Don't Be Fooled by Data: How to Recognize Identity Columns in MSSQL 2000 (Beginner-Friendly Guide)

This function allows you to check various properties of a column, including whether it's an identity column. Here's the syntax:

SELECT columnproperty(object_id('your_table_name'), 'your_column_name', 'IsIdentity') AS is_identity

Example:

SELECT columnproperty(object_id('Customers'), 'CustomerID', 'IsIdentity') AS is_identity

This query checks if the CustomerID column in the Customers table is an identity column. It returns 1 if it is an identity column, and 0 if it's not.

Using sp_help:

This system stored procedure provides information about various database objects, including tables. You can use the sp_help command to view table definition, which often indicates identity columns.

sp_help your_table_name

sp_help Customers

Running this command will display information about the Customers table, including its columns and data types. If the CustomerID is an identity column, it will be marked with "IDENTITY" next to its data type.

Related Issues and Solutions:

• Case sensitivity: Both methods are case-sensitive. Ensure you use the correct case for the table and column names.
• Multiple identity columns: While rare, a table can have multiple identity columns. The methods above will identify any column with the "IDENTITY" property.