Question

Cannot update identity column

Asked by: a1x

How do I change the value of an identity column for a record?

I am trying to do something like the following, where ID is an identity column.

UPDATE COMPANY SET ID = 7 WHERE ID = 6

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Asked On
2005-08-11 at 08:43:20ID21523834
Tags

identity

,

update

,

column

,

cannot

Topic

MS SQL Server

Participating Experts
5
Points
125
Comments
11

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Answers

 

by: wael_tahonPosted on 2005-08-11 at 08:51:24ID: 14652660

SET IDENTITY_INSERT COMPANY  ON
GO

UPDATE COMPANY SET ID = 7 WHERE ID = 6
GO

SET IDENTITY_INSERT COMPANY  OFF
GO

 

by: wael_tahonPosted on 2005-08-11 at 08:54:14ID: 14652703

Sorry this apply to insert not update :(

 

by: a1xPosted on 2005-08-11 at 08:55:52ID: 14652717

Ya, that is my problem.  I want to update.  :-)

 

by: acperkinsPosted on 2005-08-11 at 10:53:13ID: 14654034

You will have to temporaily remove the IDENTITY attribute.  This is the way that Enterprise Manager does it:
1. Copies all the data to a temporary table with the same structure, but without an IDENTITY attribute.
2. Deletes the old table.
3. Renames the temporary table to the original table name.

You can then do your update.

Then reverse the steps above.

 

by: ColemssPosted on 2005-08-12 at 12:11:52ID: 14663827

I use this in one of my scripts

-- SET IDENTITY_INSERT to ON.
SET IDENTITY_INSERT Xmt_Users ON

INSERT INTO [XSMT].[dbo].[Xmt_Users]([PU_ID], [UID], [Name], [BU_ID], [BU])
VALUES('0','No Data','No Data','0','MIA')

-- SET IDENTITY_INSERT to OFF.
SET IDENTITY_INSERT Xmt_Users OFF

 

by: ColemssPosted on 2005-08-12 at 12:12:28ID: 14663833

srry just missed it I agree with acperkins

 

by: a1xPosted on 2005-12-23 at 08:38:45ID: 15543140

The best answer I've found is:

1) Turn identity insert on
2) select the record back into the table, changing only the ID column
3) delete the old record

acperkins method should only be used if you are changing a large percentage of the table's records.

 

by: sparabPosted on 2006-03-09 at 07:48:22ID: 16145626

A1x

No comment has been added to this question in more than 21 days, so it is now classified as abandoned.

I will leave the following recommendation for this question in the Cleanup topic area:

Accept:acperkins

Any objections should be posted here in the next 4 days. After that time, the question will be closed.

sparab
EE Cleanup Volunteer

 

by: gozolietPosted on 2008-10-30 at 05:45:40ID: 22840163

If you're working with a big table, just "insert" a copy of the new record and delete the old one.

i.e.

set identity_insert tbl on
insert into tbl (ID, fieldList) select 6, fieldList from tbl where ID = 7
set identity_insert tbl off

20120131-EE-VQP-002

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