Dynamic Database Fields

[Scooby08]

I have a table in my database for all the field names that is editable, so I never know how many fields there will be.. You can add or delete rows..  I run my SELECT query to display them on the page, but I cannot think how I am supposed to write the INSERT INTO query when I don't know the how many there will be..

 

This INSERT INTO works right now for me, when I know what all the fields are, but if I add another field to the table this will not have that field in the INSERT INTO query..

 

<?php
$query_customers  = "INSERT INTO dw_customers (customer_name, customer_phone, customer_email) "; 
$query_customers .= "VALUES ('$_POST[customer_name]', '$_POST[customer_phone]', '$_POST[customer_email]') ";		
?>

 

How can that be written to insert all the fields information without knowing how many fields there will be, and do I need to create an array out of the fields like so:

 

<input type="text" name="customers[]" />
<input type="text" name="customers[]" />
<input type="text" name="customers[]" />

 

or do I need to do something like this:

 

<input type="text" name="customers_1" />
<input type="text" name="customers_2" />
<input type="text" name="customers_3" />

 

Any help getting me pointed into the right direction will be much appreciated.. Thanks..

[zq29]

So, say your table (dw_customers) has those three fields (customer_name, customer_phone, customer_email) - If you add a forth (customer_telephone), you want your queries to automatically accommodate that addition?

 

If I have that right, it is probably doable but I HIGHLY recommend that you don't follow that train of thought.

 

You have two options:

• Design the system before you build it, not while you build it
  
• Design the database in a more efficient way
  

 

To design the database to work in a way where you can add fields, I'd probably tackle it like this:

 

customer

id, name

 

attributes

id, name

 

customer_attribute

id, customer, attribute, value