Identity DB field in Data Dictionary Table

Question

Hi
I am using NW04 SP9
I created a Data Dictionary DC and created a new TABLE.
I need one of the fields to be an IDENTITY field (that generates an ID automatically whenever a new record is craeted).
Q1. Is the Data Dictionary DC and Plug in (of NW04 SP9) support such a feature?
Q2. If the answer is no, what are my alternatives?

Answer 1

Hi,
the enqueue method in question is called
getUniqueIncreasingNumber()
There is another SDN forum thread describing its invocation pretty well:
Autogenerate Primary Key
(in this thread you can also view the invocation of guid based strings, as guid based generation executes locally, it is a good idea to use it if primary keys can be strings, contrary, enqueue invocation implies connecting to the enqueue instance)
You can view the Javadoc for getUniqueIncreasingNumber()
in the local documentation of your Developer Studio installation (API WAS/J2EE Engine/com.sap.services.......applocking),
i just copy and paste it here:
"getUniqueIncreasingNumber
public long getUniqueIncreasingNumber()
                               throws com.sap.engine.frame.core.locking.TechnicalLockException
Returns a number with the following properties:
every method-call returns a higher number than the previous ones
the number contains the timestamp of the central server, so this will work correctly in a distributed environment and also after a restart of the cluster
This number can be used for every purpose, it is not locking-specific.
ATTENTION: if the system-time of the central server is changed this will probably not work correctly any more."
Note that the precondition is that you never change the system time of the Enqueue Instance (what is indeed in general not allowed in SAP systems, see the SAP note #771577). In the case of enqueue replication server, both system clocks have to be synchronized.
good luck, Katarzyna