Representing Hierarchical Data with repeated node structures

Question

I have recently asked a question regarding a suitable data structure for a hierarchical website design. Looking at the other side, how would I achieve the following:

Parent
   - Make
      - Model 1
         - Child 1
         - Child 2
      - Model 1
         - Child 1
         - Child 2
      - Model 1
         - Child 1
         - Child 2

Child 1 + 2 will be the same for each model. I can represent hierarchical data using a parent/child node and recursion (Obviously not the best). Would I have to create a many to many association for each model to the repeated list or something?

Thanks!

And where does your question differ from you previous question? — dbf
– dbf, Commented Sep 12, 2012 at 20:53
The previous answers showed how to represent the OOP structure. Here I want to know the best way for storing the data in a mysql table with ... I presume ... multiple many-to-many associations. — Thomas Maddocks
– Thomas Maddocks, Commented Sep 12, 2012 at 20:57

Mars · Accepted Answer · 2012-09-29 17:35:51Z

0

create a node class that has a value, type, and parent

type can be "make", "model", "child" or parent... and the value can serve as a string holder, and you can still add children of any type to the child resulting in this

[node type=parent]
    [node type=make value="make1"]
        [node type=model value="model1"]
            [node type=child value="child1"]
                [node type="date-created"]
                [node type="some-field"]
             [node type=child value="child2"]
                [node type="date-created"]
                [node type="some-field"]

the only fields in node class beside parent and type should be fields that should be present in all nodes

answered Sep 29, 2012 at 17:35

Mars

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Thomas Maddocks Over a year ago

That basically is what i am going to do. I can represent the different leaves in a database table, reference a type and use a factory pattern to create the structure for a path. The selected array can be serialized and cached and re-used without a massive recursive function call every load. To deal with repeated nodes, im storing a unique list of nodes in a branches table and self joining using an association table to allow say date-created to be created one but associated to every model. I can then use the id field in he association table to store any data against a unique node.

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