Bill, thanks, that made me think a while. But doesn't that just push the problem up the chain a notch? Adding a table id makes the row unique in the database but not beyond. Then you add a database id to the table/row id and you are unique across databases? But can you be universally unique without being universal? I thought I needed to have an id that would mark any column that comes from that row with its unique origin row. With a GUID I'm pretty much home. But no series of semi-unique keys will ever become as unique as a GUID, will it? That is, until you add a service id to the database id and a server id to the service id and a rack id to the server id and a floor id to the rack id and a bldg id to the floor id and so forth up the chain until you get 64 values in your multi-valued index. And then also make sure none of the combinations of 64 values repeats anywhere in your global enterprise. At that point everyone using a system that doesn't have a GUID type changes the subject and asks, 'you sure you need that?' But I don't have to need it so much if I've got it. All I have to need it is a little and I can use it. Then if I need it more later, I've already got it. It's only when I don't have it that people say, 'you sure you need it?' Know what I mean? Thanks, Kimball -----Original Message----- From: Bill Moran [mailto:wmoran@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] Sent: Tuesday, June 03, 2008 5:57 AM To: kjohnson@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Cc: pgsql-general@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: Re: [GENERAL] FW: make rows unique across db's without UUIP on windows? In response to "Kimball Johnson" <kjohnson@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>: > > What is the normal solution in pgsql-land for making a serious number of > rows unique across multiple databases? > > > > I mean particularly databases of different types (every type) used at > various places (everywhere) on all platforms (even MS[TM])? You know. a > UNIVERSAL id? Just give each separate system it's own unique identifier and a sequence to append to it. -- Bill Moran Collaborative Fusion Inc. http://people.collaborativefusion.com/~wmoran/ wmoran@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Phone: 412-422-3463x4023
