How do the database entries work?

[Zibenatum]

I've been using a few tutorials on the internet to learn how SQL and databases work but there's one thing I don't understand. (Maybe it will explain it more in the later parts of the tutorial, I don't know.) How does the database actually affect what goes on in WoW? For example, when making an account in the database, how does it actually know that when you type 24 in the flags section it means its a WotLK account? Probably didn't explain it that well but hopefully someone can help me.

[stoneharry]

The database just contains tables of records with various data under fixed columns.

It allows data to be stored/retrieved with ease, with the use of SQL queries.

What happens is when you login to WoW, the private server will see you requesting to login and so check whether your account exists in the database.

If it does then it can go onto the next step - what flags is your account, so it will run:

SELECT `flags` FROM `accounts` WHERE `name` = 'ThePersonJustLoggedIn';

Well something along those lines. And it will display depending on what that returns.

The flags system works in binary manner, the same as most systems:

0 = default
1 = something
2 = something
4 = Just TBC
8 = TBC and vanilla
16 = Just WOTLK
24 = WOTLK and TBC

And so on... I can't remember them exactly.

I hope this answers your questions, ask if you have any more.