= Generation of UUIDs for 706 and 711 Files Format =

The metadata id in !GenoEx is a '''UUID''', which is a general standard for creating unique identifiers (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universally_unique_identifier). <<BR>>
This identifier is used to associate each separate genotype in the 706 file with the corresponding sharing directive in the associated 711 file.<<BR>>
The program gxprep.py provided by Interbull Centre automatically creates the UUIDs for the genotyped animals and includes them in the 706 and 711  Files. If the User creates the 706 and 711 Files without using the gxprep.py program, then UUIDs need to be generated in some other way.

Currently there are many ways to generate UUIDs:
 * using the Python uuid module;
 * using the linux uuidgen terminal command;
 * using the java UUID library;
 * using web services that create random uuids.

The best way to generate UUIDs depends on the programming language in use in the User's pipeline.

Please find below some additional and relevant information about UUIDs:

 * The UUIDs has to be '''version 4''', which is a properly random uuid;
 * There is no practical risk of creating an already existing UUID, all generated ones will be guaranteed unique;
 * It is a good idea to store the generated uuid with your other data, since it can be used to interface with !GenoEx in the future, to address that particular data;
 * The same uuid should be used in both the 706 and 711 input files for a specific genotype.