Each rule and recommendation is given a unique identifier within a standard. These identifiers consists of three parts:
- A three letter mneumonic representing the section of the standard
- A two digit numeric value in the range of 00-99
- The letter "A" or "C" to indicate if the coding practice is an advisory recommendation or a compulsory rule.
The three letter mneumonic can be used to group similar coding practices and to indicate which category a coding practice belongs.
The numeric valuue is used to give each coding practice a unique identifier. Numeric values in the range of 00-29 are reserved for recommendations while values in the rang eof 30-99 are reserved for rules.
The letter "A" or "C" used to indicate if the coding practice is an advisory recommendation or a compulsory rule is not required to uniquely identify each coding practice. It is used to provide a clear indication of whether the coding practice is a rule or reommendation.