Desperate for Help on group problem in mysql. 2 months trying.

[sbroad]

Forward Info SET & ENUM field will not work for me. As this data is dynamic is those field types are limited.

I have a table with a VARCHAR field called "GROUPS". In that field I will store values such as (1,2,3,4,2,1,5). What I would like to do is group by that SET of numbers.

I am beyond stumped, I cannot figure how to get my sets out indivudally so I can group them. If I can even get the groups to list I will be happy.

Example (DBASE)

[Name] [groups]
dog 1,3,4,5,2
Cat 2,4,5
Bird 3,1,2

Now I need a sql statement which will group based on the sets

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Group 1

DOG

BIRD

GROUP 2

DOG
CAT

BIRD

GROUP 3

DOG

GROUP 4

DOG

CAT

GROUP 5

DOG
CAT

I WOULD EVEN BE HAPPY WITH THIS
++++++++++++++++++++++++++

DOG 1
DOG 2
DOG 3
DOG 4
DOG 5
CAT 2
CAT 4
CAT 5
BIRD 1

Just a long as I can get the data to display based on the group information. This is really holding me back.

Thanks

[notionlogic]

Sounds like your database structure is poorly designed... you have a string in a single field but you want to be able to work with portions of it. This can't be done or at least not sensibly...

Maybe rethink your db schema?

[sbroad]

What runs faster, flat DB or Relational. Dealing with lots of data, I am configuring it this way for good reason and it is thought out. Just because you do not have the answer, critism does not help.

MySql provides alot of functionality for sets of numbers and stings and run much faster then PHP does anytime. I do not want to use PHP for this if possible.

Look up find_in_set, make_set and so on. And you will see the support that is there and for good reason. This is the way to do something like this when you are considering performace.

You should not make comments like that unless you know the answer for sure.