Nigel Weeks wrote:

> I'd love to know why you disagree! I've probably been doing things wrongly
> for the last 5 years...
> I feel another learning curve coming on...:-)
>
> It's true I was assuming that only files were to be stored, and with PHP, it
> takes two database operations to pull data from a blob(one to get blob
> reference, the second to visit that reference and pull the data)
> Sure, it's all done automatically with
> `ibase_fetch_object($recordset,IBASE_FETCH_BLOBS)`, but behind the scenes,
> there's still extra traffic.
>
> Keen to learn, so bring it on...
>
> Nige.
>
>

Hi Nige !

I think this is the kind of discussion like "use Surrogate Keys x
Natural Keys for PK's", let's see what Martjin has in mind.

I have used both aproachs.

Keep the files out of database is good for keeping it small and if the
docs will be updated frequently (no need to update the new file to
replace the old one on the DB), but is not transportable, and could have
"broken links" if the user has mapped drives, or the like, of course
this could be worked out, but are things to consider.

as everything in the live, always there is a trade off

:-)

see you !


--
Alexandre Benson Smith
Development
THOR Software e Comercial Ltda
Santo Andre - Sao Paulo - Brazil
www.thorsoftware.com.br