IDs, Tags, and Slugs

Each item recorded in an excavation usually has a unique tag. These tags are typically a combination of strings and numbers agreed upon at the onset of a dig as part of the registration system. For example, small find tags may include season, area, and item number.

The software utilizes three different representations to identify records:

• Tag: a string corresponding to the excavation's field registration tag or name assigned to an item.
• ID: a unique string stored in the database and used as a primary key.
• Slug: a unique string used to identify an item as part of a url (avoiding reserved characters, white spaces, etc.)

For example, in the Jezreel Expedition, a ceramic object is identified by:

• Tag: 16/S/56AR5.1 (Season: 2016, Area: S, Locus: 56, Registration Code: AR, Basket: 5, Artifact: 1)
• Slug: 16.S.56.AR.5.1
• ID: 6S056AR0501

Functions to convert between the different representations are a required part of the module's configuration files.

The software ensures the integrity of records before create and update operations.