asked on

identity_insert error

This quick script:

/****** Script for SelectTopNRows command from SSMS ******/
set identity_insert [iMIS_MCLE_15TEST].[dbo].[BM_OnlinePass_Subscription] on
insert into [iMIS_MCLE_15TEST].[dbo].[BM_OnlinePass_Subscription]
SELECT [id]
,[clientID]
,[startDate]
,[endDate]
,[period]
,[pricePaid]
,[isNewLawyer]
,[isSponsor]
,[isBaseSubscription]
,[optedOut]
,[sizeOfFirmSource]
,[baseAmount]
,[transactionalDiscountAmount]
,[priceToPayYear]
,[initialpurchdate]
,[monthlyamount]
,[lastpayment]
,[lastpaydate]
,[isPromotion]
,[isAutoEnrolled]
,[otherDiscountAmount]
,[isSoldThroughAdmin]
,[periodNextYear]
,[subscriptionStatus]
,[renewalFlag]
FROM [iMIS_MCLE_Prod].[dbo].[BM_OnlinePass_Subscription]
where lastpaydate >= '11/01/2013' and lastpaydate <= '11/30/2013'

generates the following error:

Msg 8101, Level 16, State 1, Line 3
An explicit value for the identity column in table 'iMIS_MCLE_15TEST.dbo.BM_OnlinePass_Subscription' can only be specified when a column list is used and IDENTITY_INSERT is ON.

Why?

Jim Horn

One of these columns, probably id, is an identity field, which means you can't intentionally insert a value into it.

The only exeption is to...

SET IDENTITY_INSERT ON
-- Do your insert here, so it doesn't duplicate rows for the identity field
SET IDENTITY_INSERT OFF

Open in new window

<edit>

Hmm.. try losing the table name in the IDENTITY_INSERT statement

Larry Rungren

ASKER

the syntax above with no table name generates the following error

Msg 156, Level 15, State 1, Line 2
Incorrect syntax near the keyword 'on'.

Jim Horn

<wild guess>
Looking at the technet help page, the table name is there, but there's also a GO after the SET IDENTITY_INSERT line(s) that are not in the above code. Try that.

Larry Rungren

ASKER

/****** Script for SelectTopNRows command from SSMS ******/
set identity_insert [iMIS_MCLE_15TEST].[dbo].[BM_OnlinePass_Subscription] on
go
insert into [iMIS_MCLE_15TEST].[dbo].[BM_OnlinePass_Subscription]
SELECT [ID]
,[clientID]
,[startDate]
,[endDate]
,[period]
,[pricePaid]
,[isNewLawyer]
,[isSponsor]
,[isBaseSubscription]
,[optedOut]
,[sizeOfFirmSource]
,[baseAmount]
,[transactionalDiscountAmount]
,[priceToPayYear]
,[initialpurchdate]
,[monthlyamount]
,[lastpayment]
,[lastpaydate]
,[isPromotion]
,[isAutoEnrolled]
,[otherDiscountAmount]
,[isSoldThroughAdmin]
,[periodNextYear]
,[subscriptionStatus]
,[renewalFlag]
FROM [iMIS_MCLE_Prod].[dbo].[BM_OnlinePass_Subscription]
where lastpaydate >= '11/01/2013' and lastpaydate <= '11/30/2013'

Still generates this error:::::(

Msg 8101, Level 16, State 1, Line 1
An explicit value for the identity column in table 'iMIS_MCLE_15TEST.dbo.BM_OnlinePass_Subscription' can only be specified when a column list is used and IDENTITY_INSERT is ON.

ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION

Jim Horn

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Larry Rungren

ASKER

Duhhhhh! Kudos for seing my blindness, of course we need the list of fields as part of the insert statement not the select. A simple select * from does the job.

Jim Horn

Don't be too pissed at yourself. I actually got burned on this on the 70-433 SQL 2008 development exam, as the question was 'How to insert rows into a table using as little code as possible, which means not spelling out the INSERT INTO columns, despite the fact that it's considered a poor programming practice and no one I know does this.

Thanks for the grade. Good luck with your project. -Jim