How to change a RECID Data Type to INT64

How to change a database field RECID Data Type to INT64
Using a RECID datatype necessitates alternatives when designing application logic around RECID's in order to preserve values
Since 10.1B using an INT64 datatype instead of RECID avoids potential index corruption
 

Use Cases:

Preserving RECID datatype values.

• Data Dictionary dump excludes RECID datatype values. When the field is MANDATORY, the values are imported with an initial value "?", otherwise RECID data values are lost.
• RECID data values are lost unless the RECID field name is included in an EXPORT statement

Index Corruption.

Prior to OpenEdge 11.6.4, 11.7.2, the routine used by index utilities, (idxcheck, idxfix, idxbuild, idxactivate) processes ROWID datatype fields as an INTEGER field when validating or building keys.  When the value is in the 64 bit range and part of an index key, the routine used by index utilities, (idxcheck, idxfix, idxbuild, idxactivate) processes RECID datatype fields as an INTEGER field when validating or building keys. Refer to Article

• System Error 8783 could not be fixed either by running IDXFIX (option 3) or IDXFIX (option 6) for a database with RECID field datatype   

Prior to OpenEdge 11.7.0; 11.6.4, when recids straddle the 32/64-bit boundary, multi-level indexes are corrupted when the index grows larger than can be referenced by a 32-bit variable.  Refer to Article

•  Critical Alert – Index manager defect can corrupt large indexes where dbkeys straddle 32/64-bit boundary.

While RECIDs should never be relied on for referential integrity, using an INT64 data type instead of a RECID database allows the field value stored to be preserved and avoids index corruption when it is part of a key index.  To change a Field from a RECID to an INT64 datatype requires adding a new field with the required data type:

Assume the following TABLOG Schema:
  1. Through the Data Dictionary:

a. Deactivate the I_TABLOG index 

The index needs to be re-created later anyway. Otherwise the index will be rebuilt when its key field TABLE_ID is renamed next.
If the index is a PRIMARY INDEX, consider temporarily marking another active index as the Primary Index. Refer to Article:

• 00082871, How to activate a Primary Index   

b. Re-name the RECID data type field TABLE_ID to: temp-TABLE_ID

c. (re-)Create field TABLE_ID, by copying temp-TABLE_ID then selecting: Modify First
2. Copy the field values of temp-TABLE_ID to TABLE_ID

The following example ABL can be run from a client session; 3. Re-create the index by deleting the current index and adding it back again (inactive).

The following .df can be used (the customer's "AREA" for indexes will need to be edited)
4. Build the I_TABLOG index with IDXACTIVATE (online) or IDXBUILD (offline)