Sql – Foreign Key to non-primary key

sqlsql server

I have a table which holds data, and one of those rows needs to exist in another table. So, I want a foreign key to maintain referential integrity.

CREATE TABLE table1
(
   ID INT NOT NULL IDENTITY(1,1) PRIMARY KEY,
   AnotherID INT NOT NULL,
   SomeData VARCHAR(100) NOT NULL
)

CREATE TABLE table2
(
   ID INT NOT NULL IDENTITY(1,1) PRIMARY KEY,
   AnotherID INT NOT NULL,
   MoreData VARCHAR(30) NOT NULL,

   CONSTRAINT fk_table2_table1 FOREIGN KEY (AnotherID) REFERENCES table1 (AnotherID)
)

However, as you can see, the table I foreign key to, the column isn't the PK. Is there a way to create this foreign key, or maybe a better way to maintain this referential integrity?

Best Answer

If you really want to create a foreign key to a non-primary key, it MUST be a column that has a unique constraint on it.

From Books Online:

A FOREIGN KEY constraint does not have to be linked only to a PRIMARY KEY constraint in another table; it can also be defined to reference the columns of a UNIQUE constraint in another table.

So in your case if you make AnotherID unique, it will be allowed. If you can't apply a unique constraint you're out of luck, but this really does make sense if you think about it.

Although, as has been mentioned, if you have a perfectly good primary key as a candidate key, why not use that?

Related Solutions

Sql-server – How to foreign key constraints be temporarily disabled using T-SQL

If you want to disable all constraints in the database just run this code:

-- disable all constraints
EXEC sp_MSforeachtable "ALTER TABLE ? NOCHECK CONSTRAINT all"

To switch them back on, run: (the print is optional of course and it is just listing the tables)

-- enable all constraints
exec sp_MSforeachtable @command1="print '?'", @command2="ALTER TABLE ? WITH CHECK CHECK CONSTRAINT all"

I find it useful when populating data from one database to another. It is much better approach than dropping constraints. As you mentioned it comes handy when dropping all the data in the database and repopulating it (say in test environment).

If you are deleting all the data you may find this solution to be helpful.

Also sometimes it is handy to disable all triggers as well, you can see the complete solution here.

Sql – Add Foreign Key relationship between two Databases

You would need to manage the referential constraint across databases using a Trigger.

Basically you create an insert, update trigger to verify the existence of the Key in the Primary key table. If the key does not exist then revert the insert or update and then handle the exception.

Example:

Create Trigger dbo.MyTableTrigger ON dbo.MyTable, After Insert, Update
As
Begin

   If NOT Exists(select PK from OtherDB.dbo.TableName where PK in (Select FK from inserted) BEGIN
      -- Handle the Referential Error Here
   END

END

Edited: Just to clarify. This is not the best approach with enforcing referential integrity. Ideally you would want both tables in the same db but if that is not possible. Then the above is a potential work around for you.

Best Answer

Related Solutions

Sql-server – How to foreign key constraints be temporarily disabled using T-SQL

Sql – Add Foreign Key relationship between two Databases

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