IdentitySeed Property

This feature will be removed in a future version of Microsoft SQL Server. Avoid using this feature in new development work, and plan to modify applications that currently use this feature.

The IdentitySeed property exposes the initial row value for an identity column.

Syntax

object
.IdentitySeed [=value]

Parts

• object
  An expression that evaluates to an object in the Applies To list

• value
  A long integer greater than or equal to 1

Data Type

Long

Modifiable

Read/write prior to Microsoft SQL Server column creation. Read-only for existing columns.

Prototype (C/C++)

HRESULT GetIdentitySeed(LPLONG pRetVal);
HRESULT SetIdentitySeed(LONG NewValue);

Remarks

SQL Server allows the row identity property on a single column within a table. Identity, like a primary key, identifies a row uniquely. SQL Server implements row identification using a numeric value. As rows are inserted, SQL Server generates the row value for an identity column by adding an increment to the existing maximum value.

For example, the identity values for the first three rows inserted into a table containing a column defined with identity, an identity seed of 1, and an increment value of 3, are 1, 4, and 7.

Applies To:

Column Object