Problems, problems....

[baba78]

Hi,
My database is playing up. I’ve had some issues with it recently and access was restricted by my IT dept for all users by accident. Since then it just seems like it’s one problem after another. Now, what I’m finding is that the records have all been mixed up when I open the form they use to document an event. They were previously running consecutively by the auto number (1,2,3 etc), but now it seems they’re all jumbled. Can anybody tell me how I might restore it to its usual order so that when you open the form all the previous ones are in autonumber order?

 

[The_Doc_Man]

Order will be jumbled under certain circumstances. Such as the form using a query based on something other than the autonumber field. Or the form having a filter or order override that negates the order of the autonumber field.

First, though, autonumber order means nothing at all. Autonumbers exist to keep the records having a unique identifier. If that ever breaks, report that to Microsoft at once. (Non-unique autonumbers when set up as Prime Key.)

However, the order of the records could depend on whether the field's Autonumber has changed from sequential to random. In which case, the expected order is your problem. (More specifically, it is your expectation of the order being something specific that is the problem.)

This is something that trips up folks quite frequently. AUTONUMBER fields have no meaning except as a key for uniqueness. If you put ANY OTHER MEANING AT ALL on the field, you have made an error in design. If you wanted something that would provide specific order, you must take action to generate that something. Autonumber fields don't guarantee squat except for uniqueness.

Search this forum for the topic of Autonumber to see lots of threads on this subject. Also "Meaningful" and "Meaningless" keys.