How to Dynamically Create a Table from Data in another Table

[wayneray]

Looking for a start on how to accomplish my goal of enhancing our current database. We currently take in data then call that data to web pages to view details using PHP. Since the data is from survey interviews, I want to create tables based on each study name and place all complete survey data pertaining to each study in the applicable table. Then, call data from these tables via PHP. Number of columns varies from study to study. Since each week study names are different, I would like to dynamically create the table for each study when the first data for that study hits the database. Is this possible? If so, how would I go about starting to do something like this? Thanks in advance.

wayneray

[ronverdonk]

Looking for a start on how to accomplish my goal of enhancing our current database. We currently take in data then call that data to web pages to view details using PHP. Since the data is from survey interviews, I want to create tables based on each study name and place all complete survey data pertaining to each study in the applicable table. Then, call data from these tables via PHP. Number of columns varies from study to study. Since each week study names are different, I would like to dynamically create the table for each study when the first data for that study hits the database. Is this possible? If so, how would I go about starting to do something like this? Thanks in advance.

wayneray

I still cannot clearly see what you want to do here. Like "we currently take in data that call to web pages..." and "I want to create tables...".
How do you take in that data? In a file, in another table (as I presume from the thread title), in special format, such as XML or CSV, how?
And when it is already in a table, why would uou want to create another one with the same data?

And, can you, from that data stream (let's call it that) deduct column names and data types for the table to be created?

In short, I have too many questions on this. Please elaborate a bit more.

Ronald :cool:

[wayneray]

Sure,

Sorry I did not explain well. We take in text files from client computers and populate a table with the data. Each field of data in this table is tied to a specific GUID. We use PHP code that loops through the table and builds dynamic html tables. We average well over 750 K rows of data on any given weekend. You can imagine the speed of some of these web pages. I would like to build temporary tables dynamically in the database, then use PHP directed at these dynamic tables. While I am growing very fond of MYSQL, I am not sure how to start the process of dynamic tables.

After the studies are done, we delete the dynamic tables. There will be new dynamic tables each week. At no time will we ever exceed 50 tables including the permanent tables.

Wayneray

[ronverdonk]

I am still poking around in the dark on this, but let me make some assumptions.

• You have one table that holds all survey results (presumably in text format),

• Each column in that table holds all data of 1 survey only (text format),

• You already have a PHP program that extracts data from that column and builds HTML tables/screens.

• At the end of this program you have extracted, and know, item name and item-content of each item/question/subject of that survey.

• You want to dynamically build a table (one for each survey) that:
  • has the item name as column name
  • has the item content as column content

• You want to generate PHP code that can handle that particular table (CRUD code?)

Ronald :cool: