Identifiers¶
Every master data entry in ConCertainty – parameter, test method, matrix, test profile, and lab sample – receives 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 uniquely identifies an entry internally. It is independent of the display name – the name of an entry can be changed afterwards, while the identifier remains permanent.
Identifiers follow a fixed notation: only lowercase letters (a–z), digits (0–9), and hyphens are allowed. Spaces and special characters are not permitted.
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 when creating an entry based on the entered name. For some entry types, the name itself is composed of other 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.
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 of 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 significantly simplifies the mapping during import.
For more information on CSV import, see Recording a measurement series.