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Identity column question
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Forum:
Microsoft SQL Server
Category:
Database design
Title:
Identity column question
Miscellaneous
Thread ID:
00827797
Message ID:
00827797
Views:
55
As I am working on my first SQL Server database, I came across the following question. The book "Client/Server Applications with VFP and SQL Server", in chapter 1 "Introduction to ClientServer" has a sentence:

"If you have the choice, you should avoid identity columns when you design a database."

I have a choice but don't know what to do :-)

As I am playing with the database I created where tables have identity columns, I like it, since I don't have to do anything to maintain the PK value.

In my VFP-database applications I usually maintain PK values for each table using a table PK_FILE.DBF where PK values get incremented by the code in the application. I suppose I can do the same in SQL Server but is it really an "accepted" way of maintaining PKs?

What would you recommend to use for identity column/pk field?

Thank you for any suggestions.
"The creative process is nothing but a series of crises." Isaac Bashevis Singer
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