Database and unique identifiers

[Anon]

Hi all

I am creating a smallish CMS with mySQL/PHP.

Within the CMS is a news section where users can post/modify and delete stories.

My question is this - what exactly should I do either with mySQl or PHP to give each new added story a unique identifer.

I only ask as when it comes to editing any of the stories there is no unique way of identifying any story, apart from whats being used (eg...headline/body/author). And when I try to modify anything I have to use of them as a reference, making that field un-updatable.

This unique identifier would be hidden from public view or else use in link for

eg http://www.mysite.com/read_news.php?ID=unique value

Does anyone have any suggestions or ideas?

[soulreaver]

modify your DB to have an new field- call it id for simplicity, set it to auto_increment and hey presto a unique identifier. You can then use this value to uniquely access any db entry.

Hope this helps

[Anon]

Well I figured it out myself - kinda

I just included a hidden new field in the form that creates a random value and adds that into the new field. I am using that as the unique identifier - simply because old news will be deleted on a regular bassi so the chances of conflicting numbers is very slim

But hey thanks for the tip - might come in useful soon

[[deleted]]

I'd go for the auto_increment. browsers can cache your data and send data twice, corrupting your tables. Always let the database manage the data.

[Anon]

Ok might do that

I assume that whenever I add something new to the table - the "id" would automatically be updated by the server????? Thus giving each one a unique number, or would have to tell the server that each time someon fills out the form?

[[deleted]]

"the "id" would automatically be updated by the server?"

indeed, that is the point. The database is the only one who knows wether a number is unique, so it is best to let it generate the numbers.