How to create id with AUTO_INCREMENT on Oracle?

Question

It appears that there is no concept of AUTO_INCREMENT in Oracle, up until and including version 11g.

How can I create a column that behaves like auto increment in Or

Answer 1

Oracle Database 12c introduced Identity, an auto-incremental (system-generated) column. In the previous database versions (until 11g), you usually implement an Identity by creating a Sequence and a Trigger. From 12c onward, you can create your own Table and define the column that has to be generated as an Identity.

The following article explains how to use it:

Identity columns - A new entry in Oracle Database 12c

Answer 2

Starting with Oracle 12c there is support for Identity columns in one of two ways:

1. Sequence + Table - In this solution you still create a sequence as you normally would, then you use the following DDL:

   CREATE TABLE MyTable (ID NUMBER DEFAULT MyTable_Seq.NEXTVAL, ...)

2. Table Only - In this solution no sequence is explicitly specified. You would use the following DDL:

   CREATE TABLE MyTable (ID NUMBER GENERATED AS IDENTITY, ...)

If you use the first way it is backward compatible with the existing way of doing things. The second is a little more straightforward and is more inline with the rest of the RDMS systems out there.

Answer 3

Assuming you mean a column like the SQL Server identity column?

In Oracle, you use a SEQUENCE to achieve the same functionality. I'll see if I can find a good link and post it here.

Update: looks like you found it yourself. Here is the link anyway: http://www.techonthenet.com/oracle/sequences.php

Answer 4

In Oracle 12c onward you could do something like,

CREATE TABLE MAPS
(
  MAP_ID INTEGER GENERATED ALWAYS AS IDENTITY (START WITH 1 INCREMENT BY 1) NOT NULL,
  MAP_NAME VARCHAR(24) NOT NULL,
  UNIQUE (MAP_ID, MAP_NAME)
);

---

And in Oracle (Pre 12c).

-- create table
CREATE TABLE MAPS
(
  MAP_ID INTEGER NOT NULL ,
  MAP_NAME VARCHAR(24) NOT NULL,
  UNIQUE (MAP_ID, MAP_NAME)
);

-- create sequence
CREATE SEQUENCE MAPS_SEQ;

-- create tigger using the sequence
CREATE OR REPLACE TRIGGER MAPS_TRG 
BEFORE INSERT ON MAPS 
FOR EACH ROW
WHEN (new.MAP_ID IS NULL)
BEGIN
  SELECT MAPS_SEQ.NEXTVAL
  INTO   :new.MAP_ID
  FROM   dual;
END;
/

Answer 5

FUNCTION UNIQUE2(
 seq IN NUMBER
) RETURN VARCHAR2
AS
 i NUMBER := seq;
 s VARCHAR2(9);
 r NUMBER(2,0);
BEGIN
  WHILE i > 0 LOOP
    r := MOD( i, 36 );
    i := ( i - r ) / 36;
    IF ( r < 10 ) THEN
      s := TO_CHAR(r) || s;
    ELSE
      s := CHR( 55 + r ) || s;
    END IF;
  END LOOP;
  RETURN 'ID'||LPAD( s, 14, '0' );
END;

Answer 6

  create trigger t1_trigger
  before insert on AUDITLOGS
  for each row
   begin
     select t1_seq.nextval into :new.id from dual;
   end;

only I have to just change the table name (AUDITLOGS) with your table name and new.id with new.column_name