Reg Database design

I am wondering whether this is the right forum, if not please provide me the details of the correct forum where I can post this question.

I am trying to design a data base for a document request tracking system. The users request documents as hard copies in various sizes, color/b&W., soft copies in various formats that may be checked out with a chekin date.

Now how do I create the tables for this? My current design is to have a table for users, documents, request. The request table will reference the userid in user table and the document id in document table. This database will be used for a web application that processes 10 documents at a time.

My question is where do I have the fields for the soft copy and hard copy requests?

Can they be in the request table? If a hardcopy is requested then the details such as size, color, no.of copies fields will have values and those corresponding to other fields of the soft copy will be null.(format, estimated return date etc). As I have to fill up the details for 10 documents there will be around 60 -80 fields in the request table. Will it cause any trouble with the maximum allowable row size of sql server 2000?

Or do I need to make them into a separate table? If so how? What will be the fields that the other tables will be referencing?

Thanks

This is not the right forum, no.

Your question is about relational database design theory. If I were you I'd find a good relational databse design text and read it top to bottom before you even think about attempting this. Hunt out Date, Elmasri and Codd on Amazon!

In the nicest possible way...don't try open heart surgery before you've learnt to put a band-aid on!

-Jamie

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Thanks for your reply.

First of all I could not find a forum for discussing database design.

Also I have created a database and added tables to it and written stored procedures. I am currently learning to design a data base and the above application was the project I chose from a list of projects. I am trying to understand the relational data theory and design and thought it would be a good idea to discuss it with some body. I thought this forum seemed to be a little advanced so the guys out there could help me with this.

Thanks