Table's auto-sorting after setup?

[Guest]

New guy question,
I'm setting up a new table that has several fields in it, and I entered the
fields in an order other than alphabetically, but when I open the Table it's
auto-sorted alphabetically. I know that when I make the form for data entry
I can rearrange them but I would really rather have them stay in the order in
the Table that I first entered them. 1) Can someone tell me how to turn off
the auto-sort feature? 2) Can someone tell me how to unsort if possible back
to my original entry configuration?

Thank you...
WestarADG

 

[Rick Brandt]

New guy question,
I'm setting up a new table that has several fields in it, and I
entered the fields in an order other than alphabetically, but when I
open the Table it's auto-sorted alphabetically. I know that when I
make the form for data entry I can rearrange them but I would really
rather have them stay in the order in the Table that I first entered
them. 1) Can someone tell me how to turn off the auto-sort feature?
2) Can someone tell me how to unsort if possible back to my original
entry configuration?

Thank you...
WestarADG

Tables have no (reliable) order. If you want a particular order then you
need to use explicit sorting in queries, forms, and reports. For "Order of
entry" you need a DateTime field in your table with a default value of Now()
and then you can sort on that.

 

[Duane Hookom]

If by "open the Table" you mean the datasheet view, you should be able to
grab column headers to drag the columnes into a different order.

 

[Guest]

Correct, by open I do mean the datasheet view. I entered the data that I
needed in the table in a particular order, then I saved it. I then entered
data into a new table and saved it. Then reopened the datasheet view of the
first table and it was auto-sorted alphabetically? I'm wanting to turn off
the alpha-sorting for sanity sake, it's making it very difficult to veryify
I have all of the fields necessary for each table. And I'm wanting to unsort
the tables I've already made. If the only way to restore the tables i've
already made is to drag & drop them in a suitable order that's a bummer but
if it keeps auto-sorting the fields in all of the tables I need to create
it's going to make verifying I haven't overlooked anything a real tough job.

Thanks again for any assistance and your comments.

 

[Duane Hookom]

It isn't clear whether your table is autosorting records or columns. As per
Rick's accurate observations, there is no order to records in a table unless
you specify a field or fields to sort on.

 

[Guest]

hmm, ok so in datasheet view, across the top, the colomns have headers like
(Field Name) (Date Type) (Description). And under the first colomn named
(Field Name) I have the records with names like (HorseID), (HorseName),
(Blood), (LineType) etc.. Well when I closed this table and reopened in
datasheet view it was alpha-sorted (Blood), (HorseID), (HorseName),
(LineType) etc. and I certainly didn't intend to sort it that way. So if i'm
understanding you correctly, there isn't a sorting feature in Access to
toggle on or off, but rather I would need to purposefully select a field in
which to sort and then choose to sort it. Which leaves me completely
perplexed as to how this is happening. Do you know if there is a feature
like (ctrl c) for the (copy) command that maybe a shortcut for the sorting
that I may be hitting on accident?

Thanks again.....new guy.

 

[Ed Warren]

Find the little A-Z, Z-A icon on the toolbar. Put your cursor in the column
you want to sort by. Click A-Z (ascending) or Z-A (decending) icon.
Enlightenment will follow.

Ed Warren.

 

[gls858]

hmm, ok so in datasheet view, across the top, the colomns have headers like
(Field Name) (Date Type) (Description). And under the first colomn named
(Field Name) I have the records with names like (HorseID), (HorseName),
(Blood), (LineType) etc.. Well when I closed this table and reopened in
datasheet view it was alpha-sorted (Blood), (HorseID), (HorseName),
(LineType) etc. and I certainly didn't intend to sort it that way. So if i'm
understanding you correctly, there isn't a sorting feature in Access to
toggle on or off, but rather I would need to purposefully select a field in
which to sort and then choose to sort it. Which leaves me completely
perplexed as to how this is happening. Do you know if there is a feature
like (ctrl c) for the (copy) command that maybe a shortcut for the sorting
that I may be hitting on accident?

Thanks again.....new guy.

Select the table and go to design view. The columns should be listed in the
order they are shown in the list. First field name = first col and so on.
Is that not the case?

gls858

 

[Rick Brandt]

Find the little A-Z, Z-A icon on the toolbar. Put your cursor in the
column you want to sort by. Click A-Z (ascending) or Z-A (decending)
icon. Enlightenment will follow.

But he wants "Order of Entry" and unless he has an incrementing AutoNumber
or a DateCreated field then none of his *data* will give him the sort he
wants.

 

[gls858]

hmm, ok so in datasheet view, across the top, the colomns have headers like
(Field Name) (Date Type) (Description). And under the first colomn named
(Field Name) I have the records with names like (HorseID), (HorseName),
(Blood), (LineType) etc.. Well when I closed this table and reopened in
datasheet view it was alpha-sorted (Blood), (HorseID), (HorseName),
(LineType) etc. and I certainly didn't intend to sort it that way. So if i'm
understanding you correctly, there isn't a sorting feature in Access to
toggle on or off, but rather I would need to purposefully select a field in
which to sort and then choose to sort it. Which leaves me completely
perplexed as to how this is happening. Do you know if there is a feature
like (ctrl c) for the (copy) command that maybe a shortcut for the sorting
that I may be hitting on accident?

Thanks again.....new guy.

additional comment

I think you're actually referring to DESIGN view not datasheet view.

gls858

 

[Ed Warren]

Agreed, previous posters have already addressed that issue.

Ed Warren.

 

[Guest]

Ok, well I guess I need to mark the event as accidental even though it
happened on more than one table? So out of sheer frustration I just deleted
the tables in question and did them over again and everything is fine.
I guess I'm still just a little fuzzy over how the alpha-sorting occured,
I'm sure I didn't use the toolbar button a-z on two different tables and not
know it, that's why i'm curious if there was a keyboard shortcut I may have
hit on accident.
Thanks again...New Guy.