Changing field size on editing element

[Roland]

Hi Rob, hi Hugh,

for me as I have big tables (30,000 books) it is important to keep the database as small as possible. I designed the field sizes eyplicitly to the values that are needed. E.g. there are fields with a size of one byte only.

My problem is, that fabrik changes the field size of elements when I edit the element in the backend. The "maximum length" that can be defined by fabrik seems to be ignored. Even when I explicitly set the value "maximum length" to 120 - fabrik changes the database field to "varchar(255)".

Additionally it always changes the settings "Standard value" from empty to "Null" and the field "Null" from "no" to "yes".
That means after each modification of an element, I have to set back my fields with phpMyAdmin. Quite often, to preserve my fields, I directly edit the values in the table fabrik_elements by phpMyAdmin to be sure that my fields will not be changed.

It would be a great deal if fabrik would set the field size to size of the "Maximum length" but leave all other values as they are.

Roland

 

[Wisdom Hunter]

I've struggled with this too ... I would also appreciate this change (as it is, for all database tables that I designed myself prior to building Fabrik tables/forms based on them, I have created an "Alter table" script just to reset them to their original design - but it is sort of a nuisance to have to do this).

 

[Wisdom Hunter]

Roland and all,

Just found the answer in the following FAQ :

How do I stop Fabrik altering my database field definitions

 

[cheesegrits]

Correct.

IMPORTANT NOTE - as of a week or so ago, we got rid of the configuration.php file, and replaced it with a config table. This was done so that your config settings don't get wiped every time you upgrade (over-writing the configuration.php).

However, your settings will revert to defaults when you apply the first SVN after we made this change. So you'll have to use the new Settings page (on the regular Fabrik tools navbar), and set your settings one last time. But from then on, they will be preserved between udpates.

-- hugh

 

[Roland]

Solved

Thank you guys,

for the moment the hint to edit the configuration.php and set the value
$fbConf_alter_existing_db_cols = '0';
is the right thing for me.

Right now I can not use the latest SVN because I get a memory error on adding a record for a joined table that seems to result from my big tables. Hugh told me that no one else has this problem.
http://fabrikar.com/forums/showthread.php?t=6982

Roland

 

[cheesegrits]

I'll get with Rob as soon as he comes back online.

Yeah, you are definitely our Biggest Table customer, that I know of. So unfortunately will run into any memory problems we may introduce into Fabrik before anyone else does ...

-- hugh

 

[terp]

I'll get with Rob as soon as he comes back online.

Yeah, you are definitely our Biggest Table customer, that I know of. So unfortunately will run into any memory problems we may introduce into Fabrik before anyone else does ...

-- hugh

Yea, I can't wait until I have your problems! I want to run out of memory from so many people completing my Fabrik form that my tables become astronomical! ...time will tell.