The id processing code is used by the Update processor to create new item-IDs. When the Update processor is invoked without a specified item-ID, the Update processor creates a new item. When that item is filed, the Update processor creates an item-ID for it. If there is an id processing code, the item-ID is created according to the id function indicated in the corresponding subcode. If there is no id processing code, the item-ID is created by concatenating the current date with a system-wide sequence number. The general format is only valid in the correlative (attribute 8) of the file defining item.
If you attempt to file or restore an id in an FSI file-defining item, it will be commented-out with an asterisk (*).
| System Processors | Update |
| Code Type | File Defining |
| Dictionary Attributes | Correlative |
id{subcode}
| subcode | a.code | Uses the specified a processing code to create the item-ID. Since an a processing code can call a FlashBASIC program, any user-defined item-ID can be created. |
| n | (integer number) Creates numeric item-IDs, starting with n. As a protective mechanism to avoid the case of stepping on existing item-IDs, if the item-ID already exists in the file, n is automatically incremented until a unique item-ID is found. The system updates the value in the processing code with the latest value. | |
| n{-m} | FSI Only: (integer number) Creates numeric item-IDs, starting with n. As a protective mechanism to avoid the case of stepping on existing item-IDs, if the item-ID already exists in the file, n is automatically incremented until a unique item-ID is found. The system updates the value in the processing code with the latest value. The m (maximum) option restarts at the item-ID at 1 once it reaches the maximum specified item-ID number. | |
| t | Creates new item-IDs by concatenating the internal date with the internal time, measured in seconds. If two item-IDs are assigned within the same second, an alphabetic character, starting with the letter a, is appended to the item-ID to ensure that each item-ID is unique. | |
| call | Uses a BASIC or FlashBASIC subroutine to create the item-ID. |