Site Structure

A while ago my web host folded and took my site with it.

I'm redesigning my site for a much more professional/modern feel to it. But then I realized, while I understand layout/graphics well enough for my personal site, I don't understand structuring a DB and issues of that nature. I'm actually quite terrible at coming up with a design.

I'd like to get some input on this before I start working in the site. That way, if/when I need help, I'll be able to at least have one thing right - the structure.

I'm wanting to do a lot (for me). I'm an artist and thus need to create an image gallery. I will also be creating a "blog" for myself. (This isn't going to be some elaborate thing, just a database holding the crap that I write). And lastly, I'd like to have a guestbook for the site and then a place to leave comments on the pictures and blogs.

Right now, this is how I have my database setup. But I don't have anything in it yet and I can change it if I need to:

Database:
Table: Blog /
// id -- unique id
// number -- number in relation to catagory (for navigational purposes - is this stupid? I would think this would make it easier to navigate, but is it just as easy to use the date?)
// date
// title
// subtitle
// catagory
// tags - to help the search
// blog - the actual entry (by the way, how do I keep the formatting in my DB so it comes out with the correct line breaks?)
Table: Blog Comments /
// uid - unique id
// id - lines up with the "id" of blogs
// name
// email
// comment
// date
Table: Guestbook /
// id - unique
// name
// email
// comment
// date
Table: Gallery /
// id
// title
// tools
// description
// tags
// notice
// img (this is the url, not the actual image)
// mini (URL of thumbnail)
Table: Image Comments /
// uid - unique id
// id - lines up with "id" from gallery
// name
// email
// comment
// date

So there it is. Is this a good structure - flexible if need be? Or does this just outright suck (very possible)?

Would you use an Access Database for this? Would it be more profitable to learn XML for storing my blog or anything else? I'm open to scrapping the DB completely. I just want input on how best to design an online gallery with a little feature-deprived blog.

Thank you for any input.

You're probably not going to get much help in this forum on database design. Web layout is for help with the layout of a web page.

If it's possible, I'd go with MS SQL Server or SQL Server Express 2005, or MySQL database. If you can't get your hands on one of those, then Access will have to do.

Determine which system you want to use and one of us will move your thread to the appropriate forum.