script to add and remove auto-increment property from a column

Question

For a sql script I'm working on, I need to programmatically remove the identity, identity seed, and identity increment for a column in an existing table, then add them back to the table at the end of the script. Does anyone have a reference or an example on how to do this?

Ob

Are you asking this because you need to insert some specific values into an identity column? – Oleta

Yes, ported in from another database over a linked server. – Ob

Answer 1

You should do this:

SET IDENTITY_INSERT <TableName> ON
-- Do the inserting in the table with name <TableName>
SET IDENTITY_INSERT <TableName> OFF

For more details look in the MSDN.

Excellent

But where we added column_name on which we want to set identity ? @Ivan Ferić – Filberto

You don't need to specify any column name - this will enable identity insert on the table – Ammonal

Answer 2

Yes, you just do this:

SET IDENTITY_INSERT [TABLE] ON

And then back on:

SET IDENTITY_INSERT [TABLE] OFF

This will allow you to enter manual data in the identity column.

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms188059.aspx

Danettedaney

You should first set it to ON, and in the end to OFF. With ON it signalizes that you are about to do manual inserts on identity column. – Ammonal

Thanks, a little Friday morning aixelsyd. :) – Danettedaney

You still have it the other way around. – Ammonal