Question

Hi guys I just have one quick question:

what happens when an insert statement fails on an identity column?

Is it possible that say for example that if I insert a row with an identity column, that identity column will be 1, and insert again but that fails and does not insert and data. Then try to insert again and that identity for that row is now 3?

Any advice will be much appreciated.

Thanks.

Answer 1

It depends on what the cause of the fail on data insert is. If for example the values are invalid (wrong types), then the identity value won’t be incremented. However, if the first insert is successful, but is then removed (by a transaction failed and rolled back), then the identity value IS incremented.

-- Next identity value = 1
INSERT INTO Table1 (
    field1)
VALUES ('a')

-- Next identity value = 2    
BEGIN TRAN
INSERT INTO Table1 (
  field1)
VALUES ('b')

-- Next identity value = 3    
ROLLBACK TRAN

-- Next identity value = 3, although the insertion was removed.    
INSERT INTO Table1 (
  field1)
VALUES ('c')

-- Next identity value = 4

The first insert will have identity column value = 1, the second one fails, and the third one will have identity column value = 3.