I may be way out there, but I think "using the whole row as a primary key" is exactly the opposite of a primary key.
"Primary Key: A key that uniquely identifies each record and is used as the primary method of accessing the records" - File Structures ISBN 0-201-87401-6 So, unless the intention is to give every single field every time you want any record - the suggestion is crazy talk - and a very bad hashing algorithm at that :). Tell'em to look here: http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=Primary+Key+best+practice Cheers rob On Tue, 9 Nov 2004 08:01:18 -0600, Dawson, Michael <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > I'm well aware of the need for a primary key, in addition to a sound > table design, however, I'd like someone else to "word" a response for > me. > > A co-worker built a data file (a data table on an AS400) with six > fields. The only unique "key" of the record is the entire record, > itself. The combination of all six fields must be used to identify the > exact record. > > "This is how it's done," is the reply I get. (I've been building > web-based apps using relational DBs for 8 years. I have never used an > entire record as the primary key.) > > I'm not passing an entire record through a URL or in hidden form fields. > Imagine the nightmare of maintaining this application... > > A discussion of the existence of Oracle's sequences and SQL's identity > fields did little to sway this person's opinion. This person's entire > development background is AS400 with a history of bad database design. > > Now, I'm creating the table myself to do it right. ;-) > > Any thoughts? > > Thanks > M!ke > > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~| Special thanks to the CF Community Suite Gold Sponsor - CFHosting.net http://www.cfhosting.net Message: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=i:4:183720 Archives: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/threads.cfm/4 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=s:4 Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/unsubscribe.cfm?user=89.70.4 Donations & Support: http://www.houseoffusion.com/tiny.cfm/54
