaining various MySQL datatypes and what they are good for as well . Use common database fields as examples please.

Below is a list of what I’d like. What’s missing and what datatypes do I need to use?

Resources (For my files)

• file_id
• filename (Files are presorted and display names and paths are derived
  from here.)
• file_type (PDF | AUDIO | VIDEO | PHOTO [Also used to generate file
  urls])
• upload date (timestamp in PHP or MySQL)
• uploaded_by (User ID from Users table)
• event (event_id from Events table, optional)

Users (User accounts – for admin access and maybe a notification list)

• user_id
• first_name
• last_name
• email
• password
• phone_number (optional)
• permissions_level (read only, upload)
• creation_date

Events

• event_id
• event_name
• event_location
• event_date
• event_description
• entry_date

Answer 1

What I would take:

Resources (For my files)

• file_id INT (or SMALLINT depending on the number of expected entries)
• filename VARCHAR (or text if longer than 255 chars)
• file_type ENUM (if only those you mentioned or VARCHAR if dynamic types can be added)
• upload DATE DATETIME (or DATE if you don’t need the time)
• uploaded_by INT (or SMALLINT but the same as in the user table)
• event INT (or SMALLINT but the same as in the event table)

Users (User accounts – for admin access and maybe a notification list)

• user_id INT (or SMALLINT depending on the number of expected entries)
• first_name VARCHAR
• last_name VARCHAR
• email VARCHAR
• password CHAR(40) (for a SHA1 hash)
• phone_number VARCHAR (as it might contain something like -, / or +)
• permissions_level TINYINT (if only number values and at most 127 values)
• creation_DATE DATETIME (or DATE if you don’t need the time)

Events

• event_id INT (or SMALLINT depending on the number of expected entries)
• event_name VARCHAR
• event_location VARCHAR
• event_DATE DATETIME (or DATE if you don’t need the time)
• event_description TEXT (as 255 of VARCHAR might be to short)
• entry_DATE DATETIME (or DATE if you don’t need the time)

When you have set up your database and input some dummy data, you can run a simple statement through phpmyadmin that will tell you, what MySQL would take for that exact dummy data:

SELECT * FROM events PROCEDURE ANALYSE()

In the column Optimal_fieldtype you will find what MySQL tells you to take. But you should not take that exact fieldtype. It will tell you very often to take a ENUM but most of the time you add random data so you have to take a VARCHAR in that cases the column Max_length will give you a hint on how long it should be. But on all VARCHAR fields you should add additonal space depending on how long you expect the values to be. Take in consideration that even a name can be longer than 50 chars.