Solved PK Autonumber... but with Text (1 Viewer)

Da_Panda

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Hello,

Am creating a database, and about the PK. The standard, and very easy/comfortable way, is to use Autonumber (1, 2, 3,...). Then one could also just use Text, but one have to manually write it in.

Would then hear if its possible to a somewhat combination? And how?
eg. I'm thinking of a schema like: DOC001, DOC002, DOC003. Where the text body then stay the same, but then every time one make a new Record, the like with Autonumber, the number would then change to the next one in line...
 

Minty

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You can format the auto number to display with a prefix.
In the format property simply add "DOC"0000
 

Uncle Gizmo

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This is done, but it does suffer from a couple of problems. The first one is, if data entry is started, but then aborted, that particular auto number is lost. You cannot ever use the deleted Auto number ID, it's gone for good as far as I'm aware, although I always dubious about making such a statement because somebody usually finds a workaround! But I'm pretty confident in this case. So now you have a missing number in your list.

An alternative is to have a separate number field and every time you add a new number to it, you find and the existing maximum number and add 1 to it and use it for your new record then you can be sure of a continuous list of numbers, 1 2 3 4 5 6 etc
 

Minty

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Unless its an accounting package and an uninterrupted sequence is an absolute requirement, I personally don't see an issue with a missing number if it's simply a unique reference.
Using a DMax approach works but is fraught with dangers with multiple users especially over slower network connections.
 

Pat Hartman

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If everything is "doc", then the text serves no purpose.
 

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