Re: audit log on normalized data

Responding to Squirrel...

We have a database. What make changes to tables.

We have persistent objects that map one to one with database tables.

I think you are on the wrong forum. If those "persistent objects" are on the client side, then what you are describing is a RAD USER/CRUD problem that has nothing to do with OO development.


When a change occurs to some high level things in our system, we want
to log these changes in a meaningful way. So lets say the user sets the
"Customer First Name" on an order. We want to record that the user has
set the "Customer First Name" on order 123.

Our database (and therefore our persistent objects) is normalized so
that it is often difficult to figure out what particular high level
thing a row is associated with. For example if someone changes the
"First_Name" field of the Name table, they might be changing the
"Customer First Name", or they might be changing some other field in
one of the 30 odd places our name table is used.

What's a good way to create a meaningful audit log in this situation?
Any suggestions? Any drastic solutions? Simple solutions? Anyone had a
similar experience?

Basically you need a table lookup that converts the UI control identity into a Table/Attribute identity. Usually the RAD tools provide that linkage for free in forms.


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H. S. Lahman
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Pathfinder Solutions  -- Put MDA to Work
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