NEWID (T-SQL)

Creates a unique value of type uniqueidentifier.

Syntax

NEWID()

Return Types

uniqueidentifier

Examples

A. Use the NEWID function with a variable

This example uses NEWID to assign a value to a variable declared as the uniqueidentifier data type. The value of the uniqueidentifier data type variable is printed before the value is tested.

-- Creating a local variable with DECLARE/SET syntax.

DECLARE @myid uniqueidentifier

SET @myid = NEWID()

PRINT 'Value of @myid is: '+ CONVERT(varchar(255), @myid)

Here is the result set:

Value of @myid is: 6F9619FF-8B86-D011-B42D-00C04FC964FF

Note The value returned by NEWID is different for each computer. This number is shown only for illustration.

B. Use NEWID in a CREATE TABLE statement

This example creates cust table with a uniqueidentifier data type, and uses NEWID to fill the table with a default value. In assigning the default value of NEWID(), each new and existing row has a unique value for the cust_id column.

-- Creating a table using NEWID for uniqueidentifier data type.

CREATE TABLE cust

(

 cust_id uniqueidentifier NOT NULL

    DEFAULT newid(),

 company varchar(30) NOT NULL,

 contact_name varchar(60) NOT NULL,

 address varchar(30) NOT NULL,

 city varchar(30) NOT NULL,

 state_province varchar(10) NULL,

 postal_code varchar(10) NOT NULL,

 country varchar(20) NOT NULL,

 telephone varchar(15) NOT NULL,

 fax varchar(15) NULL

)

GO

-- Inserting data into cust table.

INSERT cust

(cust_id, company, contact_name, address, city, state_province,

 postal_code, country, telephone, fax)

VALUES

(newid(), 'Wartian Herkku', 'Pirkko Koskitalo', 'Torikatu 38', 'Oulu', NULL,

 '90110', 'Finland', '981-443655', '981-443655')

INSERT cust

(cust_id, company, contact_name, address, city, state_province,

postal_code, country, telephone, fax)

VALUES

(newid(), 'Wellington Importadora', 'Paula Parente', 'Rua do Mercado, 12', 'Resende', 'SP',

 '08737-363', 'Brazil', '(14) 555-8122', '')

INSERT cust

(cust_id, company, contact_name, address, city, state_province,

 postal_code, country, telephone, fax)

VALUES

(newid(), 'Cactus Comidas para Ilevar', 'Patricio Simpson', 'Cerrito 333', 'Buenos Aires', NULL,

 '1010', 'Argentina', '(1) 135-5555', '(1) 135-4892')

INSERT cust

(cust_id, company, contact_name, address, city, state_province,

 postal_code, country, telephone, fax)

VALUES

(newid(), 'Ernst Handel', 'Roland Mendel', 'Kirchgasse 6', 'Graz', NULL,

 '8010', 'Austria', '7675-3425', '7675-3426')

INSERT cust

(cust_id, company, contact_name, address, city, state_province,

 postal_code, country, telephone, fax)

VALUES

(newid(), 'Maison Dewey', 'Catherine Dewey', 'Rue Joseph-Bens 532', 'Bruxelles', NULL,

 'B-1180', 'Belgium', '(02) 201 24 67', '(02) 201 24 68')

GO

C. Use uniqueidentifier and variable assignment

This example declares a local variable called @myid as a variable of uniqueidentifier data type. Then, the variable is assigned a value using the SET statement.

DECLARE @myid uniqueidentifier

SET @myid = 'A972C577-DFB0-064E-1189-0154C99310DAAC12'

GO

See Also