[wp-trac] [WordPress Trac] #14513: Time for a wp_post_relationships table?

[WordPress Trac]

#14513: Time for a wp_post_relationships table?
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 Reporter:  mikeschinkel     |        Owner:                
     Type:  feature request  |       Status:  reopened      
 Priority:  normal           |    Milestone:  Future Release
Component:  Post Types       |      Version:  3.0.1         
 Severity:  normal           |   Resolution:                
 Keywords:                   |  
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Comment(by mikeschinkel):

 Replying to [comment:25 westi]:
 > Even with all the examples above I still don't see why the current
 taxonomy system can't be used (along with custom post types) to provide
 what you need.

 Because it doesn't.  With complete respect please try and implement a few
 real world sites that need this functionality and then let us know if you
 still feel the same, please.

 > If you want to store extra data about a particular term within a
 taxonomy the use a custom post type to store that information and have it
 linked to the term.

 That's not a primary concern of the use-case this proposal addresses.
 That part was a tangent; the core here is needing a robust and performant
 way to related two different post records in a many-to-many scenario.
 Linking them through a system that requires 6 levels of indirection
 (''post->term_relationship->term_taxonomy->term->term->term_taxonomy->term_relationship->post'')
 rather than one level (''post->post_relationship->post'') is just asking
 for the downsides that come with too much complexity.

 > If you implement the ui correctly the user can't break these links i.e.
 you only give them one way to edit things.

 I'm not so concerned about the users as I am about other plugins.  You are
 suggesting we build a house of cards.

 > Taking one of these examples:
 >
 > {{{A conference website...}}}
 >
 > You hide the creation ability of the two taxonomies from the users and
 just let them put the existing ones on to relevant posts using a selection
 ui on the post edit page.
 >
 > They add new entries to the Taxonomies by creating custom posts of the
 matched types.

 Although the conference example is the least compelling of all them (hence
 it shouldn't surprise me you picked on it :) you are still ignoring the
 problem of posts getting renamed by users that have mirrored terms that
 are shared by other taxonomies.  It's all a mess. What I struggle with is
 why I can see the problem yet (most) others cannot.  Maybe I'm wrong, or
 maybe my specific experience in these use-cases has given me insight that
 your (potential lack of?) experience in these use-cases has not?

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Ticket URL: <http://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/14513#comment:26>
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