How to resolve “Microsoft.Data.SqlClient.SqlException (0x80131904): Cannot insert explicit value for identity column in table when IDENTITY_INSERT is set to OFF”

This post was most recently updated on May 3rd, 2021.

Okay, okay – another super simple thing that I messed up, fixed, and decided to document :) This time I messed up a simple operation in Entity Framework Core operation on a simple entity, and hopefully I’ll save someone else some trouble!

Onwards to the issue, then!

Problem

So when you’re trying to insert stuff into your database – somewhat like shown in the example below:

var entity = new MyEntity(){ Id = 1337, Name = "My Entity" };
_ctx.MyEntities.Add(entity);
_ctx.SaveChanges();

You get an error somewhat like in the example below:

Or in text below:

Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.DbUpdateException: An error occurred while updating the entries. See the inner exception for details.

—> Microsoft.Data.SqlClient.SqlException (0x80131904): Cannot insert explicit value for identity column in table when IDENTITY_INSERT is set to OFF.

Digging deeper, the whole stack trace might look something like below:

Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.DbUpdateException: An error occurred while updating the entries. See the inner exception for details.
 ---> Microsoft.Data.SqlClient.SqlException (0x80131904): Cannot insert explicit value for identity column in table  when IDENTITY_INSERT is set to OFF.
   at Microsoft.Data.SqlClient.SqlConnection.OnError(SqlException exception, Boolean breakConnection, Action`1 wrapCloseInAction)
   at Microsoft.Data.SqlClient.SqlInternalConnection.OnError(SqlException exception, Boolean breakConnection, Action`1 wrapCloseInAction)
   at Microsoft.Data.SqlClient.TdsParser.ThrowExceptionAndWarning(TdsParserStateObject stateObj, Boolean callerHasConnectionLock, Boolean asyncClose)
   at Microsoft.Data.SqlClient.TdsParser.TryRun(RunBehavior runBehavior, SqlCommand cmdHandler, SqlDataReader dataStream, BulkCopySimpleResultSet bulkCopyHandler, TdsParserStateObject stateObj, Boolean& dataReady)
   at Microsoft.Data.SqlClient.SqlDataReader.TryConsumeMetaData()
   at Microsoft.Data.SqlClient.SqlDataReader.get_MetaData()
   at Microsoft.Data.SqlClient.SqlCommand.FinishExecuteReader(SqlDataReader ds, RunBehavior runBehavior, String resetOptionsString, Boolean isInternal, Boolean forDescribeParameterEncryption, Boolean shouldCacheForAlwaysEncrypted)
   at Microsoft.Data.SqlClient.SqlCommand.RunExecuteReaderTds(CommandBehavior cmdBehavior, RunBehavior runBehavior, Boolean returnStream, Boolean isAsync, Int32 timeout, Task& task, Boolean asyncWrite, Boolean inRetry, SqlDataReader ds, Boolean describeParameterEncryptionRequest)
   at Microsoft.Data.SqlClient.SqlCommand.RunExecuteReader(CommandBehavior cmdBehavior, RunBehavior runBehavior, Boolean returnStream, TaskCompletionSource`1 completion, Int32 timeout, Task& task, Boolean& usedCache, Boolean asyncWrite, Boolean inRetry, String method)
   at Microsoft.Data.SqlClient.SqlCommand.RunExecuteReader(CommandBehavior cmdBehavior, RunBehavior runBehavior, Boolean returnStream, String method)
   at Microsoft.Data.SqlClient.SqlCommand.ExecuteReader(CommandBehavior behavior)
   at Microsoft.Data.SqlClient.SqlCommand.ExecuteDbDataReader(CommandBehavior behavior)
   at System.Data.Common.DbCommand.ExecuteReader()
   at Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Storage.RelationalCommand.ExecuteReader(RelationalCommandParameterObject parameterObject)
   at Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Update.ReaderModificationCommandBatch.Execute(IRelationalConnection connection)
ClientConnectionId:106a6c02-4b4e-45e3-87cb-e3d849572f1f
Error Number:544,State:1,Class:16
   --- End of inner exception stack trace ---
   at Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Update.ReaderModificationCommandBatch.Execute(IRelationalConnection connection)
   at Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Update.Internal.BatchExecutor.Execute(IEnumerable`1 commandBatches, IRelationalConnection connection)
   at Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Storage.RelationalDatabase.SaveChanges(IList`1 entries)
   at Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.ChangeTracking.Internal.StateManager.SaveChanges(IList`1 entriesToSave)
   at Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.ChangeTracking.Internal.StateManager.SaveChanges(DbContext _, Boolean acceptAllChangesOnSuccess)
   at Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.SqlServer.Storage.Internal.SqlServerExecutionStrategy.Execute[TState,TResult](TState state, Func`3 operation, Func`3 verifySucceeded)
   at Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.ChangeTracking.Internal.StateManager.SaveChanges(Boolean acceptAllChangesOnSuccess)
   at Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.DbContext.SaveChanges(Boolean acceptAllChangesOnSuccess)
   at Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.DbContext.SaveChanges()
   at Audit.EntityFramework.AuditIdentityDbContext`8.Audit.EntityFramework.IAuditBypass.SaveChangesBypassAudit()
   at Audit.EntityFramework.Providers.EntityFrameworkDataProvider.InsertEvent(AuditEvent auditEvent)
   at Audit.Core.AuditScope.SaveEvent(Boolean forceInsert)
   at Audit.Core.AuditScope.Save()
   at Audit.EntityFramework.DbContextHelper.SaveScope(IAuditDbContext context, AuditScope scope, EntityFrameworkEvent event)
   at Audit.EntityFramework.DbContextHelper.SaveChanges(IAuditDbContext context, Func`1 baseSaveChanges)
   at Audit.EntityFramework.AuditIdentityDbContext`8.SaveChanges()
   at Koskila.ContosoApp.Services.UpdateDataAsync(String username) in 
   at Koskila.ContosoApp.Pages.FetchData.OnInitializedAsync() in 
   at Microsoft.AspNetCore.Components.ComponentBase.RunInitAndSetParametersAsync()
Microsoft.AspNetCore.Components.Server.Circuits.RemoteRenderer: Warning: Unhandled exception rendering component: Cannot access a disposed object.

System.ObjectDisposedException: Cannot access a disposed object.
   at Microsoft.AspNetCore.Components.RenderTree.ArrayBuilder`1.ThrowObjectDisposedException()
   at Microsoft.AspNetCore.Components.RenderTree.ArrayBuilder`1.GrowBuffer(Int32 desiredCapacity)
   at Microsoft.AspNetCore.Components.RenderTree.ArrayBuilder`1.Append(T[] source, Int32 startIndex, Int32 length)
   at Microsoft.AspNetCore.Components.RenderTree.RenderTreeDiffBuilder.InsertNewFrame(DiffContext& diffContext, Int32 newFrameIndex)
   at Microsoft.AspNetCore.Components.RenderTree.RenderTreeDiffBuilder.AppendDiffEntriesForFramesWithSameSequence(DiffContext& diffContext, Int32 oldFrameIndex, Int32 newFrameIndex)
   at Microsoft.AspNetCore.Components.RenderTree.RenderTreeDiffBuilder.AppendDiffEntriesForRange(DiffContext& diffContext, Int32 oldStartIndex, Int32 oldEndIndexExcl, Int32 newStartIndex, Int32 newEndIndexExcl)
   at Microsoft.AspNetCore.Components.RenderTree.RenderTreeDiffBuilder.AppendDiffEntriesForFramesWithSameSequence(DiffContext& diffContext, Int32 oldFrameIndex, Int32 newFrameIndex)
   at Microsoft.AspNetCore.Components.RenderTree.RenderTreeDiffBuilder.AppendDiffEntriesForRange(DiffContext& diffContext, Int32 oldStartIndex, Int32 oldEndIndexExcl, Int32 newStartIndex, Int32 newEndIndexExcl)
   at Microsoft.AspNetCore.Components.RenderTree.RenderTreeDiffBuilder.AppendDiffEntriesForFramesWithSameSequence(DiffContext& diffContext, Int32 oldFrameIndex, Int32 newFrameIndex)
   at Microsoft.AspNetCore.Components.RenderTree.RenderTreeDiffBuilder.AppendDiffEntriesForRange(DiffContext& diffContext, Int32 oldStartIndex, Int32 oldEndIndexExcl, Int32 newStartIndex, Int32 newEndIndexExcl)
   at Microsoft.AspNetCore.Components.RenderTree.RenderTreeDiffBuilder.AppendDiffEntriesForFramesWithSameSequence(DiffContext& diffContext, Int32 oldFrameIndex, Int32 newFrameIndex)
   at Microsoft.AspNetCore.Components.RenderTree.RenderTreeDiffBuilder.AppendDiffEntriesForRange(DiffContext& diffContext, Int32 oldStartIndex, Int32 oldEndIndexExcl, Int32 newStartIndex, Int32 newEndIndexExcl)
   at Microsoft.AspNetCore.Components.RenderTree.RenderTreeDiffBuilder.ComputeDiff(Renderer renderer, RenderBatchBuilder batchBuilder, Int32 componentId, ArrayRange`1 oldTree, ArrayRange`1 newTree)
   at Microsoft.AspNetCore.Components.Rendering.ComponentState.RenderIntoBatch(RenderBatchBuilder batchBuilder, RenderFragment renderFragment)
   at Microsoft.AspNetCore.Components.RenderTree.Renderer.RenderInExistingBatch(RenderQueueEntry renderQueueEntry)
   at Microsoft.AspNetCore.Components.RenderTree.Renderer.ProcessRenderQueue()
Microsoft.AspNetCore.Components.Server.Circuits.CircuitHost: Error: Unhandled exception in circuit '7ffaKiuBdMxM6qCKMQdEWd4jNPFLU_AkeG3Awk84_nk'.

System.ObjectDisposedException: Cannot access a disposed object.
   at Microsoft.AspNetCore.Components.RenderTree.ArrayBuilder`1.ThrowObjectDisposedException()
   at Microsoft.AspNetCore.Components.RenderTree.ArrayBuilder`1.GrowBuffer(Int32 desiredCapacity)
   at Microsoft.AspNetCore.Components.RenderTree.ArrayBuilder`1.Append(T[] source, Int32 startIndex, Int32 length)
   at Microsoft.AspNetCore.Components.RenderTree.RenderTreeDiffBuilder.InsertNewFrame(DiffContext& diffContext, Int32 newFrameIndex)
   at Microsoft.AspNetCore.Components.RenderTree.RenderTreeDiffBuilder.AppendDiffEntriesForFramesWithSameSequence(DiffContext& diffContext, Int32 oldFrameIndex, Int32 newFrameIndex)
   at Microsoft.AspNetCore.Components.RenderTree.RenderTreeDiffBuilder.AppendDiffEntriesForRange(DiffContext& diffContext, Int32 oldStartIndex, Int32 oldEndIndexExcl, Int32 newStartIndex, Int32 newEndIndexExcl)
   at Microsoft.AspNetCore.Components.RenderTree.RenderTreeDiffBuilder.AppendDiffEntriesForFramesWithSameSequence(DiffContext& diffContext, Int32 oldFrameIndex, Int32 newFrameIndex)
   at Microsoft.AspNetCore.Components.RenderTree.RenderTreeDiffBuilder.AppendDiffEntriesForRange(DiffContext& diffContext, Int32 oldStartIndex, Int32 oldEndIndexExcl, Int32 newStartIndex, Int32 newEndIndexExcl)
   at Microsoft.AspNetCore.Components.RenderTree.RenderTreeDiffBuilder.AppendDiffEntriesForFramesWithSameSequence(DiffContext& diffContext, Int32 oldFrameIndex, Int32 newFrameIndex)
   at Microsoft.AspNetCore.Components.RenderTree.RenderTreeDiffBuilder.AppendDiffEntriesForRange(DiffContext& diffContext, Int32 oldStartIndex, Int32 oldEndIndexExcl, Int32 newStartIndex, Int32 newEndIndexExcl)
   at Microsoft.AspNetCore.Components.RenderTree.RenderTreeDiffBuilder.AppendDiffEntriesForFramesWithSameSequence(DiffContext& diffContext, Int32 oldFrameIndex, Int32 newFrameIndex)
   at Microsoft.AspNetCore.Components.RenderTree.RenderTreeDiffBuilder.AppendDiffEntriesForRange(DiffContext& diffContext, Int32 oldStartIndex, Int32 oldEndIndexExcl, Int32 newStartIndex, Int32 newEndIndexExcl)
   at Microsoft.AspNetCore.Components.RenderTree.RenderTreeDiffBuilder.ComputeDiff(Renderer renderer, RenderBatchBuilder batchBuilder, Int32 componentId, ArrayRange`1 oldTree, ArrayRange`1 newTree)
   at Microsoft.AspNetCore.Components.Rendering.ComponentState.RenderIntoBatch(RenderBatchBuilder batchBuilder, RenderFragment renderFragment)
   at Microsoft.AspNetCore.Components.RenderTree.Renderer.RenderInExistingBatch(RenderQueueEntry renderQueueEntry)
   at Microsoft.AspNetCore.Components.RenderTree.Renderer.ProcessRenderQueue()
The program '[25164] iisexpress.exe: Program Trace' has exited with code 0 (0x0).
The program '[25164] iisexpress.exe' has exited with code -1 (0xffffffff).

So what’s the reason for this?

Reason

This time around, the actual point is in the inner exception. I mean, I guess that’s how it usually is, but still – worth pointing out.

Cannot insert explicit value for identity column in table when IDENTITY_INSERT is set to OFF.

So for whatever reason, the issue is caused by me setting the entity.Id explicitly (for the newly created entity), while the SQL Server is expecting a null value, that it can then set itself.

Now, why exactly does this happen? Let’s take a look at my (very, very simple) entity class:

[Key]
public long Id { get; set; }

In Entity Framework Core, making a property a Key (either by adding the [Key] attribute or using Fluent API), it defaults to the database generation for the value of the property. This is equivalent to configuring it like below:

[DatabaseGenerated(DatabaseGeneratedOption.Identity)]
[Key]
public long Id { get; set; }

This means, however, that you can’t specify the Id value for the property yourself. You’ll need to use whatever the database gives you (at least in MS SQL that’s usually just an incremental value), and if you try to specify the value on insert (like I did), you’ll get the error shown above!

So, how to fix this?

Solution

And that’s it! This should work at least as of EF Core 3.0. Let me know how it goes for you! :)

• Author
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Antti K. Koskela

Developer / Speaker / Consultant at Koskila / Precio Fishbone / Norppandalotti Software Co / Alter - Experience Ideas Ltd

Antti Koskela is a proud digital native nomadic millennial full stack developer (is that enough funny buzzwords? That's definitely enough funny buzzwords!), who works as Solutions Architect for Precio Fishbone, building delightful Digital Workplaces.

He's been a developer from 2004 (starting with PHP and Java), and he's been working on .NET projects, Azure, Office 365, SharePoint and a lot of other stuff. He's also Microsoft MVP for Azure.

This is his personal professional (e.g. professional, but definitely personal) blog.

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