AutoNumber?

[W E B GU R L]

Can you reset the auto number to recalculate the number sequence?

What number does the auto number go up to?

Thanks!

 

[Douglas J. Steele]

AutoNumbers are Long Integers, which means they can be
between -2,147,483,648 and 2,147,483,647

To reset, normally all you have to do is compact the database once the table
is empty. However, you really shouldn't have to worry about this. AutoNumber
fields exist for one purpose: to provide a (practically guaranteed) unique
value that can be used as a primary key. It doesn't matter whether that
value is 1,2 3 or 324654, 324656, 324657. Rarely, if ever, is the value of
an Autonumber field shown to the user in a properly designed database.

 

[Van T. Dinh]

1. No. The only exception is that if you delete "recent" Records and
Compact the database, the next AutoNumber will be the highest existing
AutoNumber value + 1. Of course, if you delete *all* Records and the
Compact, the next number will be 1.

2. Up to approx. 2 billion then it will go negative.

3. Note that *the only purpose* of AutoNumber Field is to provide uniqueness
to each Record in the Table and the actual value allocated to each Record
should not be of concern to you.

 

[Nono]

The autonumber, if left with its default settings is infinite. I can only be
limited by your formatting e.g.. if you choose for it to be four characters.
You can reset Autonumber by following these instructions:
- right clicking on the table,
- select copy
- select paste
- select structure only
- create and append query to copy data from old table to new table
- do not include primary key
- The data will be sequentially referenced
- create similar relationships for new table as old
- delete old table
- rename new table to same name as old table
--

 

[Rick Brandt]

The autonumber, if left with its default settings is infinite. I can
only be limited by your formatting e.g..

Actually it's a LongInteger type and therefore has the same limits as a
LongInteger.

 

[Selective]

I have a similar question. I was entering information into the database. I
entered the information in and then had some out of order. I need them in
numerical order. When I went back in, it had skipped about 5 numbers. Any
suggestions?

 

[Douglas J. Steele]

If the value of the Autonumber is important to you, then you probably
shouldn't be using an Autonumber field.

Autonumbers exist for one purpose: to provide a (practically guaranteed)
unique value that can be used as a primary key. They are NOT guaranteed not
to have gaps.