Automatic record numbers

  • Thread starter Thread starter Guest
  • Start date Start date
G

Guest

I have created a database which I am now testing by using a copy of the
original. I have set it up to insert automatic record numbers but am having
problems in making it start from 1. If I try out some of the input masks and
then delete what I have done the software seems to remember the number of
entries I've made so that when I think I'm starting fresh from record 1, the
software will insert a higher number. How can I avoid this? I don't want to
have to create the whole database again from scratch.

Richard
 
Delete all Records in the Table and then compact your database will reset
the AutoNumber Field.

OTOH, you shouldn't even care about the value of the AutoNumber Field
assigned to each Record: the only purpose of AutoNumber Field is to provide
uniqueness to each Record and generally there should be no meaning attach to
the AutoNumber Field. In fact, my users don't see the value of the
AutoNumber Field even though I almost always have an AutoNumber Field in
each Table.

Note that the AutoNumber sequence will develop gaps and can become negative
or even random so if you want some sort of sequence number, AutoNumber is
not the correct data type to use.
 
Many thanks. This was really helpful and has given me something to think
about!

Richard
 
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