Re: [SQL] Primary keys: can they be alphanumerical?

On Mon, 6 Jul 1998, Stuart Rison wrote:

> I would like to know what is the general concensus on having alphanumerical
> primary keys.

I use alphanumeric primary keys all the time.  I keep large databases
with FDA regulatory information in them, and the FDA assigned approval
number, usually a letter, followed by two digits indicating the year of
approval or the type of approval (like for a generic drug), followed by four
digits indicating the sequence of apporval for that year.  I use this
same key as a a foreign key for, say, patent records, which is usuallu a
one-to-many join.

Brett W. McCoy
                                         http://www.lan2wan.com/~bmccoy
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