Creating a bookstore database using phpmyadmin

[Mike Sumner]

platform: windows2000 professional.

I am trying to create a database into which I can load my 12,000 books I have for sale. My web service provider have given me a graphical user interface called phpMyadmin and created an empty database for me. It is up to me now to define my table fields etc. While I get the general idea, I am pulling my hair out as I cannot seem to find any clear simple instructions of how to do it (only mile and miles of code which may as well be in Chinese for all I understand of it).

I have 'created' a table with 15 fields quite easily. I am presented with a table similar to a spreadsheet into which I have to type or select various information from drop-down boxes. The headings are as follows:

field
type
length/values
collation
attributes
null
default
extra

These are then followed by 4 radio buttons (like Primary key). I can work out how to fill in some of the boxes but I really just do not know what things like 'collation' 'attributes' 'extra' are for. Is there anywhere I can get a simple guide on how to continue. Any help would be appreciated.

[ronverdonk]

You'd better learn someting about MySql before going any further with this.
PHPAdmin is just an end-user interface to the MySql database and will not give you much information.
Try the MySql at this link:
http://www.php-mysql-tutorial.com/

Ronald :cool:

[Mike Sumner]

I was confused before. Now I'm REALLY confused.

[ronverdonk]

What I meant to state is that, before you use tools like PhpAdmin, you'd better learn something about MySql and, in this case, data types and data properties, so you know how to define your table data fields and their types,
Hence my advice to learn some MySql basics first.

Roonakd :cool:

[Mike Sumner]

I'm o.k with data types and I have got the basics of it all. What I'm stuck on now is what character set and collation to use. Any help is much appreciated. Thanks