GetMaxRows() to get next value

Question

Hello
I have a table that has a column of just ID which is just an integer. When i add a new record into the database whats the best way for me to get the next value for ID column. lets say before the insert statement the last row of the table has ID 50. In my insert statement how can i determine that the next value should be 51. i thought of using getMaxRows() and adding one to that everytime i do insert.
But whenever i do getMaxRows() i just get 0 back. i did something like this
String max = "Select * from table";
stmt1 = connection.prepareStatement(max);
result = stmt1.executeQuery();
System.out.println("This is max rows"+stmt1.getMaxRows());

Answer 1

i do think this method will occur some problem...
think...if u have 50 rows of data...and some day u need to delete data
ID 49...so the next data ID ur program will produce is ->50...but data ID 50 already exist in database...so maybe ur program will get duplicate of primary key error.
this is just assumsion.because before that i also think the getMaxRow() can solve my problem...but it doesn't.
and usually data ID is the primary key... :)
if u has no primary key u can jus ignore this reply