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Reclaiming lost object IDs
In software development using the AL language, object IDs are used to uniquely identify objects within an application. However, sometimes developers assign object IDs to objects that are later deleted or removed from the codebase. These assigned but unused object IDs are called "lost object IDs". Lost object IDs take up space in the available ID pool and can cause confusion when assigning new IDs.
The Reclaim object ID feature in AL Object ID Ninja allows developers to release lost object IDs and free them up for assignment again. By doing so, it ensures that the available ID pool is as accurate and complete as possible, reducing the risk of ID collisions.
It is important to note that not all "lost" object IDs can be reclaimed.
It is possible that one developer may see an object ID as "lost", while in fact it has been assigned by another developer in their local branch and has not yet been pushed and integrated into the mainline. In such cases, developers need to first check that the ID is not in use by any local or remote branches before reclaiming it. Reclaiming an ID that is already in use can cause conflicts and errors during merge.
App pools share the same object ID ranges, however each app only "sees" objects present in that app. When one app consumes an ID from the common range, other apps in the pool will see this object as "lost". When you are working in an app pool, you may still reclaim object IDs, however you need to be extra careful not to cause build conflicts, or - more likely - deployment conflict.
Using the "Reclaim object ID" feature is an essential part of managing object IDs effectively. By reclaiming lost IDs that are not in use, developers can reduce the risk of ID collisions and improve the overall efficiency of their development process. However, it is crucial to ensure that an ID is truly lost before reclaiming it to avoid conflicts and errors during merge.