Question

Delay constraint check until transaction commits

Asked by: sturdy


Hello

I want to peform several updates against a database table.
All the updates is done within one single transaction.
The updates modifies a column with a unique constraint.

After all the updates has been executed will the unique constraint actually be unique, however, during the update may the constraint be voilaited.
The reason for this is that the user on the client side may change one row, and then change the next row to the same name as the original row that was changed had.
The rows are saved in any order.

A good solution would be if there were something I could do to make SQL Server delay checking the constraint until the transaction is attemted commited.

Regards, sturdy

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Asked On
2003-12-12 at 14:18:57ID20824509
Tags

check

,

delay

,

sql

Topic

MS SQL Server

Participating Experts
2
Points
500
Comments
7

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Answers

 

by: ScottPletcherPosted on 2003-12-12 at 14:23:52ID: 9931435

It's my understanding that SQL Server does not offer deferred constraint resolution.  Unfortunately, then, you will have to DISABLE the "offending" constraints to get the updates to go thru.

 

by: ScottPletcherPosted on 2003-12-12 at 14:24:26ID: 9931441

>> Unfortunately, then, you will have to DISABLE the "offending" constraints to get the updates to go thru

or develop some other work-around, of course.

 

by: jonleehackerPosted on 2003-12-12 at 22:55:45ID: 9933279

why not have the transactions commit one row at a time. That way you can provide a precise error message to the client when the unique constraint is violated.

 

by: sturdyPosted on 2003-12-13 at 06:03:39ID: 9934116

The question is not about giving a better error message to the client.
The question is about not having to give any error message for a error that from the client point of view does not exists.
If the whole workset is stored no the unique index is not broken, and there is no problem.

 

by: jonleehackerPosted on 2003-12-13 at 08:27:47ID: 9934500

Okay then, the only way I can see to do what you're after is to remove the Unique constraint and enforce it manually. Probably in a trigger on Insert and inside your stored proc (since then you test each one of the new values one at a time) for your updates.

20120131-EE-VQP-002

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