Re: surrogate keys (was: Seeking Database Design Guide)

["James W. Kilgore" <qappdsn@xxxxxxx>]

Buck Calabro wrote:
>
<snip> 
> This is something that out Synon folks are
> trying out; it's a new concept for me...  Nevertheless, the "duplicate
> key" issue is one of the major selling points (or so I am told<g>)
> I understand thta other databases use surrogate keys under the
> covers...(MS Access for one)
> 
The only time I can think of a good use for surrogates would be if you
wanted to assign a new customer/vendor/item/employee/whatever code. 
Using the surrogates to envorce RI instead of the whatever code would
allow a program to go through all the children files, bomb out part way,
and still retain RI.

There may be other cases, but I'm sure it all falls under the recovery,
butt covering, coding! :-)

JMHO

James W. Kilgore
qappdsn@ibm.net
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
* This is the Midrange System Mailing List!  To submit a new message,   *
* send your mail to "MIDRANGE-L@midrange.com".  To unsubscribe from     *
* this list send email to MAJORDOMO@midrange.com and specify            *
* 'unsubscribe MIDRANGE-L' in the body of your message.  Questions      *
* should be directed to the list owner / operator: david@midrange.com   *
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *