Every user interface object (form, ABF frame, ABF application, report, QBF JoinDef, and so on) is identified in the extended system catalogs by a unique number, the object ID. The object ID is generated when the object is created. For each database, the largest object ID issued to date is stored in the table ii_id; this value is incremented and issued as the ID for each new object.

An object's name, owner, and other information are stored once only, in the ii_objects catalog. In all other extended system catalogs, objects are identified by their object ID.

User programs that insert objects into the extended system catalogs must generate a unique object ID for each new object by incrementing the object_id column in the ii_id catalog. Be sure to keep the transaction that updates ii_id.object_id as short as possible and to recover properly from errors. For information on handling errors in transactions, see the SQL Reference Guide.