hello

anyone know if MySQL tables can only contain keys or they can contain other tables too? (like directories... they can contain files or sub-directories)

thanks

curious.. what are you trying to do?

a program to record groups of students

so it should have:
Main MySQL database -> group 1 -> ID/name 1 -> keys1, keys2, keys3
Main MySQL database -> group 1 -> ID/name 2 -> keys1, keys2, keys3
Main MySQL database -> group 1 -> ID/name 3 -> keys1, keys2, keys3
Main MySQL database -> group 2 -> ID/name 1 -> keys1, keys2, keys3
Main MySQL database -> group 2 -> ID/name 2 -> keys1, keys2, keys3
Main MySQL database -> group 3 -> ID/name 1 -> keys1, keys2, keys3
Main MySQL database -> group 3 -> ID/name 2 -> keys1, keys2, keys3
Main MySQL database -> group 3 -> ID/name 3 -> keys1, keys2, keys3
Main MySQL database -> group 3 -> ID/name 4 -> keys1, keys2, keys3

and so on..

No, you can't store a table within a table. Use use a common key to link two tables together instead, like this:

Groups:
GroupID, GroupName, ...
1, Class A
2, Class B

Users:
GroupID, Name, ...
1, John
1, Paul
1, Terry
2, Frank
2, Joseph

etc.