SQL Server and Database Sequence

Question

I am trying to use the Database Adapter to insert rows into a SQL Server table and have followed the directions in the other post on this topic. Those directions are specific to inserting into an Oracle Database.
If I don't insert the
<sequence-number-field></sequence-number-field>
<sequence-number-name></sequence-number-name>
fields I get an error that you can't insert into an Identity column.
When I add both of the fields in the toplink_mappings.xml file (which having the sequence-number-name for a SQL Server database which doesn't have a separate sequence object) I get this error:
[SQLServer]Invalid object name 'SEQUENCE'. Internal Exception: java.sql.SQLException: [oias][SQLServer JDBC Driver][SQLServer]Invalid object name 'SEQUENCE'. Error Code: 208
Stating that Sequence is not a valid object which makes sense.
So when I remove the sequence-number-name element I get an error when I deploy the process stating that "if you have one of the sequence elements you have to have both".
I must be doing something wrong. Any help is greatly appreciated.

Answer 1

Hi
In a SQL Server database, you can just use an "identity" column. An identity column is automatically populated and incremented. You don't need to put any mapping in the ODI interface. Just keep it blank.
You cannot use the ODI Sequence, because ODI Sequence will be called only 1 time for all you rows (during the "insert rows" step of the IKM), and you'll have the same number for all your rows. Not exactly what you expect for a surrogate key. Actually, it will only work if you're doing a "row by row" loading.
Otherwise, here's a workaround :
- create an ODI variable that get the max ID of your dimension table (select max(row_id) from table_dim_X)
- in your interface mapping, populate the target column with "VARIABLE + ROWNUM"
ROWNUM gives you the number of the row, in oracle database.
In SQL Server, you can use the function ROW_NUMBER()