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Adding Indexes to a Class

This topic discusses how to add and edit index definitions to a persistent class definition.

An index definition instructs the InterSystems IRIS® class compiler to create an index for one or more properties. Indexes are typically used to make SQL queries more efficient. See Defining and Building Indexes in the SQL Optimization Guide.

You can add an index to a class definition in two ways:

  • Editing the class definition using the Class Editor.

  • Using the New Index wizard

To add an index using the Class Editor, position the cursor on a blank line in the Class Editor and enter an index declaration:

Index NameIndex On Name;

Alternatively, copy and paste an existing index declaration and then edit it.

For details, see Index Definitions in the Class Definition Reference.

New Index Wizard

You can invoke the New Index wizard using the Class > Add > Index. Alternatively, right-click the Class Inspector and select Add > New Index. You can also click the New Index button lightening bolt with yellow starburst from the toolbar.

The New Index wizard prompts you for information. If you click Finish before completing all of the wizard screens, default values are set for any information you did not provide.

Name and Description Page

The New Index wizard prompts you for the following information (you can later modify any of these values):

Index Name

(required) Name of the new index. This name must be a valid index name and must not conflict with the name of a previously defined index.

See Rules and Guidelines for Identifiers.

Description

(optional) Description of the new index. This description is used when the class' documentation is displayed in the online class library documentation.

A description may include HTML formatting tags. See Creating Class Documentation in Defining and Using Classes.

Index Type Page

InterSystems IRIS supports the following types of indexes.

Normal Index

A normal index is used for indexing on property values. You can further qualify a normal index by selecting one of the following:

Parameter Description
Unique Index The set of properties associated with this index must have a combined value that is unique in the extent of objects of this class.
IDKEY The set of properties associated with this index are used to create the Object ID value used to store instances of this class in the database. You cannot modify the values of properties that are part of an IDKEY definition once an object has been saved. IDKEY implies that the property or properties are unique (as with a Unique Index).
SQL Primary Key The set of properties associated with this index is reported as the SQL Primary Key for the SQL table projected for this class. This implies that the property or properties are unique (as with a Unique Index).
Extent Index

An extent index is used to keep track of which objects belong to a specific class in a multiclass extent of objects. It differs from a normal index in that you cannot specify additional characteristics for it.

You can also select how the index is physically implemented in the database:

Standard Index

This index is a traditional cross-index on the specified property or properties.

Bitmap Index

A bitmap index uses a compressed representation of a set of object ID values that correspond to a given indexed value. See Bitmap Indexes in InterSystems SQL Optimization Guide for more information.

Bitslice Index

A bitslice index is a specialized form of index that enables very fast evaluation of certain expressions, such as sums and range conditions. See Bitslice Indexes in InterSystems SQL Optimization Guide for more information.

Index Properties Page

On the Index Properties page, you can enter a list of one or more properties on which the index is based. For each property you can override the default collation function used to transform values stored in the index as well as any parameters for the collation function.

Important:

There must not be a sequential pair of vertical bars (||) within the values of any property used by an IDKEY index, unless that property is a valid reference to an instance of a persistent class. This restriction is imposed by the way in which the InterSystems IRIS SQL mechanism works. The use of || in IDKey properties can result in unpredictable behavior.

Index Data Page

On the Index Data page, elect to store a copy of the data for any properties in the index.

You cannot store copies of data values with a bitmap index.

Results of Running the New Index Wizard

After running the New Index wizard, the Class Editor is updated to include the new index definition. For example:

/// This is a Person class
class MyApp.Person extends %Persistent 
{

Property Name As %String;

Index NameIndex On Name;
}

You can edit the index definition with either the Class Editor or the Class Inspector.

Populating an Index

After you add an index definition to a class and compile, you can populate the index (place data into it) by using Rebuild Indexes, found in the Management Portal. For more information, see Building Indexes in the InterSystems SQL Optimization Guide.

Studio does not automatically index existing data.

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