Postgresql and PHP: is the currval a efficent way to retrieve the last row inserted id, in a multiuser application?

Question

Hi guys!

Im wondering if the way i use to retrieve the id of the last row inserted in a postgresql table is efficent..

It works, obviously, but referencing on the serial sequence currval value could be problematic when i have many users adding rows in the same table at the same time.

My actual way is:

$pgConnection = pg_connect('host=127.0.0.1 dbname=test user=myuser password=xxxxx')or die('cant connect');

$insert = pg_query("INSERT INTO customer (name) VALUES ('blabla')");
$last_id_query = pg_query("SELECT currval('customer_id_seq')");
$last_id_results = pg_fetch_assoc($last_id_query);
print_r($last_id_results);
pg_close($pgConnection);

Well, its just a test atm. But anyway, i can see 3 issues with this way:

1. Referencing on the customer_id_seq, if two user do the same thing in the same time, could happen that them both get the same id from that way... or not?
2. I have to know the table's sequence name. Becose pg_get_serial_sequence dont works for me (im newbie on postgresql, probably is a configuration issue)

Any suggestion/better ways?

p.s: i can't use the PDO, becose seem lack a bit with the transaction savepoint; I wont use zend and, in the end, i'll prefer to use the php pg_* functions (maybe i'll build up my classes in the end)

EDIT:

@SpliFF(thet deleted his answer): this would works better?

$pgConnection = pg_connect('host=127.0.0.1 dbname=test user=myuser password=xxxxx')or die('cant connect');

pg_query("BEGIN");

$insert = pg_query("INSERT INTO customer (name) VALUES ('blabla')");

$last_id_query = pg_query("SELECT currval('customer_id_seq')");

$last_id_results = pg_fetch_assoc($last_id_query);

print_r($last_id_results);

//do somethings with the new customer id

pg_query("COMMIT");

pg_close($pgConnection);

Answer 1

If you use a newer version of PostgreSQL (> 8.1) you should use the RETURNING clause of INSERT (and UPDATE) command.

OTOH if you insist on using one of the sequence manipulation functions, please read the fine manual. A pointer: "Notice that because this is returning a session-local value, it gives a predictable answer whether or not other sessions have executed nextval since the current session did."

Answer 2

Insert and check curval(seq) inside one transaction. Before commiting transaction you'll see curval(seq) for your query and no matter who else inserted at the same time.

Don't remember the syntax exactly - read in manual (last used pgsql about 3 years ago), but in common it looks like this:

BEGIN TRANSACTION;
INSERT ...;
SELECT curval(seq);
COMMIT;

Answer 3

The edited answer is realiable.

Answer 4

ex. minsert into log (desc,user_id) values ('drop her mind',6) returning id