Index: trunk/ippToPsps/jython/objectbatch.py
===================================================================
--- trunk/ippToPsps/jython/objectbatch.py	(revision 35223)
+++ trunk/ippToPsps/jython/objectbatch.py	(revision 35417)
@@ -372,5 +372,18 @@
         self.logger.infoPair("Forcing uniqueness on", "objID in Object table")
         rowCountBefore = self.scratchDb.getRowCount("Object")
+
+        # XXX EAM : note that in mysql versions later than 5.1, this fails
+        # unless the following is called first: 
+        # set session old_alter_table=1
+        # follow the command with 
+        # set session old_alter_table=0
+        # OF COURSE, this fails for mysql version < 5.5...
+        if self.scratchDb.version > 5.1:
+            self.scratchDb.execute("set session old_alter_table=1")
+            
         self.scratchDb.execute("ALTER IGNORE TABLE Object ADD UNIQUE INDEX(objID)")
+        if self.scratchDb.version > 5.1:
+            self.scratchDb.execute("set session old_alter_table=0")
+
         rowCountAfter = self.scratchDb.getRowCount("Object")
         self.logger.infoPair("Number of duplicated objIDs removed", "%d out of %d" % ((rowCountBefore - rowCountAfter), rowCountBefore))