Odd Question - Can Computed Field Be Primary Key?

[HenryE]

Hi All,

Is it possible to use a computed field as the primary key for a table in an ADP or in pure SQL Server?

For example, say I have two fields in table Names: FirstName and LastName, and I create a field TotalName, which is FirstName+LastName.

Is it at all possible to use TotalName as the primary field for table Names?

Actually, I was able to do this, but it made table Names a read-only table, with no possibility of adding or changing data. So what I am really asking is if it is possible to create primary key field TotalNames in such a way that table Names is not read-only.

Thanks much.

Henry

 

[SQLBI]

Henry,

The type of Key you are refereing to is possile and is called a "Complex Entity".

You still however need to maintain Uniqeness in your Key, and combining names as a primary key would be fundamentally flawed... how many John Smiths will your DB have to store?

As to making it read only, i'm not sure.

Leigh Moore
LJM Analysis Ltd

http://www.ljm-analysis.co.uk