primary key generation

"Ned Matson" <ned@go.com> writes:

Does postgres have any built-in methods for auto-generating unique integer
primary keys or is managing this task the responsibility of the user?

Sure, read up on the SERIAL column type.

-Doug
--
Let us cross over the river, and rest under the shade of the trees.
--T. J. Jackson, 1863

Hi

You need to create a sequence and set the default value of the primary
key on the next value in the sequence.

An easy way to do this is to define the primary key integer field as
type SERIAL ( instead of integer) at time of table creation.
Postgres will automaticly create the sequence it needs, and set the
default value of the key to the proper value.

HTH,
Wieger

Here is an example:

CREATE SEQUENCE format_id_count;
CREATE TABLE format (
FOREIGN KEY(vehicle_id) REFERENCES vehicle(vehicle_id),

format_id INTEGER PRIMARY KEY
DEFAULT
NEXTVAL('format_id_count
'),
vehicle_id INTEGER,

format_type VARCHAR(11),
description VARCHAR(31),
.......

--- Ned Matson <ned@go.com> wrote:

Does postgres have any built-in methods for auto-generating unique
integer
primary keys or is managing this task the responsibility of the user?

Thanks in advance...

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=====
Chris Albertson
Home: 310-376-1029 chrisalbertson90278@yahoo.com
Cell: 310-990-7550
Office: 310-336-5189 Christopher.J.Albertson@aero.org

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