asked on

Best way to generate userid(integer value), should i use identity column or something else? Please advise

I have a login table which generates users and generates an id for the user. I am not sure whether to use IDENTITY_Column(autonumber) so that sql server generates a unique id by itself or use something else.
Some people advised me using identity specification lock table and causes performance issues.

At present i am using the following:

SET NOCOUNT ON;
	DECLARE @intErrorCode INT
	BEGIN TRANSACTION
		SET @TID=(select (counterfrom + currentcounter) from e_counter 
		SELECT @intErrorCode = @@ERROR
		IF (@intErrorCode <> 0) GOTO PROBLEM
		
		insert into e_Login
		(id,Username,Password) values
		(@TID, 'U-','U-')
		SELECT @intErrorCode = @@ERROR
		IF (@intErrorCode <> 0) GOTO PROBLEM
		
		UPDATE e_counter set currentcounter=(currentcounter + 1) where functionno=@FUNID
		SELECT @intErrorCode = @@ERROR
		IF (@intErrorCode <> 0) GOTO PROBLEM
		
    COMMIT TRANSACTION
    
    PROBLEM:
	IF (@intErrorCode <> 0) 
		BEGIN
			ROLLBACK TRAN
			SET @TID=0
		END

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I want to know the right approach as i need to use these for chat applications in msgs tables also where lots of records are inserted at a time by many users.
Please advise
Thanks in advance.

ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION

BurnieP

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SOLUTION

Ephraim Wangoya

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calorisplanitia

ASKER

What if there is a case like chat application where hundreds of msgs are inserted at a time?

calorisplanitia

ASKER

will the table be available for view when the records are inserted, while using identity?

Ephraim Wangoya

Even in such a case, an Identity column will still perform better than generating your own unique id

BurnieP

It is even more better to use identity if you have hundreds of message inserted at a time. The table will be available for view since inserting is not locking existing rows.

SAMIR BHOGAYTA

Hi,

You have to use the identity column and also use this column with the concatenation with the userid + identity column and store it into any varchar type datafield and also define as unique value.

calorisplanitia

ASKER

Apologies, i forgot to mark this question as completed.
I tested myself also and found that identity coulmns are much better.
Thanx to you all for helping me out.!