get new SQL record ID

Question

How can I get back the autogenerated ID for a new record I just inserted? (Using ASP classic and MSSQL 2005)

Answer 1

There are three ways to get the the last identity in sql.

They were already mentioned by others, but for completeness:

• @@IDENTITY - can also return ids created in other objects in the same scope (think triggers)
• IDENT_CURRENT - limited to a table, but not to your scope, so it can give bad results for busy tables
• Scope_Idenity() - Limited to the scope of the request. Use this 99% of the time

Additionally, there are three ways to take that ID and return it to your client code:

• Use an output parameter in a stored procedure

  INSERT INTO [MyTable] ([col1],[col2],[col3]) VALUES (1,2,3); 
  SELECT @OutputParameterName = Scope_Identity();
  

• Use a return value.

  INSERT INTO [MyTable] ([col1],[col2],[col3]) VALUES (1,2,3); 
  Return Scope_Identity();
  

• Select the id into a result set. For example, your sql statement would look something like this:

  Dim ResultID As Integer
  Dim strSQL As String
  strSQL = "INSERT INTO [MyTable] ([col1],[col2],[col3]) VALUES (1,2,3); SELECT Scope_Identity();"
  rsResults.Open strSQL, oConn
  ResultID = rsResults("ID")
  

Unfortunately (or fortunately, from my point of view) my Classic ASP it too far gone to show examples of the first two from client code.