Data Types/Performences

[ParyGoal]

I have a question regarding the best and most effective way of storing database field.

I have several fields that are going to store decimal values with a max scale of 3.

I know that fields such as decimal and memo use a lot of space.
Should I define those fields are text and save them from the program as decimal values? If so, how do I go about making sure the users enter decimal values in those fields and not text?

Thank you

ParyGoal

 

[HughLerwill]

Processing text is about as slow and inefficient as it gets. Processing almost any type of numeric data will be faster and more efficient. Alternatively you could e.g. store a value of 10.3 as 103 on disk in order to use an integer rather than a single and then divide by 10 everytime you retrieve the value but frankly its just not worth the bother/ headache.

Such techniques may have been justified in bygone days when processing speed, disk space and memory were very precious but now it is just not worth it.

regards Hugh

 

[ParyGoal]

Thank you HughLerwill for your response.
It makes sense to me now.

Thank you

ParyGoal