Database help

I recently purchased the Dynamic Suite Dynamic Suite, eCart, DataAssist, SecurityAssist, Universal Email
I am having a problem comprehending the process of setting up a database that will work properly. I have read the material provided, watched the tutorials, and searched the internet but still cannot grasp the organization I will develop with my tables.
I presently have a website designed in Dreamweaver and have purchased the Dynamic suite so we can sell direct to the customer.
We are selling 2 items. A crew neck undershirt and Boxer Brief. I would like to have one page for each item and be able to give the customer a color choice and size choice, the price will change according to the size category
My color choice is white or black.
I would like 3 drop down menus for size. One for regular size, one for big sizes, one for tall sizes. I followed the info you gave to someone else where color and size are in the OptionGroup table. I am now lost about what step to take next. You mention about listing the combinations in the ProductOptions table. It appears that I will not get a combination with both color and size as they are in the same table. Should I have a separate table for color and one for size? Also in the ProductOptions table do I need to list the combinations? Can you show an example of how to fill the table? I am trying to get on to actually using the extensions but can't get past the database. I wanted to add that Lands'end has an option where the customer first selected regular, tall, big, and big/tall. Then the drop down menu shows only the sizes available in the size range you choose. I am trying to avoid 3 separate add to cart buttons on the same page. Then I would also need the price to adjust. Your help would be much appreciated.

OK, so the products table would have 2 records:

ProductID | ProductName
1 | Boxer Brief
2 | Crew Neck Undershirt


In the OptionGroups table, you would have 2 options:
OptionID | OptionName
1 | Color
2 | Regular Size
3 | Big Size
4 | Tall Size

the Options table would create the options for each group:

OptionID | OptionGroupID | OptionName
1 | 1 | red
2 | 1 | yellow
3 | 1 | Blue
4 | 2 | Small
5 | 2 | Medium
6 | 2 | Large
7 | 3 | Small
8 | 3 | Medium
9 | 3 | Large
10 | 4 | Small
11 | 4 | Medium
12 | 4 | Large


now that the options are created, you assign them to the product through the Productoptions table.

you need to create one record for each option the product can have. for example if the product comes in:
Color: red and yellow,
regular size: Small and Medium
Big Size : Medium and Large
Tall size: Small and large

you would need to create 8 records:
productOptionsID | ProductID | OptionID | OptionGroupID
1 | 1 | 1 | 1
2 | 1 | 2 | 1
3 | 1 | 4 | 2
4 | 1 | 5 | 2
5 | 1 | 8 | 3
6 | 1 | 9 | 3
7 | 1 | 10 | 4
8 | 1 | 12 | 4

Dear Jason,
Thank-you very much for your prompt reply. I feel like I am back in third grade trying to find the answer to word problems. I was never very good! I will lay it out on paper and hopefully I can proceed with the process.
Do I create those records for the product options through dataassist as recordsets or manually in MySQL.
I am trying to anticipate the item detail page and how it will be set up for making purchases. I have already been down that road with both paypal and amazon where I have 3 separate add to cart buttons that took over the page.
Is it possible to have a selection process where if the customer chooses Regular and the drop down for sizes will display only that size range. Then if a customer chooses tall that size range will display. Lands'end has a good example and I will include a photocopy of their lay- out. Thank-you again for the quick reply!
I am also wondering about the payment page. Will Ecart allow me to set up our own credit card processing? We would like to offer paypal as an option and credit cards that we will process manually though a machine. If so is this going to complicate the way webassist has developed Ecart? I noticed that it wasn't mentioned as an option in the video.

the product data should be entered directly in mysql.



Yes it is possible to have one select list that will control which of the size select lists is displayed, but you will need to hand code javascript top show or hide the select lists based on the onchange event of the parent select lists, eCart will not code this for you.


you could set up the checkout to allow processing manually or through paypal.

This will require some manual coding again to accomplish.

your manual transactions will need to be completed over the phone though, since it is illegal to store credit card information in the database.

Thank-you again for the good information!

you're welcome.