If you need a unique, arbitrary ID for each record in your tables -- which is almost always a good thing to have, the OID does the job automatically. It has the additional benefit of being unique in the entire database. The only problem I have is if records are imported from other databases, in which case the OID is changed or at risk of being duplicated. If you assign your own unique ID you can ensure that merged records preserve their ID. I advise using the unique ID only internally and never having a user enter or reference it.

Jodi Kanter wrote:

Does anyone have a comment on the email below? Is there a general consensus on whether or not to use OIDs with version 7.2?

Thanks

Jodi

----- Original Message -----
From: Jodi Kanter

To: Postgres Admin List

Sent: Friday, August 16, 2002 10:19 AM

Subject: OID

Can anyone point me to some documentation on the use of OIDs? Why might I need them? How to remove them in version 7.2? ..etc...

Thanks

Jodi Kanter

_______________________________
Jodi L Kanter
BioInformatics Database Administrator
University of Virginia
(434) 924-2846
jkanter@virginia.edu