View source for ICT:Automatic IDs

'''Description:''' Documentation for generating and querying automatic IDs using Page Forms and Cargo, including Protected Namespace management.

= Automatic ID Generation & Namespace Control =

This page documents the workflow for creating unique, automatic IDs and ensuring pages are saved within a specific Protected Namespace using [[Extension:Page Forms|Page Forms]] and [[Extension:Cargo|Cargo]].

== 1. Template Logic (Automatic ID Generation) ==
The best practice is to construct your ID inside the storage template. This allows you to combine multiple attributes and system values (like timestamps) before storing them in Cargo.

=== Example Cargo Store ===
In your data template's `<includeonly>` section:
<pre>
<nowiki>
{{#cargo_store:
_table = Projects
|ProjectID = {{{Category|}}}-{{{Year|}}}-{{#time:U}}
|Category = {{{Category|}}}
|Year = {{{Year|}}}
}}
</nowiki>
</pre>

== 2. Form Definition (Namespace & Page Naming) ==
By defining the `page name` formula in the form, you can force all new pages into a specific namespace and ensure the URL itself acts as a unique identifier.

=== Forcing a Protected Namespace ===
In the <nowiki>{{{info}}}</nowiki> tag, prefix your formula with the name of your protected namespace. 
* '''Note:''' Use the exact name of the namespace (e.g., `Archive:`, `Internal:`, or `Data:`).

<pre>
<nowiki>
{{{info|page name=Archive:<Projects[Category]>-<Projects[Year]>-<unique number;start=001>}}}
</nowiki>
</pre>

=== Validation for Uniqueness ===
To prevent manual ID collisions, use the `unique` parameter on a hidden field in your form definition:
<pre>
<nowiki>
{{{field|ProjectID|unique|input type=text|hidden}}}
</nowiki>
</pre>

== 3. Querying Protected Data ==
When querying pages in a specific namespace, Cargo's `_pageName` will include the namespace prefix (e.g., `Archive:Project-101`).

=== Query Example ===
<pre>
<nowiki>
{{#cargo_query:
|tables = Projects
|fields = _pageName=ID, Category
|where = _pageNamespace = 102 <!-- Use the ID of your Protected Namespace -->
|format = table
}}
</nowiki>
</pre>

== Comparison: Page Forms vs. Page Schemas ==
| Feature | Page Schemas | Manual Page Forms |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| **Ease of Use** | High (Visual) | Medium (Markup) |
| **Namespace Control** | Limited / Hardcoded | Full (Dynamic via `page name`) |
| **Custom ID Logic** | Difficult to customize | Unlimited (via ParserFunctions) |
| **Maintenance** | Auto-generates code | Manual template updates |

[[Category:Help]]
[[Category:Cargo]]