C# & Databases - Creating a unique identifier

GUIDs are required to uniquely identify items across entities.  They provide a way to match items sent between companies or disjoint systems.  Instead of going through the pain of trying to keep integer IDs synced up between environments (arch, dev, qa, ua, prod), use a GUID and its done.

Creating a new GUID in C# is not as straightforward as one would think. Calling the constructor of System.Guid() will produce a GUID of all zeroes. Using System.Guid.NewGuid() will produce the desired effect of a new, unique identifier.

// produces a "blank" GUID: 

'00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000'

System.Guid blankGuid = new System.Guid(); 

// produces a new, unique GUID: 

'96d36892-6eed-400c-91f8-a194f3522fae'

System.Guid desiredGuid = System.Guid.NewGuid(); 

// convert string to GUID

System.Guid MyGuid = new Guid(stringValue);