# Coding the DV\_IDENTIFIER 'type'
**URL:** https://discourse.openehr.org/t/coding-the-dv-identifier-type/16610
**Category:** Technical (archive)
**Created:** [20 December 2018 10:40 UTC](https://discourse.openehr.org/t/coding-the-dv-identifier-type/16610 "2018-12-20T10:40:31Z")
**Posts on this page:** 2
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@siljelb](https://discourse.openehr.org/u/siljelb)
#### Post date: [20 December 2018 10:40 UTC](https://discourse.openehr.org/t/coding-the-dv-identifier-type/16610/1 "2018-12-20T10:40:31Z")
Hi,
In the documentation for the DV\_IDENTIFIER data type ([https://specifications.openehr.org/releases/RM/Release-1.0.3/data\_types.html#\_dv\_identifier\_class](https://specifications.openehr.org/releases/RM/Release-1.0.3/data_types.html#_dv_identifier_class)), the attribute ‘type’ is described as “Optional identifier type, such as prescription , or Social Security Number . **One day a controlled vocabulary might be possible for this.** ” (my emphasis). Is it possible to code this at the moment, given that the data type for ‘type’ is String and not for example DV\_TEXT?
Kind regards,
**Silje Ljosland Bakke**
Information Architect, RN
Coordinator, National Editorial Board for Archetypes
Nasjonal IKT HF, Norway
Tel. +47 40203298
Web: [http://arketyper.no](http://arketyper.no/) / Twitter: [@arketyper\_no](https://twitter.com/arketyper_no)
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### Author:  [@system](https://discourse.openehr.org/u/system)
#### Post date: [21 December 2018 08:49 UTC](https://discourse.openehr.org/t/coding-the-dv-identifier-type/16610/2 "2018-12-21T08:49:48Z")
Hi Silje,
You can’t turn a string into a DV\_TEXT but you can use something like a namespace which is sort of hinted at in the description, which refers to the type being structured
e.g “[uk.gov/dvla/driving-licence](http://uk.gov/dvla/driving-licence)”
I think this is actually a better solution than formal coding as most of these types will be very local/national.
Ian