shorter way to get new value of serial?

[Harald Armin Massa <haraldarminmassa@xxxxxxxxx>]

I have a table:


CREATE TABLE rechner
(
  id_r int4 NOT NULL DEFAULT nextval('rechner_id_r_seq'::regclass),
  name text,
  CONSTRAINT rechner_pkey PRIMARY KEY (id_r)
) 
CREATE UNIQUE INDEX rechner_name
  ON rechner
  USING btree
  (name);

and want to have the existing or new id of 'newobjekt'


CREATE OR REPLACE FUNCTION getrechnerid( text)
  RETURNS int4 AS
'        DECLARE
            result int4;
        BEGIN
            select id_r from rechner where name=upper($1) into result;
        
        IF not FOUND THEN
       select nextval(''swcheck_id_check_seq'') into result;
       insert into rechner (id_r, name) values (result, upper($1));
    END IF;
        return result;
        END;
 '
  LANGUAGE 'plpgsql' VOLATILE;

#############

so on an empty table:

select getrechnerid('LEBERWURST');
-> 1

select getrechnerid('FISCH');

-> 2

select getrechnerid('LEBERWURST');
-> 1

everything is fine. BUT: I feel that this a SO USUAL request (please, give me the new primary key of that just inserted beast), that there may be a simpler way, and I am just to blind to see.

Is there really one?

Harald

-- 
GHUM Harald Massa
persuasion python postgresql
Harald Armin Massa
Reinsburgstraße 202b
70197 Stuttgart
0173/9409607