Files into MySQL

[Nosferatum]

Ok, I have been told that it's not a good idea to store binary files
(like pdfs etc.) in MySQL, but in the file system. I am in desperat
need of a system where I can upload binary files like this, categorize
them, add some extra info to each file, and list them/make them
downloadable. (listing and making files downloadable is easy with
PHP).
If I upload each file to a folder in the web server file system, how
is it then that I can refer extra information like a category and some
metadata to the files that I later will list? No database=no extra
info?
I need a human understandable answere, since I am a really newbie in
PHP and MySQL. Hopefully a code example. If someone could help.

[Geoff Berrow]

Re: Files into MySQL

Message-ID: <1174947219.023 000.311580@d57g 2000hsg.googleg roups.comfrom
Nosferatum contained the following:

>If I upload each file to a folder in the web server file system, how
>is it then that I can refer extra information like a category and some
>metadata to the files that I later will list? No database=no extra
>info?
>I need a human understandable answere, since I am a really newbie in
>PHP and MySQL. Hopefully a code example. If someone could help.

Well a database table would be best but you could store the information
as a csv file.

--
Geoff Berrow (put thecat out to email)
It's only Usenet, no one dies.
My opinions, not the committee's, mine.
Simple RFDs http://www.ckdog.co.uk/rfdmaker/

[Jerry Stuckle]

Re: Files into MySQL

Nosferatum wrote:

Ok, I have been told that it's not a good idea to store binary files
(like pdfs etc.) in MySQL, but in the file system. I am in desperat
need of a system where I can upload binary files like this, categorize
them, add some extra info to each file, and list them/make them
downloadable. (listing and making files downloadable is easy with
PHP).
If I upload each file to a folder in the web server file system, how
is it then that I can refer extra information like a category and some
metadata to the files that I later will list? No database=no extra
info?
I need a human understandable answere, since I am a really newbie in
PHP and MySQL. Hopefully a code example. If someone could help.
>

You should really be asking this in a MySQL newsgroup - such as
comp.database.m ysql.

But I will also add - how may of those people who say that have actually
tried? I suspect none. I have been doing it for almost 20 years and it
works fine.


--
=============== ===
Remove the "x" from my email address
Jerry Stuckle
JDS Computer Training Corp.
jstucklex@attgl obal.net
=============== ===

[Peter Chant]

Re: Files into MySQL

Nosferatum wrote:

Ok, I have been told that it's not a good idea to store binary files
(like pdfs etc.) in MySQL, but in the file system. I am in desperat
need of a system where I can upload binary files like this, categorize
them, add some extra info to each file, and list them/make them
downloadable. (listing and making files downloadable is easy with
PHP).
If I upload each file to a folder in the web server file system, how
is it then that I can refer extra information like a category and some
metadata to the files that I later will list? No database=no extra
info?
I need a human understandable answere, since I am a really newbie in
PHP and MySQL. Hopefully a code example. If someone could help.

I'm certainly not the best coder here by miles but my suggestion is that
you create a table to store the information about the files and a filename
including path. You save the file to that path and use a SQL query to
extract the path name when you want to access the file. Up to you what you
use for file names. In my own photo database I am writing I use an auto
incrementing primary key as the file path for example, so the thumbnail for
photo_id=123456 lives at /data_dir/1/2/3/4/5/small.jpg. Someone will have
a better idea than this, but this one seems to work for low usage.

--

http://www.petezilla.co.uk

[Mary Pegg]

Re: Files into MySQL

Jerry Stuckle wrote:

But I will also add - how may of those people who say that have actually
tried? I suspect none. I have been doing it for almost 20 years and it
works fine.

Files belong in the filesystem. It's what it does.

Data belongs in the database. It's what it does.

There, done it: that should stoke the fires of debate.

--
"Checking identity papers is a complete waste of time. If anyone can
be counted on to have valid papers, it will be the terrorists".

[Mary Pegg]

Re: Files into MySQL

Peter Chant wrote:

photo_id=123456 lives at /data_dir/1/2/3/4/5/small.jpg.

Stick it in /data_dir/123456/small.jpg.

--
"Checking identity papers is a complete waste of time. If anyone can
be counted on to have valid papers, it will be the terrorists".

[Mary Pegg]

Re: Files into MySQL

Nosferatum wrote:

If I upload each file to a folder in the web server file system, how
is it then that I can refer extra information like a category and some
metadata to the files that I later will list? No database=no extra
info?

Store the metadata in a table; use the id as the directory name for the
files: /data_dir/$id/ contains the file.

--
"Checking identity papers is a complete waste of time. If anyone can
be counted on to have valid papers, it will be the terrorists".

[Jerry Stuckle]

Re: Files into MySQL

Mary Pegg wrote:

Jerry Stuckle wrote:
>

>But I will also add - how may of those people who say that have actually
>tried? I suspect none. I have been doing it for almost 20 years and it
>works fine.

>
Files belong in the filesystem. It's what it does.
>
Data belongs in the database. It's what it does.
>
There, done it: that should stoke the fires of debate.
>

Sorry, I don't bite on trolling expeditions. If you want to discuss it,
take it to comp.database.m ysql.

Or try it yourself.

--
=============== ===
Remove the "x" from my email address
Jerry Stuckle
JDS Computer Training Corp.
jstucklex@attgl obal.net
=============== ===

[Jerry Stuckle]

Re: Files into MySQL

Mary Pegg wrote:

Nosferatum wrote:
>

>If I upload each file to a folder in the web server file system, how
>is it then that I can refer extra information like a category and some
>metadata to the files that I later will list? No database=no extra
>info?

>
Store the metadata in a table; use the id as the directory name for the
files: /data_dir/$id/ contains the file.
>

Spoken by someone who obviously has no idea what they are talking about.

--
=============== ===
Remove the "x" from my email address
Jerry Stuckle
JDS Computer Training Corp.
jstucklex@attgl obal.net
=============== ===

[Mary Pegg]

Re: Files into MySQL

Jerry Stuckle wrote:

Mary Pegg wrote:

>Nosferatum wrote:
>>

>>If I upload each file to a folder in the web server file system, how
>>is it then that I can refer extra information like a category and some
>>metadata to the files that I later will list? No database=no extra
>>info?

>>
>Store the metadata in a table; use the id as the directory name for the
>files: /data_dir/$id/ contains the file.

>
Spoken by someone who obviously has no idea what they are talking about.

Because files obviously belong in the database?

--
"Checking identity papers is a complete waste of time. If anyone can
be counted on to have valid papers, it will be the terrorists".

[Mary Pegg]

Re: Files into MySQL

Jerry Stuckle wrote:

Mary Pegg wrote:

>Jerry Stuckle wrote:

[Storing binary files such as PDFs in a MySQL database]

>>But I will also add - how may of those people who say that have actually
>>tried? I suspect none. I have been doing it for almost 20 years and it
>>works fine.

>>
>Files belong in the filesystem. It's what it does.
>>
>Data belongs in the database. It's what it does.
>>
>There, done it: that should stoke the fires of debate.

>
Sorry, I don't bite on trolling expeditions. If you want to discuss it,
take it to comp.database.m ysql.
>
Or try it yourself.

Why? Why would I *want* to put non-relational data in a relational
database? Why would I *want* to use a database as a filesystem?

Just saying "it works fine" is not enough.

--
"Checking identity papers is a complete waste of time. If anyone can
be counted on to have valid papers, it will be the terrorists".

[Tim Streater]

Re: Files into MySQL

In article <fqaOh.26793$26 7.1379@newsfe6-gui.ntli.net>,
Mary Pegg <invalid@invali d.comwrote:

Jerry Stuckle wrote:
>

Mary Pegg wrote:

Jerry Stuckle wrote:

>
[Storing binary files such as PDFs in a MySQL database]
>

>But I will also add - how may of those people who say that have actually
>tried? I suspect none. I have been doing it for almost 20 years and it
>works fine.
>
Files belong in the filesystem. It's what it does.
>
Data belongs in the database. It's what it does.
>
There, done it: that should stoke the fires of debate.

Sorry, I don't bite on trolling expeditions. If you want to discuss it,
take it to comp.database.m ysql.

Or try it yourself.

>
Why? Why would I *want* to put non-relational data in a relational
database? Why would I *want* to use a database as a filesystem?
>
Just saying "it works fine" is not enough.

Depends on your needs, dunnit?

If I'm providing as it might be a web page for our engineers to see what
the access procedure is for some site, that info is in the database. But
the hosting organisation might provide an extra Site Procedures doc,
that I also put in the database so the engineer can download it as
needed, at the same web page.

I'm not going to put it in some entirely separate filesystem that they
might not have access to while offsite, now am I.

-- tim

[Mary Pegg]

Re: Files into MySQL

Tim Streater wrote:

In article <fqaOh.26793$26 7.1379@newsfe6-gui.ntli.net>,
Mary Pegg <invalid@invali d.comwrote:
>

>Why? Why would I *want* to put non-relational data in a relational
>database? Why would I *want* to use a database as a filesystem?
>>
>Just saying "it works fine" is not enough.

>
Depends on your needs, dunnit?
>
If I'm providing as it might be a web page for our engineers to see what
the access procedure is for some site, that info is in the database. But
the hosting organisation might provide an extra Site Procedures doc,
that I also put in the database so the engineer can download it as
needed, at the same web page.
>
I'm not going to put it in some entirely separate filesystem that they
might not have access to while offsite, now am I.

It'll look the same to the user whether the document is stored as a
BLOB in the database or as a file.

--
"Checking identity papers is a complete waste of time. If anyone can
be counted on to have valid papers, it will be the terrorists".

[Tim Streater]

Re: Files into MySQL

In article <_3bOh.30760$GI .9369@newsfe2-gui.ntli.net>,
Mary Pegg <invalid@invali d.comwrote:

Tim Streater wrote:
>

In article <fqaOh.26793$26 7.1379@newsfe6-gui.ntli.net>,
Mary Pegg <invalid@invali d.comwrote:

Why? Why would I *want* to put non-relational data in a relational
database? Why would I *want* to use a database as a filesystem?
>
Just saying "it works fine" is not enough.

Depends on your needs, dunnit?

If I'm providing as it might be a web page for our engineers to see what
the access procedure is for some site, that info is in the database. But
the hosting organisation might provide an extra Site Procedures doc,
that I also put in the database so the engineer can download it as
needed, at the same web page.

I'm not going to put it in some entirely separate filesystem that they
might not have access to while offsite, now am I.

>
It'll look the same to the user whether the document is stored as a
BLOB in the database or as a file.

But they won't have to go arsing about looking for it. I'll have a
button on the page that'll download it for them. NB, I got *asked* for
this feature by folks here.

-- tim

[Mary Pegg]

Re: Files into MySQL

Tim Streater wrote:

In article <_3bOh.30760$GI .9369@newsfe2-gui.ntli.net>,
Mary Pegg <invalid@invali d.comwrote:
>

>It'll look the same to the user whether the document is stored as a
>BLOB in the database or as a file.

>
But they won't have to go arsing about looking for it. I'll have a
button on the page that'll download it for them. NB, I got *asked* for
this feature by folks here.

Let's try again: it'll look the same to the user whether the document
is stored as a BLOB in the database or as a file.

However an advantage to the site admin is that it'll be humanly readable,
if it's a file (e.g. "xpdf /var/www/html/documents/thing.pdf") whereas
if it's a blob in the DB you have to do mucho arsing about to get at it.

--
"Checking identity papers is a complete waste of time. If anyone can
be counted on to have valid papers, it will be the terrorists".