Since you want this to be sequential and not skip any numbers, the only way to do it is to get the number when the record is inserted. But, how will you handle deletes?
>This is what I want to avoid and I was wondering if it is possible to "lock" the identity. By your question and thinking logically I see that what I am trying to do is probably impossible. Right?
Craig Berntson
MCSD, Microsoft .Net MVP, Grape City Community Influencer