Creating a custom sequence in MS-SQL Server.

Introduction

A sequence object in MS-SQL Server is designated to define and get only integer values, such as int, bigint, smallint, tinyint. However, if we want to generate sequence value(s) that are alpha-numeric, then we can define a Stored Procedure that can combine to generate an alpha-numeric combination of sequence values. This blog gives a complete idea of how this can be implemented.

CREATE DATABASE sampdb1

use sampdb1

--First Create a sequence object s3 which will generate numbers from 1 to 5 and cycles

CREATE SEQUENCE s3

START WITH 1

INCREMENT BY 1

MINVALUE 1

MAXVALUE 5

CYCLE

--Ensuring that the sequence object is defined properly and generating defined values.

SELECT NEXT VALUE FOR s3

--Defining a Stored Procedure that generates a Custom-sequence of values. This stored procedure is going to just get the generated alpha-numeric combination of the sequence.

CREATE PROCEDURE genSeqVals AS

Begin

DECLARE @n as int, @msg varchar(4)

SELECT @n=NEXT VALUE FOR s3

PRINT 'A'+cast(@n as varchar(2))

End

--Execute the following code and check.

Exec genSeqVals

--Defining another Stored Procedure that generates a Custom-sequence of values. This stored procedure returns the alpha-numeric combination of the sequence value that is generated using an OUTPUT parameter.

CREATE PROCEDURE getSeqVals(@res varchar(4) OUTPUT) AS

Begin

DECLARE @n as int, @msg varchar(4)

SELECT @n=NEXT VALUE FOR s3

SET @res = 'A'+cast(@n as varchar(2))

End

--Execute the following code and check.

DECLARE @seqnum varchar(4)

EXECUTE getSeqVals @seqnum output

print @seqnum

This is one way in which sequence objects can be custom-implemented as per the requirement. I hope that the above lines of code have given you deeper insight into T-SQL for custom implementation. Happy coding!