In SQL Server 2005+ (I use both), does adding the UNIQUE constraint to a column automatically create an index, or should I still CREATE INDEX?
See this MSDN article:
The Database Engine automatically
creates a UNIQUE index to enforce the
uniqueness requirement of the UNIQUE
constraint.
If you do create an index, you'll end up with two indexes, as this example demonstrates:
create table TestTable (id int)
alter table TestTable add constraint unique_id unique (id)
create unique index ix_TestTable_id on TestTable (id)
select * from sys.indexes where [object_id] = object_id('TestTable')
This will display two unique indexes on TestTable; and the HEAP that represents the table itself.
Yes, it does.
In fact, you can even create a CLUSTERED UNIQUE CONSTRAINT:
ALTER TABLE mytable ADD CONSTRAINT UX_mytable_col1 UNIQUE CLUSTERED (col1)
, which will make the table to be clustered on col1.
Almost all databases create an index for UNIQUE CONSTRAINT, otherwise it would be very hard to maintain it.
Oracle doesn't even distinguish between UNIQUE CONSTRAINT and UNIQUE INDEX: one command is just a synonym for another.
The only difference in Oracle is that a UNIQUE INDEX should have a user-supplied name, while a UNIQUE CONSTRAINT may be created with a system-generated name:
ALTER TABLE mytable MODIFY col1 UNIQUE
This will create an index called SYS_CXXXXXX.
An index is created when you add a unique constraint:
Reference -- see the second paragraph.
When a UNIQUE constraint is added to
an existing column or columns in the
table, by default, the Database Engine
examines the existing data in the
columns to make sure all values are
unique. If a UNIQUE constraint is
added to a column that has duplicated
values, the Database Engine returns an
error and does not add the constraint.
The Database Engine automatically
creates a UNIQUE index to enforce the
uniqueness requirement of the UNIQUE
constraint. Therefore, if an attempt
to insert a duplicate row is made, the
Database Engine returns an error
message that states the UNIQUE
constraint has been violated and does
not add the row to the table. Unless a
clustered index is explicitly
specified, a unique, nonclustered
index is created by default to enforce
the UNIQUE constraint.
Related
I have a table which has a UNIQUE INDEX on 6 different columns. However, there are duplicates in the table. When I drop the index and try to re-create it, it throws error saying there are duplicate values.
Is there a way in which I can have the duplicate rows and still create the unique index ?
I see that there are NOVALIDATE options for constraints. Is there anything similar for Indexes.
I am guessing there should be a way since there duplicate rows in the table with a valid UNIQUE INDEX.
Kindly assist.
You can create a UNIQUE index on your table, even if it has duplicates, if you mark the index as UNUSABLE. This means that the index will exist but the system can't make use of it. To do so use a command similar to
CREATE UNIQUE INDEX UNUSABLE_UNIQUE_IDX_SUCCEEDS
ON TABLE_WITH_DUPS(ID)
UNUSABLE
db<>fiddle here
CREATE INDEX docs here
As if you don't want to get error ORA-00001 Unique constraint violated error during multiple insert operations even violation occurs unless the inserted data commited. Then you can make the unique key deferrable initially deferred such as
alter table tab
drop constraint Ukey [cascade];
alter table tab
add constraint Ukey unique ( col1, col2, ..., col6 )
deferrable initially deferred
the above cascade option is related to removing the unique key even if there exist foreign keys in the child tables of the table tab.
Should I create unique index if a column contains unique constraint and I want to fast search by this column?
For example I have a table users with column login that should be unique. I need fast search user by the login column.
Which is the best way to do it:
create a unique constraint (it creates internal unique index - is it used in select queries with WHERE login = 'something'?)
create a unique index
create a unique index and unique constraint (index duplicates internal index?)
Second case is unique login on not locked users (column locked = false). Postgres does not support partial conditions. Should I create a unique conditional and a partial index or is only a partial index enough?
And one more question: should I create new index for a column with a foreign key? For example: users.employee_id relates to employees.id, should I create an index on employee column for optimized query SELECT * FROM users WHERE employee_id = ....? When are internal indexes used by the optimization engine and when not?
I have a table 'users' with column login that should be unique
If this is the case you need a unique constraint. Unique constraints are enforced (behind the scenes) by unique indexes.
Conceptually:
The unique constraint defines the uniqueness.
The unique index implements the unique constraint.
The unique index provides speedy searches since it allows operations such as Index Range Scan and Index Seeks.
Is it used in select queries with WHERE login = 'something'?
Yes, it is.
Second case is unique login on not locked users (column locked = false).
If this is the case a unique constraint won't work. Maybe a trigger on insert could help here.
should I create new index for column with foreign key?
No, it's not needed (at least in the current version 10 and perhaps the later versions), s. documentation:
PostgreSQL automatically creates a unique index when a unique constraint or primary key is defined for a table. [...] There's no need to manually create indexes on unique columns; doing so would just duplicate the automatically-created index.
I have a script written for Oracle databases that I'm converting to work in SQL Server and I have two questions about a specific section of code.
In Oracle script I have this code:
CREATE UNIQUE INDEX "PK_PORTALROLES" ON "PORTAL_ROLE" ("ROLE_NAME");
ALTER TABLE "PORTAL_ROLE" ADD CONSTRAINT "PK_PORTALROLES"
PRIMARY KEY ("ROLE_NAME") USING INDEX ENABLE;
Question (1)
From the code above what is the USING INDEX command in the ALTER TABLE line doing? Is it assigning the UNIQUE INDEX created on the first line to the newly created CONSTRAINT or is the CONSTRAINT getting a new UNIQUE INDEX to use when it is created?
Question (2)
To duplicate this in SQL Server, I commented out the CREATE UNIQUE INDEX line like this:
--CREATE UNIQUE INDEX "PK_PORTALROLES" ON "PORTAL_ROLE" ("ROLE_NAME");
And then replaced the ALTER TABLE line with this:
ALTER TABLE "PORTAL_ROLE" ADD CONSTRAINT "PK_PORTALROLES" PRIMARY KEY ("ROLE_NAME");
I understand that when a PRIMARY KEY CONSTRAINT is created in SQL Server a UNIQUE INDEX is automatically made. So is the one line of SQL Server code directly above doing the same thing as the two lines of Oracle code above?
EDIT
One final question. Is there a way in Oracle and SQL Server to assign an existing INDEX to a CONSTRAINT?
In Oracle
If there are more than one indexes on the column on which you want to add PK constraint, we can selectively choose the index to be assoicated with the PK using “USING INDEX“. This clause can be used while:
Adding the PK constraint for the first time (using “ALTER TABLE” command).
CREATE TABLE tbl_test ( col_1 NUMBER,
col_2 NUMBER,
col_3 NUMBER);
CREATE INDEX idx_col_1_2 ON tbl_test(col_1, col_2);
CREATE INDEX idx_col_1_3 ON tbl_test(col_1, col_3);
CREATE UNIQUE INDEX idx_col_1 ON tbl_test(col_1);
-- Forcing oracle to use the unique index "IDX_COL_1"
ALTER TABLE tbl_test ADD CONSTRAINT tbl_test_pk PRIMARY KEY(col_1)
USING INDEX idx_col_1;
SELECT constraint_name, constraint_type, index_name
FROM user_constraints
WHERE table_name = 'TBL_TEST';
-- CONSTRAINT_NAME | CONSTRAINT_TYPE | INDEX_NAME
-- TBL_TEST_PK | P | IDX_COL_1
What if? If you don't use the USING INDEX clause
ALTER TABLE tbl_test ADD CONSTRAINT tbl_test_pk PRIMARY KEY(col_1);
-- Although an unique index exists, oracle has picked up the first index
SELECT constraint_name, constraint_type, index_name
FROM user_constraints
WHERE table_name = 'TBL_TEST';
-- CONSTRAINT_NAME | CONSTRAINT_TYPE | INDEX_NAME
-- TBL_TEST_PK | P | IDX_COL_1_2
That shows The index associated with the PK constraint needn’t be unique.
But in SQLServer implicitly CLUSTERED INDEX will be created when primary key defined on any column
So to your last question. In Oracle you can assign index which we created can be assigned to constraints which we will create in future.
In SQLServer i guess it is not possible.
In Oracle, you can do
alter table PORTAL_ROLE add constraint pk_portalroles primary key('ROLE_NAME');
And it will create unique index for you. But when you drop or disable(!) constraint, it will drop that index. To avoid that (or to give index some custom name, or to use non-unique index, etc), it is usually done in 2 steps as in your code (as recommended by ORACLE).
Q1: constraint will be using existing index.
Q2: Yes, it will be enough for SQL Server.
When you specify a unique constraint on one or more columns, Oracle implicitly creates an index on the unique key. If you are defining uniqueness for purposes of query performance, then Oracle recommends that you instead create the unique index explicitly using a CREATE UNIQUE INDEX statement. You can also use the CREATE UNIQUE INDEX statement to create a unique function-based index that defines a conditional unique constraint.
I have to insert data into a table that has a PK in it. I also have another table that has a clustered index in it.
Should I drop the PK or the INDEX for the the best INSERT speeds? Then recreate them afterwards?
I load data to these types of tables on a routine basis and I want to make sure I am using the quickest way possible in all situations.
A primary key uniquely identifies a record and has other uses as well. An index makes select queries run faster.
You should never drop your primary key.
Whether or not you drop and re-create indexes when adding records depends on the circumstances.
Primary Key : Uniquely identifies the the data & we cannot insert duplicate Data.
Index : Index help us to get out data to us very quickly.
Very Important Concept about Primary key & Index
Suppose your column is marked with the primary key then Clustered Index automatically gets created,
If no clutstered index is already present in the table
To See that Your Index is Created Successfully, You can use.
sp_helpindex Index_Name
- About Index :
You cannot create a unique index on a single column if that column contains NULL in more than one row. Similarly, you cannot create a unique index on multiple columns if the combination of columns contains NULL in more than one row. These are treated as duplicate values for indexing purposes.
- About Primary Key :
All columns defined within a PRIMARY KEY constraint must be defined as NOT NULL. If nullability is not specified, all columns participating in a PRIMARY KEY constraint have their nullability set to NOT NULL.
I wrote a script that creates some tables (it previously drops them if they exist) and then tries to create two indexes on each table.
The first index uses the Primary Key column to create a non-clustered index, and the second uses another column to create the clustered indexed. This is because the primary key column is a GUID instead of an int.
How can I drop the default index if I don't know it's name? or how can I specify a name for the primary key column index so I can drop it? Or better yet, how can I specify the 2 index i need right in the Create Table statement?
SELECT * FROM sys.indexes
However, I'm not understanding where in your process you actually have to drop an index.
You said you are creating some tables and then creating two indexes on each table.
If you are DROPping existing tables at the beginning, any indexes are automatically dropped.
There is no such thing as a default index.
Tables can either be heaps or clustered indexes. If you drop the clustered index, the table will be converted to a heap and any non-clustered indexes will have to be updated to point to the data in the unordered heap.
You can create like this all at once:
CREATE TABLE dbo.tbl
(
Id int NOT NULL IDENTITY (1, 1) CONSTRAINT UK_ID UNIQUE CLUSTERED,
SomeUUID UNIQUEIDENTIFIER NOT NULL CONSTRAINT PK_SomeUUID PRIMARY KEY NONCLUSTERED
)
Here's a SQLFiddle: http://sqlfiddle.com/#!6/d759e/12
You can define the two indices right after you create the table:
CREATE TABLE dbo.YourTable ( ...... )
GO
ALTER TABLE dbo.YourTable
ADD CONSTRAINT PK_YourTable PRIMARY KEY NONCLUSTERED (YourGuidColumn)
****************
this is crucial ! Otherwise, your PK will be clustered!
CREATE CLUSTERED INDEX IX01_YourTable ON dbo.YourTable(YourOtherColumn)
or even better:
CREATE UNIQUE CLUSTERED INDEX IX01_YourTable ON dbo.YourTable(YourOtherColumn)
That should create a non-clustered primary key and a separate (preferably unique) clustered index on a separate column.