RE: [PHPLIB] Extending user_auth table or creating a new table From: Chris Johnson (chris <email protected>)
Date: 02/28/00

Being a database geek, I'd probably go the full normalization route.

If every user had every attribute, then that might mean all the extra
information might go into an extended auth_user table. But here are
some arguments against doing that, even if normalization says it's ok:

1. I like to upgrade my PHPLIB. The more changes to the base classes
and tables, the more work and QA I have to do to install each new
release.

2. Will each user need to have their extensive profile read in at the
moment they log in? If not, login will be more efficient if you are
only checking against a small user_auth table, and then reading what you
need when you need it.

If every user will not have values (not NULLs) in every field of your
extensive user profile, why store all that extra junk? Normalization
will tell you to put it in another table and do a join as needed.

Just my opinions, mind you.

..chris

> -----Original Message-----
> [mailto:phplib-owner <email protected>]On Behalf Of Howard Ha

> I've asked this once before, and was told that some of you extend the
> auth_user table, while others add a new table for user info.
>
> If you were to create an extensive user profile, which would be your
> preferred route? Use the auth_user table and extend it with the extra
> columns, or create an entirely new table and put info there?

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