RE: "Reference #"

This conversation moves forward from the original question a bit, but have
you considered a random number generator to crate keys?  

There's nothing gained by serial numbering the records, and a good generator
will pop out unused numbers fairly regularly.   If the number is used,
generate another one.

Once you've done this why not add it as a part of an *ADD *BEFORE trigger
and use the technique on all future files.  Thats a lot of code you never
have to write again.
 
 
 
---------------------------------------------------------
Booth Martin   http://www.MartinVT.com
Booth@xxxxxxxxxxxx
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-------Original Message-------
 
From: RPG programming on the AS400 / iSeries
Date: Wednesday, March 26, 2003 17:10:16
To: RPG programming on the AS400 / iSeries
Subject: RE: "Reference #"
 
Chuck,

If you don't care what the ID is, there's always a GUID (Globally Unique ID)
 GUID's are 32 bit numbers that are theoretically unique to the system that
generated them. There is an API to generate these. I know I've messed with
them in the past but I can't find an example of the code. I don't recall it
being difficult.

Matt

-----Original Message-----
From: Chuck Lewis [mailto:clewis@xxxxxxxxxx]
Sent: Wednesday, March 26, 2003 4:06 PM
To: RPG/400 / iSeries
Subject: "Reference #"


Hi Folks,

I have been asked to create a program to allow employees to enter comments,
suggestions, etc. on how the company is doing, what we can do to improve,
etc.

They will have the option to be anonymous in these entries or be "tracked"
for follow-up.

I need to assign a number or something to each record so I can reference
them. What is the best way to do this ?

At a past company we had multiple companies and I wrote Receiving programs
that generated a Receiver # from a data area and each company had a
particular designation in that data area plus the "next number". This, plus
the fact that usually only one person at a location would be entering
Receivers, tended to avoid any problems with this.

In this situation, with the option of being anonymous it is wide open to all
our 10 locations; I fear this might be more difficult.

Anyone doing anything like this ?

Thanks !

Chuck 

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