CURRENT_USER (Transact-SQL)
Returns the name of the current user. This function is equivalent to USER_NAME().
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Syntax
CURRENT_USER
Return Types
sysname
Remarks
CURRENT_USER returns the name of the current security context. If CURRENT_USER is executed after a call to EXECUTE AS switches context, CURRENT_USER will return the name of the impersonated context. If a Windows principal accessed the database by way of membership in a group, the name of the Windows principal will be returned instead of the name of the group.
To return the login of the current user, see SUSER_NAME (Transact-SQL) and SYSTEM_USER (Transact-SQL).
Examples
A. Using CURRENT_USER to return the current user name
The following example returns the name of the current user.
SELECT CURRENT_USER;
GO
B. Using CURRENT_USER as a DEFAULT constraint
The following example creates a table that uses CURRENT_USER as a DEFAULT constraint for the order_person column on a sales row.
USE AdventureWorks;
IF EXISTS (SELECT TABLE_NAME FROM INFORMATION_SCHEMA.TABLES
WHERE TABLE_NAME = 'orders22')
DROP TABLE orders22
GO
SET NOCOUNT ON
CREATE TABLE orders22
(
order_id int IDENTITY(1000, 1) NOT NULL,
cust_id int NOT NULL,
order_date smalldatetime NOT NULL DEFAULT GETDATE(),
order_amt money NOT NULL,
order_person char(30) NOT NULL DEFAULT CURRENT_USER
)
GO
The following code inserts a record in the table. The user that is executing these statements is named Wanida.
INSERT orders22 (cust_id, order_amt)
VALUES (5105, 577.95)
GO
SET NOCOUNT OFF
GO
The following query selects all information from the orders22 table.
SELECT * FROM orders22;
GO
Here is the result set.
order_id cust_id order_date order_amt order_person
----------- ----------- -------------------- ------------ ------------
1000 5105 2005-04-03 23:34:00 577.95 Wanida
(1 row(s) affected)
C. Using CURRENT_USER from an impersonated context
In the following example, user Wanida executes the following Transact-SQL code.
SELECT CURRENT_USER;
GO
EXECUTE AS USER = 'Arnalfo';
GO
SELECT CURRENT_USER;
GO
REVERT;
GO
SELECT CURRENT_USER;
GO
Here is the result set.
Wanida
Arnalfo
Wanida