Add index to existing table - is it auto indexed (1 Viewer)

[bignose2]

Hi,
I am adding index's to a few fields in a tables that already exists & has done so for a long time, perhaps 5000 records
They are date fields, few questions.

1) Is the existing data automatically indexed once I change the setting in the table, I only say as when I added them & closed the table there was no delay.
If as I understand when using normally there can be a slight overhead in creating the index I would have thought indexing the whole table would at least be a half second or more.

2) Is there even the tiniest risk to the data being corrupted adding late on.

3) It is for a booking system, I have date in & date out. Lots of query that search &/Or add up who is in between those dates.
Do you think is better to have a multiple index or Indate & Outdate separately.

I will do lots of testing but good to get a handle on most likely to work fastest.
thanks I/A

 

[jdraw]

M$oft info re Indexes.
Please describe the booking system in overview showing the use of the InDate, OutDate.
There is little to no risk of corruption in my view.
You may find this info from PBaldy helpful.

 

[The_Doc_Man]

To your questions:

1. If you open the table in design view, establish the index, and click SAVE then at that moment, the deed is done. If it is a big enough table, you might see a momentary delay.

2. Opening the database AT ALL exposes it to the tiniest risk of corruption. In life, even waking up risks death - a teenie little bit. There are no guarantees in existence. However, the solution is to ALWAYS make a copy of the DB from outside Access. Perhaps a Windows-based copy/paste operation to a secondary folder is adequate. Then diddle with your DB as needed, knowing you can revert to the copy if need be. The rationale behind a non-Access copy operation is that disk-to-disk copying doesn't try to interpret what is being copied. It copies what you've got, warts and all. Even a Compact&Repair CAN damage a database, unlikely though that is. So if I tell you open the DB to do indexing is PERFECTLY safe, I would be lying through my teeth. Since this isn't a poker table, I don't like like that.

3. Separate indexes on dates that can be searched separately. Definitely.