best way to store/retrieve data???

[grura]

i am creating a database that will send back items that match a certain criteria - so you can enter a knife as metal, hard, and sharp. there are about 11 total criteria that i will have (you input via check boxes), and i need to be able to search though so the user clicks sharp or hard the database will only show those items. I can do all of that fine, but my question is what is the best way to store that data? should i create 11 more fields in my table for each different criteria? should i make 1 field and add data for each thing (so it stores hard, sharp, etc) and then string search through later? what would be fastest and most efficient? thanks

 

[PHV]

Have a look here:

http://r937.com/relational.html

Hope This Helps, PH.
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