TinyInt or Char(1)?

[Ronald S. Cook]

In a database table we will have a column "Round" for which round of feeding
the record applies to at a cattle ranch. The value will always be either
1, 2, or 3 since we feed just that many times per day (kind of like
breakfast, lunch, and dinner).

In the table, would you make the column "Round" a TinyInt data type, or a
char(1)? I've heard that you shouldn't use Int unless there might ever be
some sort of math involved, but I'm not sure. I'm just loooking for the
"best practice" if there is one to apply to all such situations.

Thanks,
Ron Cook

 

[Michael D. Ober]

I would use int and then create an enum representing each valid value.
Reference the enum in your code.

Mike Ober.

 

[Rad [Visual C# MVP]]

I'd use Int myself, then I can use that as an enum

 

[Jon Skeet [C# MVP]]

I'd use Int myself, then I can use that as an enum

Why not use TinyInt and then use an enum which has byte as its
underlying type?

 

[Rad [Visual C# MVP]]

TinyInt I meant. But then again int are just as workable I would think

 

[Michael D. Ober]

Can you give an example of using a byte as the underlying type of the enum?
I just need the syntax as I wasn't aware this could be done.

Thanks
Mike Ober.

 

[Jon Skeet [C# MVP]]

Can you give an example of using a byte as the underlying type of the enum?
I just need the syntax as I wasn't aware this could be done.

public enum MyEnum : byte
{
FirstValue,
SecondValue
}

 

[Michael D. Ober]

Thanks.

Mike.

public enum MyEnum : byte
{
FirstValue,
SecondValue
}