What is an Autocounter

[hooby1]

Hello.
Can someone please describe what an Automatic Counter is on a form?
How do you set one up or input one on?
Cheers

 

[Dreamboat]

I would have thought it's just an autonumber field for a record. However, since they're autonumber fields, they shouldn't be changed by the person entering the records, so they're not generally shown on forms unless the number is meaningful.

I don't know what other type of counter you might be looking for. From the control toolbox in design view of a form, you could check the last button for activex controls, but I can't imagine what else it would be but an autonumber.

To be even more basic: Autonumber is a type of field. Create a new table in design view. Give the first field a name, and choose the data type "autonumber".

 

[WayneRyan]

hooby,

An AutoNumber is just a unique # that Access provides to
identify a record. It won't "mean anything" to the user,
they may or may not be displayed, and they can not be
edited.

They can't be used like serial numbers, because "gaps"
may occur due to record deletions, etc. If you need
serialized numbers, you'll have to do it yourself.

They make joining tables easier, because you just link
the tables on the one field as opposed to multiple
fields like Country --> State --> City.

Wayne