Autonumber value of last inserted row - MS Access / VBA

I have a JET table with an auto-number as the primary key, and I would like to know how I can retrieve this number after inserting a row. I have thought of using MAX() to retrieve the row with the highest value, but am not sure how reliable this would be. Some sample code:

Dim query As String
Dim newRow As Integer
query = "INSERT INTO InvoiceNumbers (date) VALUES (" & NOW() & ");"
newRow = CurrentDb.Execute(query)

Now I know that this wouldn't work, since Execute() won't return the value of the primary key, but this is basically the kind of code I am looking for. I will need to use the primary key of the new row to update a number of rows in another table.

What would be the simplest / most readable way of doing this?

Solution 1:

In your example, because you use CurrentDB to execute your INSERT you've made it harder for yourself. Instead, this will work:

  Dim query As String
  Dim newRow As Long  ' note change of data type
  Dim db As DAO.Database

  query = "INSERT INTO InvoiceNumbers (date) VALUES (" & NOW() & ");"
  Set db = CurrentDB
  db.Execute(query)
  newRow = db.OpenRecordset("SELECT @@IDENTITY")(0)
  Set db = Nothing

I used to do INSERTs by opening an AddOnly recordset and picking up the ID from there, but this here is a lot more efficient. And note that it doesn't require ADO.

Solution 2:

If DAO use

RS.Move 0, RS.LastModified
lngID = RS!AutoNumberFieldName

If ADO use

cn.Execute "INSERT INTO TheTable.....", , adCmdText + adExecuteNoRecords
Set rs = cn.Execute("SELECT @@Identity", , adCmdText)
Debug.Print rs.Fields(0).Value

cn being a valid ADO connection, @@Identity will return the last Identity (Autonumber) inserted on this connection.

Note that @@Identity might be troublesome because the last generated value may not be the one you are interested in. For the Access database engine, consider a VIEW that joins two tables, both of which have the IDENTITY property, and you INSERT INTO the VIEW. For SQL Server, consider if there are triggers that in turn insert records into another table that also has the IDENTITY property.

BTW DMax would not work as if someone else inserts a record just after you've inserted one but before your Dmax function finishes excecuting, then you would get their record.