Duplicate Records

[smartbid]

How do I check for duplicate records in
a field that does not allow duplicates.

jim

[Clunietp]

If the field already does not allow duplicates, it will perform the validation for you. All you have to do is handle the error that will be generated

[JHausmann]

Tom, there are instances in SQL server when you can have a field that does not allow duplicates that has them. BCP, for example, can do this on SQL Server.

smartbid,

select key, count(key) from table group by key

will give you a list of all your keys (replace the word 'key' with your fieldname) and the number of times they occur. If you get a count greater than 1, you have duplicates.

[Clunietp]

Would that be the exception, not the rule?

Is it not wise to allow the DBMS to perform the validation with normal transactions?

[JHausmann]

Definitely.

Sometimes you don't get a choice, BCP is a good example.