[comp.databases] Sequencing Test Steps in Oracle

sjohnson@cetc.Wichita.NCR.COM (Steve Johnson) (04/14/89)

I've got a question that maybe someone has encountered and
can give a few insights.

I'm using Oracle to develop a relational database system.

I have a series of TEST STEPS that need to be performed in sequence.

The problem I have is when inserting or deleting a test step
to keep the sequencing in order to know what step is to be 
processed next.

To the user I only want to display the TEST STEPS in the order
that they are to be performed.
1,2,3,...,N
The user must also be able to insert a step and delete a step.

Assuming you have an initial TEST STEPS 1,2,3,...,N

Step 1 occurs before step 2, 2 before 3, N-1 before N.




4 Possible Sequencing schemas for TEST STEPS.:

1. Adding a step after step 2.   
   2.1 				inserting 2.1 after 2


2. Linking TEST STEPS.  
   1 --> 2  ----> 3 ... ----> N
   1 --> N+1 ---> 2 ---> 3 ...  inserting N+1
   1 --> N+1 ---> 3 ...         deleting 3

3. Creating large increments between step numbers to allow for
   insertions:
   step 1, step 100, step 200, ...


4. Resequence all the test steps when inserting/deleting.


Is there another sequencing schema?

What are the advantages/disadvantages of the methods?

What is the 'Best' way to do this?  How to do this in Oracle?
-- 
Steve Johnson      | Information Systems & Services, NCR-CETC   530-4726 
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