Hierarchical configuration select - mysql

Question

Edit: Sorry for the confusion. Just got the OK from my boss to post this portion of the schema. I would have had more detail in the original post if I were allowed to post an image.
I have a configuration schema that looks like this:
http://img717.imageshack.us/img717/7297/heirarchy.png
Each of the levels is contained within the level below it (i.e. - a partner has multiple programs), and each config level shares config keys with the other types of config levels (i.e. - A default timezone can be set at the partner level, and then be overridden from the program, portfolio or device level).
What this allows us to do is have a default for a type of object, and then override that with more specific taxonomies. For instance:
Say I have a partner object that is a company. Say that hierarchy_configuration_key 1 is the default timezone. I put a partner_configuration that says that most often, that partner will be located on the east coast (NYC time).
Now I have multiple programs that that partner supports. Say that specific program is based out of California. I put a program_configuration that says that that devices in that program are Sacramento time.
Now let's skip portfolio, and say that someone signed up for this program based out of California moves to Denver but is still a customer. We set a Device configuration that says they're in Mountain time now.
The hierarchy looks like this:
Level |Timezone (hierarchy_configuration_key 1)
---------------------------------------------------
Partner |NYC
Program |Sacramento
Portfolio |null (defaults to most granular above it, so Sacramento)
Device |Denver
Now I want to select my configurations grouped by hierarchy_configuration_key_id:
I can use inner joins to traverse the levels, but I want a select to give me a result like this (grouped by hierarchy_configuration_key_id) for the primary key of the device (device_id):
device_id |portfolio_id |program_id |partner_id |device_config |portfolio_config |program_config| partner_config
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 |2 |1 |35 |Denver |null |Sacramento | NYC
Also acceptable would be a Select that just gave me the most relevant config value, i.e.:
device_id |portfolio_id |program_id |partner_id |config_value
-------------------------------------------------------------
1 |2 |1 |35 |Denver
Thanks in advance. Let me know if you need any more clarification.

Answer 1

I think the only part that doesn't work here is pointed out by #EugenRieck's comment...
- Which field tells the Miata it is a Child of Mazda?
I would change the structure slightly...
ENTITY_TABLE
entity_id | parent_entity_id | entity_name
1 NULL Vehicle
2 1 Car
3 2 Mazda
4 3 Miata
5 1 Cycle
6 5 Unicycle
7 6 Broken Unicycle
PROPERTY_TABLE
entity_id | property_type | value
1 Wheels 4
2 Wheels NULL
3 Wheels NULL
4 Wheels NULL
5 Wheels 2
6 Wheels 1
7 Wheels 0
(And repeated for other property types as appropriate)
-- Every entity must have the same properties as the parents
-- (otherwise you have to find the topmost parent first to know what properties exist)
-- An entity may only have 1 parent
-- The topmost parent must have a NULL parent_id
-- The bottommost parent must be no more than 3 joins away from the topmost parent
Then you can have something like this...
SELECT
entity1.id,
property1.property_type,
entity1.name,
entity2.name,
entity3.name,
entity4.name,
property1.value,
property2.value,
property3.value,
property4.value,
COALESCE(property1.value, property2.value, property3.value, property4.value) AS inherited_value
FROM
entity AS entity1
LEFT JOIN
entity AS entity2
ON entity2.id = entity1.parent_id
LEFT JOIN
entity AS entity3
ON entity3.id = entity2.parent_id
LEFT JOIN
entity AS entity4
ON entity4.id = entity3.parent_id
INNER JOIN
property AS property1
ON property1.entity_id = entity1.id
LEFT JOIN
property AS property2
ON property2.entity_id = entity2.id
AND property2.property_type = property1.property_type
LEFT JOIN
property AS property3
ON property3.entity_id = entity3.id
AND property3.property_type = property1.property_type
LEFT JOIN
property AS property4
ON property4.entity_id = entity4.id
AND property4.property_type = property1.property_type
WHERE
entity1.id = #entity_id
AND property1.property_type = #property_type

Answer 2

This solution is based on your schema with #param1 being the hierarchy_configuration_key_id and #param2 being the desired device_id. It uses a method similar to Dems' although it was arrived at independently except for my borrowing of COALESCE.
SELECT *,
IF(dv_key IS NOT NULL,'device',IF(pf_key IS NOT NULL,'portfolio',IF(pg_key IS NOT NULL,'program',IF(pt_key IS NOT NULL,'partner',NULL)))) AS hierarchy_level,
COALESCE(dv_key,pf_key,pg_key,pt_key) AS key_id,
COALESCE(dv_value,pf_value,pg_value,pt_value) AS value
FROM
(SELECT sim_id,
dv.device_id, pt.partner_id, pg.program_id, pf.portfolio_id,
dvc.hierarchy_configuration_key_id AS dv_key, dvc.configuration_value AS dv_value,
pfc.hierarchy_configuration_key_id AS pf_key, pfc.configuration_value AS pf_value,
pgc.hierarchy_configuration_key_id AS pg_key, pgc.configuration_value AS pg_value,
ptc.hierarchy_configuration_key_id AS pt_key, ptc.configuration_value AS pt_value
FROM device dv
LEFT JOIN portfolio pf USING(portfolio_id)
LEFT JOIN program pg USING(program_id)
LEFT JOIN partner pt USING(partner_id)
LEFT JOIN device_configuration dvc ON dv.device_id=dvc.device_id AND dvc.hierarchy_configuration_key_id=#param2 AND dvc.active='true'
LEFT JOIN portfolio_configuration pfc ON pf.portfolio_id=pfc.portfolio_id AND pfc.hierarchy_configuration_key_id=#param2 AND pfc.active='true'
LEFT JOIN program_configuration pgc ON pg.program_id=pgc.program_id AND pgc.hierarchy_configuration_key_id=#param2 AND pgc.active='true'
LEFT JOIN partner_configuration ptc ON pt.partner_id=ptc.partner_id AND ptc.hierarchy_configuration_key_id=#param2 AND ptc.active='true'
WHERE dv.device_id = #param1) hierchy;