Models and the Normal Form

[eluser]jedd[/eluser]
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Hmm. Tables only containing information related to themselves. Tables referring to other tables 1:1 or 1:n. Join tables for n:n...

I'm still somewhat bewildered here. Do you mean 3NF? 6NF?

b) In my opinion, database form should not ineluctably lead you to a 1:1 relationship between models and tables.

True, but I found having more knowledgeable models led to some complexity.

Complexity or volume?

I combine many tables - in one case upwards of twenty - into my models in order to avoid the complexity of inter-model communication (either directly or via a controller).

I accept that it necessarily gets larger, as a result, that what your average model might be - but OTOH I think it's smaller than the codebase would be if I separated everything out (one model per table, f.e.)

If there's a natural grouping of tables, then it'll be relatively straightforward (consequently predictable and sensible and not overly complex) to have that grouping handled by a model.

I accept that for many people the appeal of an ORM, or the apparent simplicity or elegance of a one model to one table approach works just as well.