Identifiers¶
Every master data entry in ConCertainty – parameter, test method, matrix, test profile, and lab sample – is assigned an identifier when it is created. This page explains what an identifier is, how it is generated, and why you should pay attention to it when creating new entries.
What is an identifier?¶
An identifier is a technical designator by which ConCertainty internally identifies an entry uniquely. It is independent of the display name – the name of an entry can be changed afterwards, but the identifier remains permanent.
Identifiers follow a fixed notation: lowercase letters (a–z), digits (0–9), and hyphens are allowed. Spaces and special characters are not permitted.
The only exception are PSE elements: their identifier corresponds to the
chemical symbol from the periodic table and is therefore written with
capital letters (e.g. Si, Fe, Cu).
Examples:
| Name | Identifier |
|---|---|
| pH-Wert | ph-wert |
| DIN EN 14726 | din-en-14726 |
| Aluminium | aluminium |
| DIN EN 14726 Aluminium | din-en-14726-aluminium |
How is an identifier generated?¶
ConCertainty automatically generates the identifier from the entered name when an entry is created. For some entry types, the name itself is composed of other pieces of information – for a test profile, for example, from the test method and matrix, and for a lab sample from matrix, material, and designation. The identifier follows this generation process.
Both the name and the identifier can be manually adjusted before saving.
Why is the identifier important?¶
The identifier is immutable once an entry has been saved. A subsequent change is not possible.
Warning
Check the identifier carefully before saving an entry. A subsequent correction is not possible.
Background: identifiers are used at several points in the system as a stable designator – among other things, during the CSV import of measurement data, where column headers are mapped directly to parameter identifiers. A later change would make existing data and imports inconsistent.
Identifiers in CSV import¶
When importing measurement data via a CSV file, the column headers are matched against the identifiers of the parameters in the selected test profile. If a header does not match any identifier, the column is silently ignored.
Upper and lower case do not matter here – ConCertainty converts all headers to lowercase before matching.
Choose parameter identifiers so that they are human-readable and unique. This makes matching during import much easier.
For more information on CSV import, see Recording a measurement series.