DBMS_LOCK.ALLOCATE_UNIQUE and lockhandle

Oracle7 Server Release 7.3.3.0.0:

When making a call to:

  DBMS_LOCK.ALLOCATE_UNIQUE(lockname_in, lockhandle_out, expiration_in)

It appears that the first 10 characters of lockhandle_out always equal the lockid in the DBMS_LOCK_ALLOCATED table for the corresponding user lock. Is this true and can I depend upon this behavior, or should I play it safe and simply read the lockid from the table for the corresponding lockhandle? I want to use the lockid as an index into a PL/SQL table with the assurance that I will not use the same index for two different user allocated locks.

   Francis Small

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