How do I generate a unique ID without using AUTOINCREMENT

Question

I am exporting data from csv into mysql database, I want the database to generate a unique id for each imported record. I want to use the unique field in generating a receipt number in crystal report.

What would you suggest as the best way of doing this?

Answer 1

If you don't want to auto increment the only other way to virtually guarantee uniqueness is to use a GUID as the id.

I say "virtually" as there is a theoretical possibility that the same GUID could be generated twice, but it's effectively zero for all everyday uses. From the Wikipedia article:

The total number of unique keys (21²⁸ or 3.4×10³⁸) is so large that the probability of the same number being generated twice is extremely small, and certain techniques have been developed to help ensure that numbers are not duplicated.