Retriving Identity Value after Insert

Database: Microsoft SQL Server
Program IDE: VB.NET 2005

I want to retrive the auto generated identity value after I insert a record into an identity column.

There were a lot of stuff about it but nothing that work work without using a stored procedure.

Basically I enclosed the insert and select into a transaction

The following is what I did
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        ' Add the input parameter and set its properties.
        Dim parameter As New Data.SqlClient.SqlParameter("pk", Data.SqlDbType.BigInt)
        parameter.Direction = Data.ParameterDirection.Output
        cmd.Parameters.Add(parameter)

        'set insertSql to somthing u do
        cmd.CommandText = "begin transaction" & vbCrLf & insertSql & vbCrLf & "select @pk =cast(scope_identity() as int);" & vbCrLf & "commit transaction"
        'added try block 7/10/08
        Try

            Dim msg = cmd.ExecuteNonQuery()
            If Val(msg) = 1 Then
                'parameter.Value returns the insert identity
                msg = parameter.Value
            End If
        Catch
            'output error
        End Try

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