Getting started with club membership, 2 users per account

Hi,

I'm preparing to create a membership registration process for our dog club of about 600 members. I would like to use an existing membership database (Excel spreadsheet) as a means of verifying membership status. I have been successful in importing the spreadsheet into a MySQL database and am currently using it as on a member look-up (search) page. Now I would like to add my additional fields to the database such as userid, password, acess level, etc.

One of thing I don't know how to handle is, the club membership allows for a single or household (dual) membership. So a record in the database will have one mailing address but can have two members. Member1_email, Member2_email, Member1_Judge (Yes/No), Member2_Judge (Yes/No).

My goal is to create a system where each of the two members has their own UserID tied to the single membership record. Either member (or just the primary member if that’s easier) could update their own membership information such as email address, mailing address, telephone number, etc.

I would also like to assign an access level to each individual member, so if that person joins a committee he/she can access that committees internal webpages.

Also I would also like to assign other information (by way of fields in the database) to an individual, such as if that person is a Judge. Then in the member look-up page a person could search on members that were judges.

My first step is to setup the existing membership database with additional columns I need.

So my first questions are: is the above doable by a non-programmer? How do I distinguish Member1 from Member2 (in the same record) for the login setup? What other suggestions can you give me?

PS: I am using DreamWeaver CS5 and own most of the WA extensions (SuperSuite and then some).

Thanks,
Dennis

  So my first questions are: is the above doable by a non-programmer?  

What you are trying to accomplish is not an easy task. it will require a decent understanding of relational databases and how to set them up.

Sure it is doable by a non programmer as long as you are willing to learn about relational databases and are not tied to a strict deadline, if you are tied to a strict deadline, then it would be a good idea to get help in setting this up through the job board

  How do I distinguish Member1 from Member2 (in the same record) for the login setup?  

Here's where we start to get into relational database design. the two users will need to be in separate records.

the users personal information would be stored in a users table.

any information that can be shared by two users would be stored in a separate table.

in this case, you can have household memberships where both users share the same address. The address information will be stored in a separate table the users table will have a foreign key column to create the relation ship between the user record and the address record.

  What other suggestions can you give me?  

Read up on relational database design, there are a number of good books on MySQL and PHP , most of them will have chapters that explain the database structure, then give step by step on developing the PHP to use that database structure.

look through the bookstore shelves to find one that goes through creating a membership site, try and find a few of them, and find the one that matches what you are trying to accomplish closest.

Thanks Jason, I will do a little more research, as you suggest.