text file id: rewrite or increment?

[generic]

I'm working on a text file mini-cms but I'm stopped at the add and delete entry part of the app. I store all the items in a pipe delimited text file, like so:

3|frank
2|annie
1|john

So when I want to add an entry (via a form), I need it to dynamically generate a new, unique id for the new entry, without conflicting due to missing lines. Should I rewrite all the values of the first column (id) to reflect the new ideas or start another text file and increment it, or..??

Any suggestions on how to best do this would be great. (examples would be helpful)

Thanks in advance,

Rob

[devinemke]

generic wrote:

Any suggestions on how to best do this would be great.

the best way? use a database.

if for some reason the above suggestion is not possible then do the following:
1. spool the entire text file into an array using [man]file[/man]
2. loop thru the array and [man]explode[/man] each value using the "|" delimiter
3. during each loop iteration, place just the ID number into a new array
4. sort the new array
5. get the last array value using [man]end[/man]
6. add 1

again, don't use a text file as a database. use a database instead.

[generic]

Thanks alot! I appreciate the response.

Cheers!